Identification and Ranking of Factors Affecting the Satisfaction of International Students of Iranian Universities

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Master Student, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

2 Associate Professor, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, College of Farabi, University of Tehran, Qom, Iran

Abstract

Objective: In Iran, despite the increase in the number of international students, our knowledge of the factors that lead to the satisfaction of international students is very limited, therefore, this study was conducted to identify and rank the factors affecting the satisfaction of international students in Iranian universities.
Methods: The research is applied in terms of purpose. The factors affecting the satisfaction of international students were extracted from literature and classified into 7 categories and provided to students as a questionnaire. During a quarter in 2021, 532 international students from 30 different universities and 12 different nationalities answered to this questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using t-test, analysis of variance and Friedman
Results: According to the obtained results, among the seven dimensions investigated in this study, the dimensions of technology and information technology, management and organizational programs, financial and economic costs and educational services have the greatest impact in the satisfaction of international students in Iran.
Conclusion: The factors affecting the satisfaction of international students in Iran in order of importance include: information technology, management and organizational programs of the university, financial and economic conditions, provision of educational services, scientific support, welfare facilities and social relations. Except for the factor of satisfaction with financial and economic conditions, there is no significant difference between the average level in the two gender groups of men and women. The importance of the factors are the same among different levels of education. Also, except for welfare facilities and social relations, the importance of factors was different among different age groups of international students.

Keywords


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