Using the European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) Model to Examine Student Satisfaction in the Context of Universities in Uganda

Student satisfaction (SS) is one of the strategic tools for a university in a competitive environment. Hence the need to investigate SS in universities. The aim of our study was to use the European Customer Satisfaction Index (ECSI) model to examine SS in universities in Uganda. The ECSI model suggests that SS is dependent on university image (UI), student expectations (SE), service quality of infrastructure and tangible service elements (SQITSE), service quality of people and processes (SQPP) and perceived value of investment (PVI). The ECSI model further suggests that PVI is dependent on UI, SE, SQITSE and SQPP. It also suggests that student loyalty (SL) is dependent on UI, SS and SQPP and finally that SE is dependent on UI. We designed a self-administered questionnaire on those constructs and had a sample of 704 students from seven universities in Uganda respond to it. We analysed our data using linear regression. Our findings gave support to the ECSI model in examining SS. We established that all the relationships among the constructs in the ECSI model were significant except the relationship between SQITSE and SS. We concluded that the ECSI model was appropriate for examining SS in the context of universities in Uganda. We recommend that university authorities allocate resources to improving their respective UI, SE, SQPP and PVI so as to enhance SS which invariably leads to SL.