This study was conducted to examine the effects of student’s satisfaction on student’s trust, social identification, and loyalty amongst international students in Malaysian public higher institutions. It was conducted due to low research outputs on these variables among international students in Malaysia. A theoretical literature review was conducted, and an adapted survey of Student Loyalty Model was used to collect the data from four public universities in Malaysia, while regression analysis was performed to check for the effect of satisfaction on other variables. The findings showed that student’s trust, social identification, and loyalty can predict student’s satisfaction. International student satisfaction has a strong effect on trust (B=0.401), but a weak effect on social identification (B=0.220) and loyalty (B=0.131). The results indicated that the gaps in international students’ satisfaction can be minimized by improving the aspects of student loyalty and identification with the university through campus engagement and non-academic programs. The study also recommended carrying out further research within a larger population of students in public and private universities to compare their perceptions and to benefit from the experiences and successes of other international education destinations.

This study is conducted to examine the relationship between quality service and students’ satisfaction based on the perceptions of international students in Malaysian public universities. The questionnaire used was adapted from ServQual and Customer Satisfaction instruments. Using the mean scores, Cronbach Alpha, correlation matrix, and regression analysis, the findings indicated moderate positive perceptions of overall university quality service and satisfaction with a low level of satisfaction for some dimensions of quality service such as empathy and assurance. This gap can be minimized by improving the issues of trust, courtesy, and responsiveness of university service with more focus on the emotional aspects and human connection in delivery service.

International student mobility has become an effective global strategy for tertiary institutions’ economic growth, revenue, and diversity. This study aimed to provide service quality indicators that can be used to improve international student mobility services in Malaysian public universities. The sample comprised international students in Malaysia, with 1273 students from 76 countries participating. The SERVQUAL model and instrument were used, and the indicators were determined using the measurement model (MM) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings of MM and AHP ranked courtesy and communication as the highest indicators, and AHP found that soft skills were required to improve service quality at Malaysian higher education institutions. These findings contribute to understanding what is needed to improve the university quality service system in Malaysian public universities. The results also apply to other universities, especially Southeast Asian countries involved in internationalisation practices. Practical implications were provided to improve internationalisation service quality at colleges and universities, with suggestions for future study.

The rapid socioeconomic growth of emerging countries, as well as the changing character of higher education services because of the Coronavirus epidemic, warrant rethinking the internationalization approach in higher education. In the age of inconsistency in internationalization policies, this chapter argues that dynamic systems theory (DST) can be adopted for implementing internationalization. It also explores push-pull dynamics, which can be utilized as an alternative to the classic push-pull theory to enhance the competitive advantage in this era of limited funds for higher institutions, and low turnout from international student mobility. The chapter concludes on the approach and recommendations that can assist in determining what to focus on and the future trends in higher education internationalization.