Student satisfaction associated with persistence, academic performance, retention, and its relations to career advancement were examined. It was aimed at measuring service quality (Servqual) dimensions as a foundation of satisfaction and how, in what comportments, they were interrelated. The study was conducted under explanatory-design. Data was collected proportionally and purposively followed by congregating them through unified interviews. Population was 1,814 Universitas Terbuka students domiciled overseas; 350 questionnaires were dispersed, 169 completed. Satisfaction was assessed by examining Servqual dimensions. Importanceperformance analysis (IPA) and customer-satisfaction index (CSI) were applied to measure satisfaction and the level of its importance. Structural equation model (SEM) was then employed to examine influencing variables. Nine hypotheses developed were all validated by the analysis. Responsiveness, assurance, tangible, reliability, and empathy were in harmony to satisfaction. Career advancement, retention, academic performance, and persistence were influenced by satisfaction. Qualitative inquiry implemented afterwards was basically coherent with the quantitative findings.

This paper examines the elements of overall service quality as evidence for student satisfaction in an open and distance learning mode. It aims mainly at assessing the implementation and utilization of services as expected and experienced by students. The paper also explores the links between satisfaction and grade point average, student persistence and retention. The research was conducted at Universitas Terbuka utilizing a survey, with the data being collected randomly through a questionnaire. The population was 1,154 Universitas Terbuka graduates attending a commencement day in May 2014. Three hundred questionnaires were distributed and 218 of them were returned complete and processed. Student satisfaction was assessed by scrutinizing the dimensions of service quality: the attributes of reliability, assurance, tangibility, empathy and responsiveness. An Importance Performance Analysis and a Customer Satisfaction Index were first applied concurrently to measure student satisfaction and the level of its importance. Structural equation modelling was then used to verify the influencing features related to satisfaction with the grade point average, persistence and retention. Eight hypotheses were formed and examined, six of which were statistically validated by the analysis. It was found that empathy, responsiveness and reliability directly influenced student satisfaction; and persistence and retention were visibly affected by satisfaction.

Factors affecting students' loyalty were explored in this paper. The objective of the study was to identify the most important factors involved in determining students' loyalty at Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia. The research was conducted through a quantitative approach and all data were processed using the path analysis method. Respondents were students registered at the Faculty of Social and Political Science, the Faculty of Economics, and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. A proportionate simple random sampling was taken and 193 questionnaires were completed. These questionnaires explored five variables and 24 attributes through 114 valid and reliable statements using a Likert Scale ranging from 1 – 5. These instruments were used to gather responses from students to ascertain what factors determined students' loyalty at Universitas Terbuka. The respondents were students registered in the first semester of academic year of 2012. They have also been registered in least two previous semesters in the relevant program/faculty. Students' loyalty was the dependent variable. Service quality, student expectations and university image were the independent variables; student satisfaction was the intervening variable. Nine hypotheses were examined, and all were validated by the analysis. The most significant factors affecting students' loyalty were student expectations and university image.

Purpose This study observes that academic excellence associated with satisfaction leads to persistence, loyalty and future careers as perceived by students in an open distance learning framework. The purpose of this paper is to scrutinize the influences of academic excellence as the origin of satisfaction, and how and in which routines those associated factors were interconnected. Design/methodology/approach The inquiry employed the mixed-methods (exploratory design) approach. It was qualitatively identified first that academic excellence included student orientation, academic counseling, learning materials, tutorial supports, evaluation systems, feedback mechanisms and referral schemes. These seven factors had repercussions on students’ persistence, loyalty and future careers. Quantitatively, seven factors of academic excellence and the latter are independent and dependent variables, respectively. Respondents were randomly selected to accumulate data through a survey from the overseas students of Universitas Terbuka Indonesia. Importance-performance analysis and customer-satisfaction index were concurrently applied to measure the excellence level and its importance degree. Ten hypotheses were established and then examined using structural equation modeling to encapsulate the interrelations intensity among the engaged factors. Findings Eight out of ten hypotheses were statistically validated by the analysis excluding tutorial supports and feedback mechanisms factors. It was inferred that evaluation systems were the most critical factor and orderly followed by referral schemes, academic counseling, learning materials and student orientation. Academic excellence had an impact on persistence and loyalty, followed by career advancement. Originality/value The study identified minor disparity of qualitative and quantitative results. Further query with wider perspectives was needed by also enlarging the sample to minimize the gaps.

Purpose Service quality and satisfaction in the ODL setting related to students’ accomplishments (performance, loyalty and career) were reconsidered. It was aimed at exposing the moderating role of satisfaction on service quality and accomplishment. It was also of interest to scrutinize how, in what routines determinants engaged interdepended. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This study utilized an exploratory design. It was qualitatively identified first that service quality included tangible, empathy, assurance, reliability, responsiveness and referral factors. It preceded to satisfaction (perceived from academic, operational and managerial attitudes). Satisfaction led to accomplishment. Quantitatively, service quality, satisfaction and accomplishment were identified as independent, moderating, and dependent variables, respectively. Respondents, 500 Universitas Terbuka graduates, were randomly pursued to accumulate data by a survey. Methodically, importance-performance analysis (IPA) and customer-satisfaction index (CSI) were used to figure out satisfaction and their importance degree. Nine hypotheses were developed and examined using structural-equation modeling to visualize the loading factors. Findings Replies from 163 respondents were completed. Seven of nine hypotheses were validated. It was distinguished that reliability influencing satisfaction, they were empathy, assurance and responsiveness; excluding tangible and referral. Satisfaction influenced performance, career, and loyalty. IPA-CSI analysis recognized 15 (of 21) attributes as the pillars of service quality. Originality/value Despite the qualitative framework was improperly approved by quantitative procedure, they were methodically reliable. It was supported by the fact that nine cut-off values of goodness-of-fit requirements harmonized. Additional inquiry is therefore required to tail off variances by integrating a more appropriate approach, amplifying theoretical coverage, and/or extending population/sample size.