Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2020.1774794
Student choice of higher education institutions in a post-transitional country: evidence from Serbia
Sanja Mitić
orcid.org/0000-0003-1365-273X
Dušan Mojić
orcid.org/0000-0002-8571-3223
Abstract
The sector of higher education in developed countries has been facing
important structural changes over the last decade, which is now
expanding to developing countries also. As the competitive landscape
is changing, the trend of commercialisation of higher education
has become more evident. Higher education institutions (H.E.I.s)
have been developing their business strategies, with a clear focus
on marketing activities, changes in organisational processes, and
even changes in their priorities and missions, thus becoming more
lucrative. Knowing student behaviour and criteria for choice decisions
and recognising the main determinants of students’ choice is
the basis for establishing an effective strategy of H.E.I.s. The aim of
this article is to shed light on student choice criteria when deciding
which institution in higher education to enrol, and to identify main
moderating influences. Linear mixed model (L.M.M.) was used as
the main methodological tool for analysing the main variation in
the attitudes and expectations of students, based on several moderating
variables, their socio-demographic and personal characteristics.
The results reveal main institutional attributes that HEIs from a posttransitional
country can use for the effective market positioning,
and the influence of gender, academic aspirations and achievements
on the assessment of various students’ choice criteria.
Keywords
education; higher education institution (H.E.I.); student choice; post-transitional country; higher education market
Hrčak ID:
254719
URI
Publication date:
9.2.2021.
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