The Quality of Educational Services in Islamic Azad University: A Case Study of Sciences and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Considering the high importance of supplying and nurturing an efficient work force and the role of educational services in this regard, many studies have considered the quality of these services. Few, however, have investigated students’ views in this regard. Therefore, the present study attempted to assess the quality of educational services from the students’ perspective. Data were collected using Fadkh and Bagvat’s educational services questionnaire administered to 372 university students and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Reliability of the questionnaire was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and experts' views were sought for validity assessment. The results showed that the quality of education in Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch and the quality of educational services in terms of faculties management system, interpersonal relationships between the faculty members and facilities were assessed by students as above the average. However, students believed that teaching skills of the faculty members were below the average and, therefore, undesirable. Based on the findings, faculties were significantly different in the quality of education according to the students. Finally the students of college of Technical Engineering were believed to have the lowest level of quality; the students of the Faculty of Basic Sciences, on the other hand, evaluated the educational services quality as really high. The results point to the conclusion that educational institutions should care about the quality of educational services and students’ views about these services to improve their students’ educational performance and, consequently, their status.