The student as a customer in higher education: a systematic review (2000–2022)

The metaphor of the student as customer has long generated controversy among authors due to its commercial background based on the payment that students make for their education. This situation positions them as customers of the university and as consumers of their education. Despite numerous investigations, no studies have yet conducted a systematic review of the literature based on the antagonistic positions (negative and positive). The aim of this study lies precisely in filling this gap by investigating works written from 2000 to 2022, to retrospectively analyze the arguments both for and against the metaphor. To achieve this, a systematic review was conducted in Scopus and Web of Science databases following the procedures of the Prisma Statement. After applying the selection criteria, 83 studies were identified. The findings revealed that the proposed thematic axes correspond to the two main stances presented by the researchers, allowing for a two-dimensional categorization based on negative and positive perspectives on the subject. In addition, it was evidenced that the authors develop their arguments across various contexts. This study aims to set aside conventional paradigms and contribute to broadening the knowledge of the problem, transparently channeling the critical analysis of the subject.