Determinants and impacts of perceived quality of student support services in technical universities: insights from psychological need theory and social exchange theory

This study examines the antecedents and outcomes of quality in student support services in technical universities, focusing on autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs as determinants according to psychological needs theory, and explores the impacts of word-of-mouth, student experience, and enrollment decisions. Data from 504 students across five faculties were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The findings showed that support services addressing relatedness needs were the strongest determinant of the quality of student support services (β = 0.283, p < 0.001), followed by autonomy (β = 0.226, p < 0.001), and competence (β = 0.136, p = 0.012). The quality of students’ support services showed significant increases in word-of-mouth promotion (β = 0.564, p < 0.001), overall experience (β = 0.576, p < 0.001), and enrollment decisions (β = 0.369, p < 0.001). These results underscore the importance of prioritizing comprehensive support services to enhance students’ psychological well-being, thereby improving institutional outcomes, including a more positive student experience, increased word-of-mouth recommendations, and more favorable enrollment decisions. This study contributes to the literature on educational service quality and offers insights into improving student experience and engagement.