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Exploring the relationships between university staff and students: A comparison between two European countries

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DOI https://doi.org/10.53761/bh55q214

Abstract

The quality of student-university relationships can significantly influence student engagement and experience, yet cross-cultural differences remain underexplored. This study examined Dutch (n = 407, Mage = 22.2) and French students (n = 394, Mage = 22.9), focusing on their relationship quality perceptions with staff and its impact on engagement. A quantitative correlational research design was adopted, using the Relationship Quality Scale, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students, and the Relationship Quality-Based Student Loyalty Scale. The results showed that students' trust in their university and professors, alongside academic motivation, strongly predicted overall satisfaction with the institution and its programs. Motivation mediated this relationship, explaining 18% of the variance in satisfaction. French students reported higher motivation and more positive perceptions of their university than Dutch students.  The study underscores the importance of trust and support in fostering student satisfaction while highlighting cultural differences in engagement and institutional perception.

Keywords

Relationship Quality, Student Engagement, Higher Education.

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Author Biographies

  • Hélène Maire, University of Lorraine, France

    Hélène Maire is a psychology lecturer at the National Higher Institute of Teaching and Education at the University of Lorraine, France. She is affiliated with the Lorraine Laboratory of Psychology and Neurosciences (2LPN). Her research primarily focuses on the development of social cognition and self-conscious emotions in children.

  • Ingrid Snijders , HZ University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands

    Ingrid Snijders is a senior researcher with the Healthy Region research group at HZ University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. Her work primarily focuses on the quality of student-teacher relationships, as well as student engagement, and the loyalty of both students and alumni in higher education.