Fostering Student-Faculty Relationships in Higher Education : How Relationship Quality Affects Student Involvement

Abstract

Relationships between students and their educational programs play an important role in higher education. After all, during that period students develop into young professionals who enter the labor market after their graduation. This thesis studies the relationship between students and their study program (we call this relationship quality) from a student perspective and looks at the influence it has on their involvement (engagement and loyalty).

A first finding is that if higher education institutions regularly monitor relationship quality, they can respond more adequately to what students need. This thesis shows that relationship quality can have a positive impact on student engagement and student loyalty, based on research among regular and former students. When relationship quality is measured over time (longitudinally), it also appears to positively influence student engagement and student loyalty.

The findings of this thesis can help in the design of policies and practical resources that higher education institutions can use to improve the relationship with their students. This can be beneficial for higher education institutions. After all, a good relationship quality makes students more involved in their studies. The bond between educational institutions and students results in graduates more likely to stay involved with their former educational institution for example in the form of giving guest lectures, offering internships and bringing ideas for practice-based research.