The quality and value of higher education facilities: a comparative study

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the paper is to explore the relationship between the quality and value of higher education facilities through comparing the views of different user groups and professionals involved in the procurement and design of such facilities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a mixed methods approach incorporating a number of interviews and a questionnaire survey, underpinned by the recommendations and input of an expert panel.

Findings

The results reveal the potential of facilities management and maintenance to create value for higher education institutions (HEIs) and students, perhaps even greater than the construction of new high‐profile facilities, by facilitating student recruitment and improving the student learning experience.

Research limitations

The sample includes data from a single HEI. Although this was deemed necessary so as to reduce the impact of externalities, the adopted approach has to be applied to a wider sample of HEIs in order to claim more generalisable findings.

Practical implications

The paper provides a better understanding of the relationship between the quality and value of higher education facilities. This can potentially support HEIs to achieve improved value for money from their facilities and free up resources to be reinvested in other aspects of student experience.

Originality/value

Considering the subjective nature of value the paper incorporates views from a number of different interest groups. These views are correlated with different facility quality standards to provide a holistic approach to assessing the value of higher education facilities.

Citation

Vidalakis, C., Sun, M. and Papa, A. (2013), "The quality and value of higher education facilities: a comparative study", Facilities, Vol. 31 No. 11/12, pp. 489-504. https://doi.org/10.1108/F-10-2011-0087