A Model for Ranking the Quality of Educational Services in Medical Sciences Universities

Abstract

Introduction: Research studies usually employ SERVQUAL model and gap analysis to assess the quality of academic educational services, but these methods cannot rank universities based on the quality of educational services. In this regard, the purpose of this research was to design a model for ranking the quality of educational services in medical universities. Methods: This study used a mixed method research design. The statistical population consisted of all connoisseur experts (n=15) of the evaluation departments of the medical universities in southeast Iran in 2014, all of whom were selected by non-probability convenience sampling. The experts determined the value of each criterion against other criteria in a paired scale questionnaire. Data were analyzed by means of AHP method in the Expert Choice 11 software. Results: Drawing on SERVQUAL model and AHP method, this study proposed the first model for ranking the quality of educational services in Iran’s medical universities. In this model, the most weighted criterion was “conformity of the curricula with labor market needs”; “the number of held exams”, “faculty members’ mastery of scientific and practical fields of textbooks”, “adequate educational tools” and “safety equipment" were the next criteria with the highest weight respectively. Conclusion: The model for ranking the quality of educational services in medical universities can reduce the time and costs of the programs assessing the quality of educational services and help the authorities provide high quality educational services.

Keywords

• software
• servqual
• analytic hierarchy process (ahp)
• educational services
• university