Where to go and why? Motivational factors in the choice of higher education institutions: the example of a university in Central Eastern Europe

Abstract

[EN] The aim of our study is to examine the factors that influence the choice of higher education institutions (HEIs). To this end, we have explored the evolution and current challenges of marketing in higher education. By conducting an empirical survey of students (n=2330) admitted in 2023 at a Central-Eastern European university, we identified the factors that influenced students' decision to apply. The initial 19 variables, then 15 variables included in the factor analysis, eventually resulted in four factors, which are "education and reputation", "dormitory and services", "opinion of others" and "city". The factors and factor weights were used to identify the strategically important factors that can help HEIs to achieve a more effective market presence and, accordingly, more precise targeting.