Abstract:

The higher education sector in Malaysia has expanded rapidly since the introduction of a government legislation in 1996 that allowed the establishment of private universities. These private universities offer a great alternative to students who have not reserved a place in the public universities and not financially capable of pursuing higher education abroad. However, to remain competitive and survive in this sector, it is important that private universities understand the students‟ needs and expectations of higher education institution. This study aims to develop a conceptual framework to identify the dominant factors that influence student‟s selection decision of private university in Malaysia. The independent variables that have been identified to have influence on students' decision are facilities, word of mouth, image and reputation, tuition fees, location and parents‟ desire. Once the framework is developed it will be tested to verify the reliability and importance of all the selected factors. The finding of this study will provide important information to the prospective students in selecting their university and also to the university in order to meet the expectation of prospective student.