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Influence of country and city images on students’ perception of host universities and their satisfaction with the assigned destination for their exchange programmes

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Abstract

This research focuses on the effect that country image, city image and university image has on students’ a priori satisfaction with the assigned destination for their international exchange programme (Bachelor and Master). In particular, this study establishes six hypotheses related to the causal relationships among the different typologies of image and their effects on students’ satisfaction with the assigned destination to study at least one semester in a host university. In order to contrast these hypotheses, a quantitative research was carried out in the Spanish city of Santander (Spain), by obtaining a sample of 245 international students who participated in an exchange programme at the University of Cantabria. The research findings are: (1) students’ satisfaction with the assigned destination is positively influenced by the university image; (2) the university image is positively influenced by the city image; and (3) the city image is positively influenced by the country image.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Business Management, University of Cantabria, Facultad de CC. Económicas y Empresariales, Av. Los Castros s/n, Santander, 39005, Cantabria, Spain

    Ángel Herrero

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  1. Ángel Herrero
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  2. Héctor San Martín
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  3. María del Mar García de los Salmones
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  4. Andrea del Río Peña
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Correspondence to Ángel Herrero.

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Table A1 Measurement scales
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Herrero, Á., Martín, H., García de los Salmones, M. et al. Influence of country and city images on students’ perception of host universities and their satisfaction with the assigned destination for their exchange programmes. Place Brand Public Dipl 11, 190–203 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1057/pb.2015.4

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