Service Quality in Digital and Phygital Learning Environments: Evidence from West African Higher Education

Graphical Abstract

Abstract
The rapid digitalisation of higher education, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has redefined how service quality is conceptualised, delivered and evaluated within universities. In West Africa, where Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) operate under significant infrastructural, technological and resource constraints, the transition to digital and blended “phygital” learning environments has created both opportunities and challenges for maintaining quality standards.

This study evaluates service quality in digital and phygital learning environments within HEIs in West Africa using the SERVQUAL framework. The study focuses on five core dimensions: reliability, assurance, responsiveness, empathy and tangibles. Employing a mixed-method, survey-based design, data were collected from 424 stakeholders, including students, faculty members, administrators and alumni. A gap analysis approach was used to compare stakeholder expectations with perceived experiences across the five SERVQUAL dimensions.

The findings reveal negative service quality gaps across all dimensions, with the most significant gaps occurring in responsiveness, assurance and tangibles. These gaps reflect institutional limitations in timely support, digital confidence, infrastructure, connectivity and technology-enabled service delivery. However, the findings also show moderate progress in reliability, access to learning materials and continuity of academic delivery. Overall, the results indicate that digital transformation has improved some aspects of higher education service delivery while exposing deeper weaknesses in institutional support systems.

The study argues that service quality in digital higher education is not merely a function of technological deployment. It requires integrated investment in digital infrastructure, pedagogy, faculty development, student support systems, institutional governance and managerial capability. The paper contributes to educational management literature by offering context-specific insights into service quality measurement in emerging economies and provides recommendations for improving student experience, institutional resilience and competitiveness.

Keywords: Service Quality, SERVQUAL, Digital Learning, Phygital Learning, Higher Education Institutions, West Africa, Educational Management, Student Experience, Digital Transformation

1. Introduction
Service quality has become a central concern in higher education management, particularly in an increasingly competitive, globalised and technology-mediated educational environment. Traditionally, universities were evaluated primarily on academic reputation, research output, faculty strength and graduate employability. However, contemporary higher education increasingly recognises students, faculty, alumni and other stakeholders as active participants whose experiences, expectations and satisfaction shape institutional sustainability.

The rapid digitalisation of higher education has expanded the meaning of service quality. In traditional learning environments, service quality was often associated with lecture delivery, physical facilities, administrative support and interpersonal engagement. In digital and phygital learning environments, however, service quality now includes platform reliability, online responsiveness, digital accessibility, virtual engagement, technical support, learner autonomy and the quality of blended learning design.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this transformation. HEIs across the world were compelled to migrate rapidly from physical classrooms to online and blended learning systems. For West African institutions, this shift was particularly challenging because many institutions already faced infrastructural deficits, limited digital readiness, uneven access to devices, poor internet connectivity and inadequate digital pedagogy capacity.

Yet the crisis also created an opportunity. It forced institutions to rethink service delivery, adopt digital tools, redesign learning processes and explore blended models that combine physical and digital learning. This blended approach, often described as “phygital learning”, has become increasingly relevant for HEIs seeking flexibility, resilience and wider access.

This paper examines service quality in digital and phygital learning environments in West African HEIs. It applies the SERVQUAL model to assess gaps between stakeholder expectations and perceived experiences. The central argument is that service quality in digital higher education is multidimensional and must be managed through the integration of technology, pedagogy, institutional support and agile leadership.

2. Literature Review
2.1. Service quality in higher education
Service quality is widely recognised as a major determinant of student satisfaction, institutional reputation and competitive advantage. Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry developed the SERVQUAL model to measure service quality as the gap between customer expectations and perceptions. The model identifies five dimensions: reliability, assurance, responsiveness, empathy and tangibles¹.

In higher education, reliability may refer to consistency in teaching, assessment and administrative processes. Assurance relates to the competence, credibility and confidence demonstrated by faculty and institutional staff. Responsiveness concerns the speed and effectiveness of support services. Empathy reflects personalised attention and care for learners. Tangibles include physical facilities, technological infrastructure, digital tools and learning resources.

Although SERVQUAL was originally developed for general service industries, it has been widely adapted to higher education because universities increasingly operate in environments where stakeholder satisfaction, service experience and institutional responsiveness matter significantly.

2.2. Digital transformation and service delivery
Digital transformation has altered the delivery of higher education services. Learning management systems, virtual classrooms, online assessment platforms, electronic libraries, cloud-based collaboration tools and artificial intelligence-enabled learning systems have expanded the reach and flexibility of education.

However, digital transformation does not automatically improve service quality. Matt, Hess and Benlian argue that digital transformation requires coherent strategies that align technology with organisational structures and stakeholder needs². Vial similarly emphasises that digital transformation involves organisational change triggered by digital technologies, not merely the adoption of digital tools³.

In higher education, this means that online platforms must be supported by redesigned pedagogy, responsive administration, digital competence, student support and quality assurance systems. Without these elements, digital learning can reproduce or even worsen existing service quality weaknesses.

2.3. Phygital learning and the student experience
Phygital learning refers to the deliberate integration of physical and digital learning experiences. It seeks to combine the strengths of face-to-face interaction with the flexibility, scalability and accessibility of digital platforms. Chaturvedi, Purohit and Verma argue that blended and online learning became essential during the COVID-19 crisis, but their effectiveness depends on learner engagement, technological access and institutional readiness⁴.

In West Africa, phygital learning offers significant potential. It can reduce geographical barriers, support working professionals, enhance lifelong learning and increase access to quality education. However, it also creates complexity. Institutions must coordinate multiple delivery channels, maintain consistency across physical and virtual environments and ensure that students receive timely academic, administrative and technical support.

2.4. Service quality challenges in emerging economies
Service quality in emerging economies is shaped by structural and institutional factors. In West Africa, HEIs often operate in environments marked by unreliable electricity, limited broadband penetration, high internet costs, inadequate digital infrastructure and constrained funding. These challenges affect the capacity of institutions to deliver reliable and responsive digital learning experiences.

The World Bank notes that educational technology in Sub-Saharan Africa has potential to improve access and quality, but its impact depends on infrastructure, teacher capacity, governance and equity⁵. Therefore, the measurement of service quality in West African digital higher education must be context-sensitive.

3. Theoretical Framework
This study is anchored in the SERVQUAL framework developed by Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry¹. The model is appropriate because it evaluates service quality through the gap between stakeholder expectations and actual perceived experiences. 

For the purpose of this study, the SERVQUAL dimensions were adapted to digital and phygital learning environments as follows:

Reliability refers to the consistency of digital learning delivery, availability of learning materials, stability of academic schedules and dependability of online systems.

Assurance refers to the confidence stakeholders have in faculty competence, digital pedagogy, institutional credibility and the ability of staff to support technology-enabled learning.

Responsiveness refers to the timeliness of feedback, speed of administrative response, availability of technical support and the capacity of institutions to address student needs quickly.

Empathy refers to personalised attention, learner support, flexibility, inclusiveness and the institution’s sensitivity to student circumstances.

Tangibles refer to physical and digital infrastructure, learning platforms, internet access, devices, digital libraries and the visible resources that support phygital learning (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of Service Quality in Digital and Phygital Learning

4. Methodology
The study adopted a mixed-method research design to evaluate service quality in digital and phygital learning environments within HEIs in West Africa.

Data were collected using structured questionnaires and open-ended questions. The structured component was based on the SERVQUAL dimensions of reliability, assurance, responsiveness, empathy and tangibles. The open-ended component captured qualitative insights from stakeholders regarding their lived experiences of digital and phygital learning

The sample consisted of 424 valid respondents drawn from HEIs in West Africa. Respondents included students, faculty members, administrative staff and alumni. This broad stakeholder composition enabled the study to capture diverse perspectives on service quality.

The study employed descriptive statistics and gap analysis to compare expectations and perceived experiences across the SERVQUAL dimensions. Qualitative responses were analysed thematically to identify recurring challenges, opportunities and institutional improvement priorities (Tables 1 and 2).

Table 1: Demographic Profile of Respondents.