Determinants of students' intention of choice to study at higher education institutions of Malaysia in the COVID-19 era

A market-sensitive educational system is evolving in Malaysia due to the fact that the country is experiencing an increase in competition from both local and international universities. Competitive pressure has forced higher educational institutions to look for more competitive marketing strategies in order to compete for students in their respective markets. Recently, higher education institution marketers in the northern region of Malaysia have been confronted lately with the decrease in the number of students due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the and Movement Control Order implemented by the government, and thus studying and knowing the factors that influence the students' decision-making process represents a useful source of information for institutions' management. The objective of this study is to investigate the determinants influencing students' intention when choosing a university during the selection process. The data was obtained via a questionnaire and applied to sample of participants comprising the 350 prospective students who are planning to pursue higher education in the northern region of Malaysia. The Partial Least Squares of Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) approach was deployed to validate and examine the research theoretical framework and conduct the hypothesis testing. The key findings from the study reveal that institutional characteristics, institutional communication, institutional fit and family influence are positively impacted students' intention of choice to study in higher education institutions in the northern region of Malaysia, accepting the peer influence.