THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GOOD UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE IN ENHANCING INSTITUTIONAL COMPETITIVENESS AND ITS INFLUENCE ON STUDENTS’ UNIVERSITY SELECTION DECISIONS: EVIDENCE FROM PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS IN BANTEN PROVINCE, INDONESIA

Abstract

Good University Governance (GUG) is increasingly important for improving institutional performance and strengthening competitiveness in higher education. This study aims to examine the relationship between GUG implementation, institutional competitiveness, and students’ university-selection decisions at private higher education institutions in Banten Province, Indonesia. The study focuses on five GUG principles: transparency, accountability, responsibility, independence, and fairness. Institutional competitiveness is proposed as a mediating variable, while students’ university-selection decisions serve as the outcome variable. The research focuses on Universitas Muhammadiyah Tangerang (UMT), Universitas Serang Raya (UNSERA), and STAI Syekh Manshur Pandeglang. A quantitative explanatory approach is proposed using questionnaire-based data collection. Based on the operational population of 21,000 students stated in the research draft, the Slovin formula with a 7% margin of error yields a target sample of approximately 202 respondents, allocated proportionally across the three institutions. Data analysis is planned using descriptive statistics in SPSS and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4, supported by bootstrapping to examine direct and indirect relationships. The conceptual framework proposes that GUG may enhance competitiveness through improved information accessibility, service reliability, academic credibility, institutional responsibility, and fairness, potentially influencing students’ university-selection decisions. This study is expected to contribute to the understanding of governance as a strategic mechanism for strengthening private higher education institutions. The proposed relationships require empirical testing using valid survey data