A Study on Attitudes of University Students to Urban Life: A Case of the European University of Lefke (EUL)

Abstract

Aim (Background): Universities contribute both directly and indirectly to the economic, social and cultural aspects of their region and country. However, this contribution is associated with increasing numbers of students at the universities. This fact is directly related to student satisfaction. Student satisfaction is not limited to the student experience; it also covers urban life. Therefore, in this study, spending trends of Turkish and Cypriot students and their attitudes to urban life while studying at the European University of Lefke (EUL), in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), were analyzed.

Materials and Methods: For general statistical purposes, Questionnaires were applied to a sample of 338 students out of 2,793 students as a target population 2,414 of them Turkish and 379 Northern Cypriot. Firstly, percentage analyses were used to explain demographic characteristics and spending patterns of respondents. Secondly, the one-sample t-test was used to measure student attitudes on urban life. Thirdly, variables of urban life were subjected to factor analysis to determine the relative importance of factors explaining the students' attitudes towards urban life.  Finally, multiple regression analysis was applied to determine the explanatory power of these factors on urban life satisfaction.

Results: More than 97 percent of students had monthly expenditure of less than 2,000 (TL). The most negative attitudes among students related to urban life were found to be external transportation. According to factor and regression analyses, "Accommodation and Non-food expense items” and "Transportation, Food and Social Activity” are the most effective factors in urban life satisfaction.

Conclusion: According to results of the research, negative attitudes towards urban life should be converted into positive in order to attract new students and keep the existing ones.