Determinants of the Intention to Pursue Graduate Studies in Thailand: The Role of Educational Motivations and Perceived Value of Education
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Abstract
This study examines how educational motivations and perceived value of education determine Chinese lecturers’ intention to pursue a graduate degree in Thailand. The objectives of the study were: (1) to examine the influence of educational motivations on the intention to study graduate in Thailand; (2) to investigate the effect of educational motivations on perceived value of education; (3) to analyze the influence of perceived value of education on the intention to study graduate in Thailand; and (4) to evaluate the mediating role of perceived value of education in the relationship between educational motivations and study intention. A quantitative survey design was employed. Using Yamane’s formula at a 95% confidence level, 750 questionnaires were distributed, and 692 valid responses were retained from lecturers in Kunming, Yunnan Province. The questionnaire was adapted from established scales of educational motivations, perceived value, and study intention, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients confirming strong internal reliability. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, AMOS version 26, and PROCESS Macro with 5,000 bootstrap resamples. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the constructs, structural equation modeling tested the hypothesized relationships, and mediation analysis examined indirect effects.
The findings revealed that: (1) educational motivations significantly and directly influenced the intention to study graduate in Thailand; (2) educational motivations strongly enhanced perceived value of education; (3) perceived value of education directly predicted study intention; and (4) perceived value partially mediated the relationship between educational motivations and study intention. These results underscore that motivations alone do not guarantee study intentions unless accompanied by favorable value perceptions of the educational opportunity’s value. The findings suggest that Thai universities should enhance the perceived value of their graduate programs by emphasizing academic quality, institutional reputation, accreditation, and career outcomes.
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