Marketing of higher education institutes through the creation of positive learning experiences – analyzing the role of teachers’ caring behaviors

The higher education sector faces challenges in attracting students due to increasing competition, disruptive forces of online education, social media and employment orientation of education. A differentiating factor can be created by focusing on student-teacher relationships by creating positive learning experiences inside the classroom. The present study indicates that caring behaviors displayed by teachers impact students positive learning experiences. A multi-dimensional construct incorporating relevant dimensions from Watson's caring behavior model was used for this exploratory study with a sample size of 267 millennial students belonging to higher education. Nurturing, direction setting, and supportive environment were significant dimensions of caring behavior that impacted students’ positive learning experiences. While most institutes differentiate themselves based on cost, career opportunities, campus amenities, showcasing teachers’ caring behaviors can give institutes the edge to market themselves since educational journeys experienced by students are at the crossroads of technology and human connection.