Students are not customers! They are Oman’s future

Across the world, and increasingly within the GCC, a shift is taking place in higher education: the growing belief that students are customers. At first glance, this seems reasonable. Students pay tuition fees, universities provide services, and satisfaction appears to be an appropriate measure of quality. However, this mindset fundamentally misunderstands the purpose of education and risks weakening the very foundations of academic excellence and national development.

Education is not a transaction; it is a transformation. Universities are not restaurants where satisfaction alone defines success, and where a degree can be “ordered” according to preference.

The argument that students are customers usually begins with the fact that they pay fees. Yet paying for education does not mean purchasing guaranteed outcomes. A medical student pays tuition but cannot demand a degree without competence. An engineering student cannot insist on graduation without mastering essential skills. Fees provide access to opportunity, not entitlement to results. Learning remains a responsibility shared between student and institution.

Supporters of the customer model often argue that it improves service quality and accountability. Indeed, universities must provide efficient administration, clear communication and modern learning environments. However, educational quality cannot be defined solely by satisfaction. The most effective learning experiences are often the most challenging. Academic rigour, constructive criticism and intellectual struggle are essential parts of learning, even if they temporarily reduce comfort or satisfaction.

The customer mindset also risks weakening academic responsibility. When students begin to see themselves as customers, education may become transactional. Instead of asking, “What have I learned?” students may ask, “What have I received?” This subtle shift reduces ownership of learning and undermines discipline, curiosity and resilience — qualities essential for success in the modern knowledge economy.

Some argue that customer thinking improves fairness in assessment by encouraging transparency. Transparency is essential, but academic standards cannot be negotiated like commercial transactions. Universities have a duty to uphold competency, not merely satisfaction. Lowering standards to maintain satisfaction ultimately harms students themselves by weakening their preparedness for professional life.

Another argument suggests that treating students as customers strengthens competition and improves institutional performance. While competition can encourage efficiency, universities serve a broader mission than commercial enterprises. They are custodians of knowledge, research and innovation. Their responsibility extends beyond individual satisfaction to national progress and societal development.

The deeper question, therefore, is this: who is the real customer of higher education? The answer is society.

Employers depend on universities to produce competent professionals. Parents entrust universities with their children’s development. Governments invest in higher education to build national capacity. Oman Vision 2040 clearly identifies human capital development as a central pillar of national progress. Universities are not serving only individual students — they are serving Oman’s future.

At the same time, viewing students as “products” is equally problematic. Education is not a factory, and students are not manufactured outputs. Universities are not factories either, where students are treated as products moving along an academic assembly line. Each student is an individual undergoing intellectual and personal development, not a standardised commodity produced for the labour market.

Some argue that aligning education closely with employer needs improves employability. While alignment is important, universities must also prepare students for a rapidly changing future. Technologies evolve, industries transform and careers shift. The most valuable graduate is not one trained narrowly for today’s job, but one equipped with critical thinking, adaptability and lifelong learning capacity.

The customer model also emphasises student voice and institutional responsiveness. Student feedback is valuable and essential for continuous improvement. However, students should participate as partners in education, not as customers dictating academic standards. Education is a collaborative process, requiring effort, discipline, and engagement from both faculty and students.

Language matters. The way students perceive their role shapes their behaviour. If students see themselves as customers, they may become passive recipients. If they are treated as products, they may lose their individuality. But if they see themselves as learners and partners, they become active participants in knowledge creation.

This leads to a more appropriate philosophy: the hybrid model.

Students are learners engaged in intellectual development. Students are partners and co-producers of knowledge. Universities provide services, but education is also a developmental process and a public good. It benefits not only individuals, but society as a whole.

For Oman, this distinction is especially important. The nation’s aspirations under Vision 2040 depend on producing graduates who are capable, resilient and innovative. These outcomes cannot be achieved through transactional thinking. They require commitment, discipline and a shared sense of responsibility.

Universities must serve students — but they must serve society first.

Students are not customers. They are Oman’s future.

Dr Umar Safdar Kayani

The write works at University of Buraimi