Measuring the mediating role of quality education for ensuring employability skills: An analysis of higher education student perception in Bangladesh

resources and amenities, including workshops, laboratories, libraries, and computer and infor- mation systems, in facilitating the learning and teaching processes. Additionally, auxiliary facilities such as accommodations, sports centres, restaurants, and the overall environment contribute to the overall educational experience [13, 24]. In an optimal educational setting, it is crucial to possess sufficient infrastructure to facilitate effective teaching and learning [25]. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the absence and insufficiency of these amenities sig- nificantly impact the academic outcomes of both students and instructors inside tertiary edu- cational establishments [26]. Previous research on primary and secondary educational institutions has consistently dem- onstrated the significance of the physical campus environment in facilitating effective teaching and learning. These studies have further substantiated the existence of strong positive associa- tions between the quality of school amenities and students’ academic performance [27–29]. According to [30], past researchers had to adopt a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) approach to assess the quality of the HEI campus and services. A comprehensive POE technique employs only a handful of methods, such as facilities management (FM) performance against func- tional, financial, technical, and behavioural criteria, that are uniquely adapted to evaluating the performance of educational facilities [31, 32]. Thus, the following hypothesis is posited:

• H3: Student perception of physical aspects positively affects the employability skills of higher education students. Quality education (QE) and its relationship with employability skills of students (ES) Education increases production and income, boosting wealth; however, identifying acceptable education indicators and settings is challenging for developing countries to establish a quality evaluation system, which is why several views and reasoning frameworks are needed to evalu- ate educational policies to encourage education in poor nations and worldwide [33]. Undoubtedly, quality education is essential for developing individuals and the nation. While there is a considerable amount of literature on the importance of employability skills and quality education [5, 8], there needs to be more research focusing on private universities in Bangladesh. Most existing studies either concentrate on public universities or provide a gen- eralised overview without diving into the intricacies of the private education sector. In addi- tion, there is a need for more scholarly investigations that utilise a theme analysis methodology to examine the experiences and perspectives of students concerning student-centred learning (SCL) as a strategy for improving educational quality and fostering the acquisition of employ- able skills [8]. Higher education is of the highest importance as it significantly influences the development of employability skills among graduates [5]. As the global economy intensifies in

competitiveness, there is an unprecedented need for a highly proficient labour force [34]. Con- sidering the increasing accessibility of information, the growing prevalence of competition, and the ubiquitous influence of technology, the significance of learning is heightened as a pre- requisite for active engagement in the contemporary knowledge-based economy [35]. This phenomenon holds particularly true in developing nations such as Bangladesh, where there has been a notable expansion in the private education industry in recent years [8]. Private institutions have become increasingly favoured among students pursuing higher education due to their diverse selection of courses and areas of expertise. Nevertheless, the exponential growth of these educational establishments has prompted inquiries regarding the calibre of instruction they offer and its applicability inside the labour market [5]. Thus, the fol- lowing hypothesis is posited: PLOS ONE Measuring the mediating role of quality education for ensuring employability skills PLOS ONE | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310815 October 7, 2024 5 / 18