Issues related to the place of service quality in student loyalty and retention are of interest to higher education stakeholders and policymakers. Given the uniqueness of higher education across the globe, this study explores the impact of service quality on student loyalty and retention within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) context. In achieving its overall goal, the study was conducted in two folds. The first part evaluates the factors improving employees' extra-role behaviors as a necessity to enhance student' retention. In contrast, the second piece examines the impact of employees' extra-role behaviors on students' loyalty and retention and how student cynicism affects the relationship between employee's extra-role behaviors and student satisfaction. This study employed a combined dyadic and survey research designs, drawing data from 251 front-line employees (FLEs) and 251 students in a semi-government university in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The principal analytical approach used in this study was Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). From the findings, it is apparent that human resources management practice, empathetic leadership, and colleague support have a significant positive effect on employees' job satisfaction. Conversely, service technology directly contributes to front-line employee extra-role behavior. However, it was observed that job satisfaction has a negative effect on extra-role behaviors. Further, the findings indicate that front-line employee extra-role behavior had a positive relationship with student satisfaction, loyalty, and the overall image of the university. Surprisingly, it was shown that increased levels of student cynicism had a negative impact on the positive results of front-line employee extra-role behavior in relation to student satisfaction. This study offers valuable insights that can inform the decisions of policymakers and university leadership, enabling them to create strategies that improve the quality of student experiences in a