Exchange programs have been found to have a positive impact on regional economic growth, university cooperation, and student academic, and professional development. However, there has been limited analysis of the factors that influence the quality of these programs. In this study, a mixed-methods approach was used to examine regional exchange programs in China. Qualitative research was conducted using Octopus Big Data Crawler software, Timdream.org software, and 33 interviews to develop a questionnaire that covers student expectations, service quality, and satisfaction. Using SPSS 22 and Amos 21, the study analyzed the interactive relationships among expectations, perceived service quality, and satisfaction in the context of regional education integration based on a sample of 246 questionnaires. The results demonstrate that perceived service quality plays an intermediary role in the relationship between expectations and satisfaction, with students' perceptions of learning quality and interpersonal quality at the receiving university influencing their satisfaction levels. This study provides important insights into the factors that impact the quality of regional exchange programs in China.