DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ASSESSMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

The article examines the role of soft skills in the higher education quality assurance system and substantiates the need for their more systematic integration into the internal quality assurance mechanisms of higher education institutions. It is determined that, in the context of transforming requirements for professional training, the digitalization of the educational environment, and the increasing importance of transversal competencies, the development of soft skills is becoming an essential component of a high-quality educational process and the professional readiness of higher education students. The empirical basis of the study comprises the results of a survey of 393 higher education students, conducted in 2025 within the framework of the research project “Higher Education in the Context of War and Post-War Recovery: Determinants of Development to Overcome Threats to Human Capital Reproduction” (state registration number 0124U000351). The findings indicate a predominantly positive perception of educational quality among higher education students: 47.3% of respondents assessed the quality of education as good, while 32.8% rated it as excellent. At the same time, the assessment of the impact of soft skills on educational quality confirmed their high significance in students’ perception of the educational process: 41.48% of respondents rated the influence of soft skills on educational quality at 5 points, 30.03% at 4 points, and 19.84% at 3 points, whereas only 7.63% of respondents reported a low level of influence (1–2 points). The proportion of respondents indicating that the development of soft skills is not ensured during the educational process amounted to 1.02%. The obtained results demonstrate a growing demand among student youth for a competency-based model of higher education, within which the development of communication skills, critical thinking, adaptability, teamwork, and leadership is regarded as an important component of educational quality. Recommendations for improving the internal quality assurance system in higher education are substantiated through the integration of soft skills assessment into the criteria for evaluating educational programme quality, the implementation of regular student monitoring of soft skills development, and the inclusion of relevant indicators in faculty evaluation systems.