(2026) Science and education, 3, 123-135. Odessa.

Oksana Hrydzhuk,
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor,
Head of the Department of Psychology and Social and Humanities,
Ukrainian National Forestry University,
103, Henerala Chuprynky Str., Lviv, Ukraine,
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2199-1977

Oksana Seniura,
Candidate of Sociological Sciences, Associate Professor,
Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology and Social and Humanities,
Ukrainian National Forestry University,
103, Henerala Chuprynky Str., Lviv, Ukraine,
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8394-6720

Tetiana Plachynda,
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor,
Professor at the Department of Physical Education and Sports,
National University “Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic”,
24, Vitaliia Hrytsaienka prosp., Poltava, Ukraine,
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2514-3644

Liliya Baranovska,
Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor,
Professor at the Department of Preschool Education,
Dragomanov Ukrainian State University,
9, Pyrohova Str., Kyiv, Ukraine,
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3437-7995

STUDY ON THE SPECIFICS OF SOFT SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AMONG STUDENTS AT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

The article examines the specific features of soft skills development among students of higher education institutions in Ukraine. The relevance of the issue is driven by the rapid evolution and increasing complexity of the contemporary labour market, as well as by employers’ growing demands for young professionals whose soft skills are developed alongside their professional competencies – that is, individuals who are capable of being flexible, adaptable, and, when necessary, able to change or combine different fields of activities. The aim of the study is to trace the development of soft skills among first- and fourthyear students (based on empirical research) and to analyze the dynamics of soft skills formation during their studies at higher education institutions. The study employed a set of theoretical methods, including analysis, generalization, systematization, and comparison. The survey results demonstrated students’ level of understanding of the concept of “soft skills”, their awareness of the need for their development, and outlined the opportunities for their further advancement. While first-year students perceive soft skills mainly as tools that support the learning process, fourth-year students consider them as practical instruments for building successful careers. According to the results of the study, students identified the following as the most necessary soft skills: “effective communication”, “teamwork”, “critical thinking”, “emotional resilience”, “stress resilience”, “adaptability”, “self-organization”, and “self-directed learning”. The students emphasized the importance of developing these soft skills during their university studies. The set of soft skills among contemporary students is primarily oriented toward self-affirmation, as they prefer skills that ensure internal stability, logical thinking, and communicative effectiveness. At the same time, skills such as empathy and caring for one’s own body and physical well-being are becoming less important to them The significance of the conclusions lies in their indication of the expediency of further development of soft skills in the course of students’ education and the necessity of taking them into account in the curricula of academic disciplines at higher education institutions in Ukraine.

soft skills, hard skills, professional skills, communication, adaptability, stress resilience, project-based activity, critical thinking, self-organization, self-directed learning