DEVELOPMENT OF SOFT SKILLS IN THE CONTEXT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION

Abstract

The article examines the prospects of developing soft skills within the context of sustainable educational advancement in preparing students within higher education institutions. Emphasis is placed on the vital importance of cultivating these skills in future professionals during their educational journey as a means to shape human capital that possesses essential skills and visions, enabling the creation of a resilient society for both current and upcoming generations. The concept of sustainability is highlighted as the primary paradigm in contemporary higher education. The article sheds light on potential opportunities to incorporate these skills into the educational process, viewing them from the perspective of shaping educational components. Soft skills are identified as indirectly envisioned within the concept of sustainable educational development, warranting the creation of a comprehensive educational system where the establishment and development of these key soft skills necessitate a comprehensive approach based on the integration of multiple approaches and pivotal measures.

The focus includes formal learning processes encompassing both academic and extracurricular elements, support programs integrating academic and non-academic aspects, and the university's residential environment and surroundings. The research delves into three forms of initiatives regarding the integration of soft skills into the educational process, emphasizing the sustainability of its development: the creation of a standalone model, a model where skill acquisition is embedded within the program, and a fusion of both approaches. The analysis further examines the factors influencing the integration of soft skills into the lives of future generations, through models of their acquisition in the educational process by fostering a value-oriented approach towards the development of high-quality human capital. This capital is competitive, evolved, and ready for active implementation of European globalization principles of sustainability.