Formation of Soft Skills of Students in the Educational Process of Higher Education Institution

The article is devoted to the characteristics of the peculiarities of the formation of soft skills of higher education in the educational process of higher education. To achieve this goal, general scientific methods were used: analysis, synthesis, comparison, concretization, generalization, content analysis. The following essential features of soft skills are singled out: coverage of competencies that contribute to the self-realization of future professionals and are individualized in terms of content, target, time and personal dimension; complexity, etc. Emphasis is placed on the need for active formation and intensive development of soft skills in students at the stage of study in higher education institutions. The importance of soft skills formation in the context of criteria for assessing the quality of the educational program and descriptors of the National Qualifications Framework is substantiated. It is emphasized that the formation of soft skills of students in the educational process depends on the policy of free economic education. Positive practice includes the pervasiveness of soft skills formation both within certain educational components (compulsory and optional) and extracurricular activities of higher education institutions. It is stated that the organization of the educational process in higher education institutions does not yet have universal technologies for the formation of soft skills. Teaching methods such as small group work, creative exercises, case method, role and business games, debate, discussion, interactive method, brainstorming, project method, facilitation, training, personal and professional portfolio creation, independent research, heuristic method – should be used in the educational process of modern universities for the formation and development of soft skills. Possibilities of non-formal education for self-development of soft skills are analyzed. Keywords: soft skills; educational process; teaching methods; learning technologies; personal development; educational program; professional training; non-formal education; self-development.