Predictors of soft skills development among university students

Abstract

The changing demands of the digital labor market have increased the need for university graduates to possess a balanced combination of hard and soft skills. Higher education institutions are expected not only to develop academic competence but also to strengthen communication, leadership, teamwork, critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities. This study examined predictors of soft skills development among university students, focusing on the campus environment, organizational engagement, and internship participation. A quantitative survey design was employed involving 394 students. The research instruments met validity and reliability requirements, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients exceeding 0.90 for all variables. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The results showed that the campus environment, organizational engagement, and internship participation simultaneously had a significant effect on students’ soft skills development (F = 67.649, p < 0.001). Partially, the campus environment was the strongest predictor (β = 0.371), followed by organizational engagement (β = 0.289) and internship participation (β = 0.153). The model explained 34.2% of the variance in soft skills development (R² = 0.342). These findings indicate that soft skills development is shaped by supportive learning environments, organizational involvement, and work-integrated learning experiences, which should be strengthened in an integrated manner by universities globally.