TRANSVERSAL SKILLS OF STUDENTS AND THEIR ADAPTATION TO THE UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT

Transversal skills influence the adaptation mechanisms of university students, especially first-year students and students in other courses. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between transversal skills and key factors in student adaptation, including regular attendance at higher education institutions and problems in the academic and social spheres. In the process of analysing the scientific literature, the content was identified that influences the improvement of students’ transversal skills for comfortable adaptation at university. The study considers additional skills that are not classified as transversal but are necessary for students and contribute to their adaptation to the conditions of higher education institutions. The study uses a mixed approach, including quantitative data collection and qualitative methods based on a student survey. The results of this study may be helpful to higher education institutions and educational organisations, as it proposes ways to improve the quality of education and student success. Higher education institutions can accept more students with complex needs by expanding skill development beyond academic competencies and including preparation for the challenges of higher education.

1. UNESCO UNEVOC. TVETipedia+Glossary: show=term/term=Transversal+skills. Available at: -URL: https://unevoc.unesco.org/home/TVETipedia+Glossary/show=term/term=Transversal+skills. [in English] (accessed: 21.05.2025)

2. B.J.Sanbaeva, K.A.Esenova. Şeteldık studentterdıñ Qazaqstandyq joğary oqu ornyna beiımdeluı. [Adaptation of foreign students to a Kazakhstani higher education institution]. Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Pedagogy. Psychology. Sociology Series, No 2(143). 2023. P. 422-433. [in Kazakh]

3. Asylbekova M.P., Batanassova B.E., Zakirova A.B. Sifrlyq däuırde bolaşaq pedagog-psihologterdıñ transauat-tylyğyn damytu mümkındıkterı. [Opportunities for developing the trans-literacy of future pedagoguepsychologists in the digital era]. Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Pedagogy Series, No 2(147). - 2024. P. 230-243. [in Kazakh]

4. Kurbankulova G., Stambekova A.S. Bolaşaq Bastauyş Bılım Pedagogterınıñ Ūlttyq Qūndylyqtar Bağdaryn Damytu Mümkındıkterı. [Opportunities for developing the national values orientation of future primary education pedagogues]. Bulletin of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. – 2022. Р. 141–154. [in Kazakh]

5. Aldibekova Ş.N., Kapsanova G.B., Jūbandykova A.M. Jeke tūlğalyq damytu negızderı» pänın oqytuda [Formation of students’ transversal competencies in teaching the subject “Fundamentals of Personal Development”]. Scientific Journal “Izvestiya KazUMO&MIA named after Abylai Khan”. Pedagogy Series. Vol. 72. No 1 (2024). P. 198-216. [in Kazakh]

6. T.A.Jumakova, U.S.Artykbaeva, M.B.Dautova, K.V.Antones, N.M.Churukova. Studentterdıñ beiımdeluıne oqu ürdısınıñ äserı. [The impact of the learning process on students’ adaptation]. Bulletin of KazNMU. No 1. 2017. P. 433-476. [in Kazakh]

7. Otarova T., Assylbekova M., Batanassova B., Abdrakhman S., Koshimbetova Z. The level of formation of Transversal competence in the context of higher education: The case of Kazakhstan. Scientific Herald of Uzhhorod University. Physics Series. 2024. Vol. (56). P. 198-205. [in English]

8. Asylbekova M.P., Otarova T.N., Yelkin D.C. The importance of transversal skills in higher education curricula and in the labor market. Bulletin of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Pedagogy. Psychology. Sociology Series. – 2023. Vol. 142(1). P.178-193. [in English]

9. Abdualieva N., Utegenova B.M. Bırınşı kurs studentterınıñ oquğa beiımdelude pedagogikalyqpsihologialyq qoldau körsetu joldary, [Ways of providing pedagogical-psychological support for first-year students’ adaptation to learning]. Bulletin of KSPU. 2016. No 3. P. 189-205 [in Kazakh]

10. Rocha H., Almeida F., Casquilho I., Ferreira J. Preparing students to apply transversal skills: A case study in higher education. In EDULEARN17 Proceedings IATED. – 2017. Р. 4156-4163.[in English]

11. Almeida F., Simões E., Belchior-Rocha H., Casquilho-Martins I. The importance of transversal skills in higher education curricula for today’s labor market. In L. Gómez Chova, A. López Martínez, & I. Candel Torres (Eds.), 12th International Technology, Education and Development Conference. – 2018. 7136 р. [in English]

12. Belchior-Rocha H., Casquilho-Martins I., & Simões E. Transversal competencies for employability: From higher education to the labour market. Education Sciences.- 2022. Vol. 12(4). 255 р. [in English]

13. García-Álvarez J., Vázquez-Rodríguez A., Quiroga-Carrillo A., & Priegue Caamaño D. Transversal competencies for employability in university graduates: A systematic review from the employers’ perspective. Education Sciences. – 2022. Vol. 12(3).204 p. [in English]

14. Guerra-Macías Y., & Tobón S. Development of transversal skills in higher education programs in conjunction with online learning: Relationship between learning strategies, project-based pedagogical practices, elearning platforms, and academic performance. Heliyon. 11. – 2025. 568 p [in English]

15. Maunsell P. Principles of best practice for the integration of transversal skills in the curricula of further and higher education programmes (Working Paper Series 1). Limerick and Clare ETB.- 2023. 899 p. [in English]

16. Seiıtqazy P.B. Transversaldy dağdylar negızınde aqparattyq qūzyrettılıktı damytudyñ mümkındıkterı [Opportunities for developing information competence based on transversal skills]. — URL: https://digitaletiquette.kz/news/66 (accessed: 21.05.2025) [in Kazakh]