Comparative Study of Soft Skills of Students at Public and Private Universities of Islamabad
Abstract
Soft skills, encompassing behavioural and interpersonal abilities, significantly influence students' interactions and responses in various situations. This study aimed to investigate the levels of soft skills of students at public and private universities of Islamabad, to compare the soft skills among students of public and private universities of Islamabad and to find the difference in soft skills based on demographic factors (Age, Gender and Organization) of students at university level. The study, used a positivist paradigm, employed a descriptive, quantitative and survey-based design targeting BS students from four universities, encompassing both public and private institutions. Specifically, it focused on students from Social Sciences and Management Sciences faculty, with a special emphasis on Psychology and Economics departments. Applying proportionate stratified sampling with a sample size of 169, the study analyzed soft skills levels using descriptive statistics like Mean, Mode and Percentage. Additionally, it compared soft skills between public and private university students through t-Test, while demographic factors were explored using inferential statistics such as t-Test and ANOVA. Results revealed strong soft skills among students, especially in leadership and teamwork, with private university students generally exhibiting higher proficiency levels. Age and gender showed no significant difference, but differences based on the organization were noted. Despite commendable soft skills overall, recommendations included integrating soft skills courses, particularly in universities with moderate proficiency levels and refining skills in universities already excelling. Faculty involvement was considered crucial, alongside curriculum restructuring and faculty development programs, especially for public universities. Organizational support was emphasized for fostering both cognitive and practical soft skills development. Overall, the study highlighted the importance of soft skills in student interactions and suggested proactive measures for enhancing these crucial abilities within the academic setting.
Keywords: Soft Skills, Public University, Private University, Students.
