Motivation to enter university as a factor of competence-based education

A conscious choice of the university education and career trajectory acts as a critical factor affecting the learning style, the degree of professional commitment and, resultantly, the success of the competency-based education. However, the choice of university and major is not always based on the personal, professional or educational goals of the prospective students. The choice may be far from informed, driven by other than the personal development or professional fulfillment motives. The importance of the students’ motivation in the learning management and the lack of the entry-level motivation diagnostics justify detailed research. This paper focuses on the identifying of the subjective factors influencing university choice as well as the engineering undergraduates’ degree of awareness with regard to professional choices. The research involved 176 first-year students from two universities. The survey was based on a specially designed questionnaire approved by education experts. The survey indicated that the subjective choices are presented by the prestige and financial motives combined with the personal interest in the profession. The results complement the general knowledge of the university education motivation, demonstrating the need to support students in their search for the professional identity, help them develop professional interests and encourage their professional and personal fulfillment. Understanding the university entrance motivation and the subjective professional choices will enable educators to find new ways to increase the competence-based approach effectiveness.