Motivation of students for acquiring cultural (universal) competencies (by a case study of Adaptation Camp for First-Year Students Project)

The purpose of the study is to examine the motivation of students enrolled in a university in different years for acquiring cultural (universal) competencies. In the authors’ opinion, extracurricular activities give students the opportunity to be actively involved in the above-mentioned process. The research substantiates the prospects for social action projects as a way to encourage university students to gain cultural (universal) competencies. By a case study of final-year students of Kursk State Medical University involved in Adaptation Camp for First-Year Students Project, the paper reveals their common motives for engaging in social action projects and the project possibilities for achieving the competencies under review. The authors are convinced that such projects create an enabling environment for self-fulfillment and self-improvement of students and, as a result, contribute to the development of cultural (universal) competencies.