Professional and Civic Competencies of Students in Project-Based Learning According to Self-Assessments

This article presents the results of an empirical validation of a methodology for measuring students’ selfassessment of professionalism and civic-mindedness at Ural Federal University as outcomes of project-based learning. The relevance of the study lies in the existing gap in research from the perspective of developing agency — that is, the capacity for conscious transformation of oneself and one’s environment — which is critical for realizing the university’s third mission. The aim of the study is to experimentally validate a self-diagnostic toolkit for assessing levels of professionalism and civic responsibility as criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of project-based learning. The novelty of the methodology lies in its incorporation of a skills set that includes both universal professional competencies and civic qualities, the use of student self-reflection tools, and the capacity for quantitative assessment of developmental dynamics. To test the methodology, two panel measurements of self-assessed professional and civic qualities were conducted among 175 students in social and economic disciplines — before and after completing a project. The methodology demonstrated high diagnostic value, revealing statistically significant changes in key indicators after just one semester of project work. A dynamic correlation was found between the initial level of civic-mindedness, the perception of project-based learning, and the subsequent self-assessment of professional qualities. Implementing regular monitoring using this self-diagnostic methodology can support evidence-based management decisions regarding project-based learning at universities, based on the dynamics of students’ self-assessed professionalism and civic responsibility, taking into account the parameters of project design and implementation.