Academic Success Beyond Knowledge: The Role of Soft Skills in Students’ Academic Performance at Universities

The study aimed to examine the relationship between soft skills and students' academic performance at universities. A correlational research design was employed, using a structured questionnaire with 28 items rated on a five-point Likert scale. The target population consisted of 5,549 students from three public universities in South Punjab, Pakistan: The Women University Multan, Bahauddin Zakariya University, and Ghazi University. A simple random sampling technique was applied to select 200 students, including 80 males and 120 females. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analyses. The results indicated a strong positive correlation between soft skills and academic performance, suggesting that students with well-developed soft skills tend to achieve better academic outcomes. These findings emphasize the need to integrate structured soft skills training into university curricula. The study recommended that policymakers and educators design targeted initiatives to enhance students' interpersonal and cognitive skills, ultimately improving their employability and career readiness.