Developing Students’ Readiness for Expert Activity in Higher Education: Scientific–Pedagogical Foundations, Institutional Support Systems, and Model Implementation

The modern transformation of higher education requires the development of students' analytical, evaluative, and research-oriented competencies.The State Strategy for the Development of Education in the Republic of Azerbaijan identifies the establishment of transparent, accountable, and outcome-oriented mechanisms as one of the key priorities of educational reform.Within this framework, the formation of students' readiness for expert activity is considered an essential component of improving the quality and effectiveness of higher education.The present study substantiates the scientific and pedagogical foundations of a model for preparing higher education students for expert activity.Expert activity is understood as a purposeful analytical and evaluative process aimed at assessing educational phenomena, identifying deficiencies, proposing improvements, and ensuring objective decision-making based on evidence.The research emphasizes that the development of expert competencies among students requires the creation of an internal institutional environment, including a university-based pedagogical expert support system.Such a system functions as an integral part of the teaching-learning process and contributes to the monitoring and improvement of educational quality.It ensures interactive cooperation between teachers and students, where both parties participate in a shared expert-oriented educational framework.The proposed model is based on a questionand-answer methodological approach and is oriented toward the development of independent research skills, critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and objective evaluation abilities.Through participation in small-scale research projects, students learn to identify errors, analyze shortcomings, justify conclusions, and formulate evidence-based recommendations.From a modern pedagogical perspective, the effectiveness of the model lies in its systematic and goal-oriented structure.It not only increases students' motivation and readiness for expert activity but also contributes to the continuous improvement of pedagogical processes and the overall quality of higher education.