The relevance of the study is determined by the challenges of the modern world, characterized by rapid changes, instability, and ambiguity. In these conditions, the higher education system is tasked with fostering key 21st-century competences in students, among which adaptability and responsibility hold a special place. These qualities enable young people to function effectively in a rapidly changing reality and make informed decisions. Consequently, the potential of history education as a tool for cultivating these qualities requires scholarly understanding. The article aims to provide a theoretical foundation and methodological elaboration of the potential of studying national history as a means of developing adaptability and responsibility in university students. The leading research approaches include: a person-centered approach, ensuring the consideration of students' individual characteristics and creating conditions for personal reflection on history; a competency-based approach, orienting the educational process towards achieving specific social and personal outcomes (adaptability and responsibility); and a civic-oriented approach, which views history as a means of developing civic values, patriotism, and social responsibility. The article elucidates the complementary roles of adaptability and responsibility as meta-skills necessary for successful self-realization and effective functioning in the modern world. Based on the analysis of domestic and international literature, it is demonstrated that history education, moving beyond the mere transmission of facts, serves as a significant pedagogical resource for developing these qualities through the examination of historical alternatives, crises, and behavioral models. Methods for fostering adaptability (analysis of "bifurcation points," role-playing games, simulation of complex decisions) and responsibility (working with personal documents, personalization of history, project-based activities) are identified and described, linking the past with students' personal experience. The new role of the history teacher is defined as that of a moderator and facilitator, creating an educational environment for meaningful choice and reflection. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the systematization and development of scholarly understanding regarding the educational potential of historical knowledge in the context of modern challenges. The theoretical conclusions can be used for the further development of models and concepts for history education. The practical significance consists in presenting specific pedagogical technologies and methodological techniques (projects, case analysis, dialogic forms) that can be directly implemented into the university curriculum for the targeted development of students' adaptability and responsibility, thereby contributing to their personal and civic development.