<![CDATA[Background. Character education in contemporary universities increasingly unfolds through academic pressure, digital interaction, social diversity, and institutional expectations that complicate students’ moral decision-making. Purpose. This study aimed to explore how university students narrated, interpreted, and reconstructed their moral development within modern educational settings.  Method. A qualitative narrative inquiry involved 24 undergraduate students selected purposively from different academic years and fields of study. Data were collected through semi-structured narrative interviews, reflective writing, and institutional documents, then analyzed by examining temporal sequences, moral conflicts, turning points, relational influences, narrative positioning, and identity reconstruction. Results. Students rarely described formal moral instruction as the primary source of change; morally difficult experiences became transformative when accompanied by dialogue, meaningful consequences, and opportunities for reflection. Academic dishonesty, peer conflict, organizational failure, digital misconduct, and social exclusion frequently challenged existing self-images and encouraged participants to revise their understanding of responsibility, honesty, empathy, and fairness. Conclusion. The study concludes that character develops through an unfinished narrative process in which students reinterpret past actions, negotiate present tensions, and imagine more ethical future selves. Universities should therefore integrate reflective, relational, and restorative practices into character education in practice.]]>
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