The article highlights the possibility of the development of universal (key) competences in the context of foreign language university education as a major. The author argues in favor of the idea that the acquisition of universal competences is one of the goals and conditions of the quality development of the foreign language communicative competence. The article reveals a correlation as well as positive mutual effects of these groups of competences for the effective agent`s activity in general, for foreign language university education and foreign language communication in particular.