SURVEY ON THE CURRENT STATUS OF CORE COMPETENCIES OF JOURNALISM STUDENTS IN GUANGXI UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

บทคัดย่อ

The objectives of this study are: (1) to assess the current level of core competencies among journalism students at Guangxi University of Foreign Languages (GUFL); (2) to analyze the key factors influencing the development of these competencies; (3) to examine the relationship between students’ demographic characteristics and their competency performance; and (4) to develop practical recommendations for enhancing journalism education and improving students’ employability in the digital media era. This study employed a quantitative research design with a structured survey approach. The population consisted of undergraduate journalism students at GUFL, and a total of 340 participants were selected using random and stratified sampling methods. Data were collected through a validated questionnaire measuring six competency dimensions—political literacy, moral literacy, professional ability, innovation ability, practical ability, and professional ethics—and analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability testing, factor analysis, and multiple regression.

          The results reveal that journalism students demonstrate high levels of political literacy, moral literacy, and professional ethics, reflecting strong ideological awareness and ethical standards. However, their innovation and practical abilities are relatively weaker, indicating limited exposure to digital tools, interdisciplinary learning, and hands-on experience. Significant differences were found across grade levels, with senior students showing stronger professional skills but lower creativity and adaptability. The study concludes that journalism education at GUFL remains largely theory-oriented, with insufficient emphasis on innovation and media practice. To enhance competency development, the research recommends: (1) optimizing curricula to integrate data journalism, AI-assisted reporting, and digital media literacy; (2) strengthening internships and project-based learning; (3) fostering interdisciplinary collaboration; (4) expanding school–enterprise partnerships; and (5) promoting bilingual and cross-cultural journalism education. These strategies aim to help local foreign language universities transform toward competency-based and innovation-driven journalism education that aligns with the demands of global media convergence.