Globalization and higher education in journalism and communication : a study of Hong Kong

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to conduct a systematic study on the impact of globalisation on higher education in journalism and communication in Hong Kong. Globalisation, propelled by rapid advancements in information and communication technology, has reoriented the basic purpose and function of tertiary institutions, altered the market for higher education, and redefined the role of the state. At the same time, global forces have also reshaped the media landscape and undermined the traditional business model of mass media which has served the media industry for almost a century. The media industry is in the process of transforming in order to adapt to the digital age and journalism and communication education itself is at an inflexion point.

The role of journalism and communication education has always been a passive one and based on an industry model that focuses on training students for jobs in the media industry. In addition to fulfilling the needs of the media industry, what other vital roles can and should journalism and communication education play in this increasingly globalised world? To answer this question, it is necessary to first understand the impact of globalisation on journalism and communication as an academic discipline and reexamine its role in society.

This study investigates the impact of globalisation on journalism and communication education in Hong Kong from two different aspects. One is the impact of globalisation on the higher education system in Hong Kong and its implications for journalism and communication education. The other one is the impact of globalisation on the media industry and how it is affecting the development of journalism and communication education in Hong Kong.

Using Burton Clark’s Triangle of Coordination model as a conceptual framework, data were collected from in-depth interviews and relevant documents. Interviews were conducted with three different groups of stakeholders: State (officials involved with higher education policies), Academic (academics in journalism and communication) and Market (media executives and recent journalism and communication graduates).

The findings of this study reveal a number of issues that are pertinent to the future of the development of journalism and communication education. First, globalisation is taken to mean internationalisation in higher education, and internationalisation means exchange activities and climbing the league tables in international rankings for publicly-funded institutions. Second, the pressing needs of the media industry for a workforce with more technical skills and knowledge of new media, coupled with a higher education system that demands more efficiency and accountability, have driven journalism and communication programmes to become increasingly market relevant and less socially responsible. Third, the type of skills that journalism and communication programmes think the industry needs is not necessarily what the industry is looking for. Fourth, neither the industry nor journalism and communication educators understand the transforming media landscape in the digital age as well as they should.