Journalism Education in the Context of Development and Digital Transformation : A Cross-National Comparative Analysis of Academic Journalism Degree Programs in Cambodia and Vietnam

Abstract

This dissertation forms part of international journalism research, which has witnessed an upsurge in global comparative studies since the late twentieth century. A new wave of scholarship reflects the need to expand theoretical approaches and research initiatives beyond national borders. The PhD research contributes to the field as a cross-national, intra-regional comparative study of academic journalism training in the context of human development and digital transformation. Based on structural, functional and normative theories of journalism research, secondary analysis of local framework conditions and primary data collection in the two focus countries Vietnam and Cambodia, the author develops a multi-level model and an indicator system for the evaluation of journalism degree programs on the basis of specific quality criteria. This new approach allows for a systematic assessment of academic journalism education within the context of digitalization and development. In doing so, this project not only contributed to international comparative journalism research, but also provides useful approaches to practitioners in the field of journalism training and education in the Global South.