Ⅰ. Overview
Guangxi University launched its journalism education program in 1972 and it was one of four institutions in China that granted the bachelor’s degree in journalism. In 1986, it was certified to award the master’s degree in journalism. At that time, China had only five institutions conferring the master's degree in journalism. The School of Journalism was established in 2008, and renamed as the School of Journalism and Communication in December 2018.
At present, the School of Journalism and Communication have four undergraduate majors: Journalism, Radio and Television Journalism, Advertising, and Broadcasting & Hosting Arts, with Journalism listed in the first batch of “National Characteristic Major”. It has the right to grant a master's degree in the first-level discipline of journalism and communication (with four second-level disciplines) and a professional master’s degree in journalism and communication. The School is among 13 standing members of the Chinese Society of Journalism Education, one of the most influential journalism education organizations in China.
In recent years, the School has been awarded as a “Model for Thoughts and Culture Dissemination in Guangxi”, a pilot submission unit for “China News Award”, one within the second batch of pilot schools (departments) designated by the Ministry of Education for the comprehensive reform in "all-students, whole-process, and all-round education" (“Three-Whole Education”). In the meantime, the School is direct contact to the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee for submitting opinion solicitation, and a model for the comprehensive reform of “Three-Whole Education” within the first batch of universities in Guangxi. The course of Marxist Journalism Thought was selected as a national-level first-class offline undergraduate course.
In December 2021, the School ranked Top 20% in the discipline of journalism and communication, according to the “2021 China’s Best Disciplines Ranking” released by Shanghai Ranking.
Ⅱ. Disciplinary Characteristics
The School has set up a Journalism & Communication Research Institute with four affiliated centers, They correspond to the existing four disciplinary directions of the School and its disciplinary characteristics.
They are: Research Center for Marxist Journalism Theory and Practice, Research Center for ASEAN Media and China-ASEAN Regional Communication, Research Center for Journalism and Cultural Communication in Ethnic Area, and Research Center for Climate and Health Communication.
Ⅲ. Talent Cultivation
3.1 Educational Pattern
The School has gradually matured in the integral educational pattern that connecting government, industry, education and research circles. The education on Marxist journalism has improved vastly, leading to a new path in cultivating outstanding journalism talents with clear-cut stance, humanity, and responsibility. The School has trained more than 5,000 undergraduates and 1,000 postgraduates, some of whom have become backbones and leaders of major media in and out of Guangxi. The graduates’ profession and practical hands-on ability have been widely recognized in the industry. In the past three years, these graduates have won more than 100 various awards at provincial and ministerial levels. The project entitled “Exploring and Practicing Deep Integration and Collaboration between the Provincial Department and University in Journalism Talent Education” won the first prize of Guangxi Teaching Achievements Award in 2017 and the second prize in 2021.
3.2 Provincial-level Demonstration Center for Media Experiments and Teaching
The existing instruments and equipment of the School are worth more than 35 million yuan. The Center has 12 laboratories for basic teaching and practical training. Students are to be trained with professional skills that are practical, hands-on, and fully aligned with journalism professions.
3.3 Introduction to Talent Cultivation Bases
(1) Talent Cultivation Base of General Administration of Press and Publication in Southwest China
(2) Guangxi Press and Cultural Industry Development Research Base
(3) China-ASEAN Culture Industry (Media) Talent Training Base
Ⅳ. Collaboration of the Provincial Department and the University
Since July 8, 2014, the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangxi Committee and Guangxi University had formally collaborated for the development of the School of Journalism. In-depth cooperation is centered on the research of Marxist journalism, high-quality courses, talent exchanges, practice bases, and researcher tanks. The goal is to jointly cultivate outstanding journalism talents with clear-cut stance, humanity, and responsibility. This collaborative pattern has been extended to all journalism and communication schools (departments) in 14 universities of Guangxi. It has played an exemplary role in journalism and communication education in Guangxi, in China and even in ASEAN countries.
The School upholds the motto of “keeping upright, innovating, seeking truth and spreading beauty”. The faculty members are both ambitious and sober-minded in seeking academic excellence and professional achievements. The students are inspired, persistent, deliberate, and learning-oriented. The School endeavors to educate excellent journalism and communication youths with social responsibility, innovative spirit, practical ability, legal consciousness and international vision. By further improving the disciplinary pattern, the School strives to develop into a teaching and research-oriented journalism and communication school with characteristics in southern China.