https://xwcb.gxu.edu.cn/English/Home.htm

The School of Journalism and Communication (referred to as the School) is located in Nanning, China, and holds the distinction of being one of the four earliest universities to offer undergraduate programs in journalism. Its establishment dates back to 1972. In 1986, the School was granted the authority to award Master’s Degrees in Journalism, making it one of the five pioneering institutions in China to receive this recognition. In 2008, the School underwent a significant development when it became an independent entity, separating from the School of Culture and Communication. Subsequently, in 2015, it relocated to a new building dedicated to the School of Journalism. Recognizing the expanding scope of its academic offerings, the institution underwent a name change in December 2018 and was officially renamed as the School of Journalism and Communication.

The School offers four undergraduate majors: Journalism, Television Broadcasting, Advertising, and Art of Broadcasting and Hosting. It is authorized to grant master's degrees in the first-level discipline of Journalism and Communication. Additionally, it offers master’s degrees in four second-level disciplines: Journalism, Communication, Media Economics, and Advertising. The School is also authorized to award a master's degree in Journalism and Communication. The Journalism program has been recognized as a “National-level Characteristic Specialty,” highlighting its exceptional quality and distinctive features. Both Journalism and Art of Broadcasting and Hosting are designated as national first-class undergraduate specialty development points, demonstrating our excellence in education and training. Television Broadcasting and Advertising are regarded as first-class undergraduate majors in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, reflecting our high standards and reputation.

The School has received numerous accolades for its outstanding achievements. It was honored with the title of “Advanced Collective” for its exceptional work in ideological and cultural publicity from 2013 to 2018, signifying its significant contributions to the region. In March 2019, the School was selected as one of the second batch of comprehensive reform pilot schools (departments) for the “Sanquan Yuren” initiative, which emphasizes all-students, whole-process, and all-round education. In 2020, the School was appointed as the pilot reporting unit for the prestigious “China News Award” and designated as a direct reporting point for public opinion information by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. These recognitions underscore the school’s prominent role in shaping journalism practices and facilitating informed public discourse.

At present, there are 50 staff members on its regular payroll in the School. Among them, there are 32 full-time teachers, consisting of 9 professors with senior titles (accounting for 28.1%), 15 associate professors (accounting for 46.9%), and 23 individuals holding doctorates (accounting for 71.9%). Additionally, the School is supported by a team of 26 master’s supervisors who provide guidance and support to students pursuing advanced degrees. The School currently has 900 undergraduate students and 250 master's students.

Subject Characteristics

The School has implemented the “four centers under one school” model, which encompasses the Research Center of Marxist Journalism, the ASEAN Media and China-ASEAN Regional Communication Research Center, the Guangxi National Culture Communication Research Center, and the Climate and Health Communication Research Center. These centers operate under the leadership of the School of Journalism and Communication and correspond to the four disciplines within the school, contributing to the unique characteristics of each discipline.

Talent Training

The School has developed a talent training model characterized by the “integration of government, industry, universities, and research institutes,” which has grown increasingly mature. It has successfully cultivated over 5,000 undergraduate students and 1,700 postgraduates. Many of its graduates have become influential leaders in major media organizations both within and outside the region. The industry recognizes the graduates’ journalism skills and practical abilities.

Furthermore, students from the School have achieved outstanding results in various competitions, including the National College Students Advertising Art Competition and other discipline-specific contests. Over the past three years alone, they have garnered more than 100 awards at the provincial and ministerial levels, including several prestigious honors.

Co-building the School of Publicity Department of the Party Committee of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guangxi University

On July 8, 2014, the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangxi Committee and Guangxi University signed a contract to jointly establish the School of Journalism & Communication. The joint effort prioritizes five key aspects, namely management organization, excellent courses, talent team, practice base, and research think tank. Through practical exploration, significant enhancements have been achieved in the education quality pertaining to Marxist views of journalism. The talent training mode and co-building mechanism have expanded to encompass a total of 15 schools and departments of Journalism and Communication in Guangxi, ensuring comprehensive co-construction coverage.

Setup of Excellent Courses: Keeping up with the Frontier of the Journalism Industry

To prioritize the setup of excellent courses, a series of combinations has been implemented, including 13 course groups that not only address academic frontiers but also maintain close relevance to practical applications. Examples of these course groups include Marxist Journalism Thought and National Conditions Education.

Open Reading: Nurturing a Marxist View of Journalism

The School has implemented “open reading and teaching” activities as a compulsory course, which is integrated into the training plan. These activities encompass reading original works, studying foundational texts, understanding core principles, participating in class reading clubs, attending keynote speeches, submitting reading reports for evaluation, engaging in professional skills competitions, organizing reading groups for original works, and participating in online tests on Marxist views of journalism. All of which are designed to provide students with education in a popular format. Through the open reading course, inclusive teaching content, and comprehensive assessment methods, education on the Marxist outlook of journalism is carried out in a comprehensive, participatory, and dynamic manner.

Cooperative Training: Build Experimental Practice Base

Since the co-building initiative was implemented, the School has successfully constructed several buildings in a sequential manner. These include the School of Journalism building, which spans an area of 23,000 square meters. Additionally, an Autonomous Region-level Media Experiment Teaching Demonstration Center was established with an investment of 33 million yuan. The center is equipped with 12 modern journalism laboratories, including the Media Integration Center, All-Media Interactive Broadcasting Center, Photography and Video Experimental Teaching Center, All-Media Laboratory of Newspapers and Newspapers, and Radio and TV Editing Laboratory. Moreover, the School has obtained approval for a national off-campus practice base for college students, a collaborative education platform at the autonomous region level, and 12 off-campus employment bases within mainstream media organizations.

Co-building of Think Tanks: Advancing Disciplinary Excellence

The School has emerged as a talent training base for Southwest China under the former General Administration of Press and Publication. The School also serves as a research and practice base for Marxist views of journalism in Guangxi and a talent training base for China’s ASEAN cultural industry (media). In recent years, the School’s research team has successfully secured 13 national research projects, including 8 national-level projects focused on studying ASEAN media and China-ASEAN regional communication. Additionally, they have undertaken 124 research projects at provincial, ministerial, prefecture, school, and horizontal levels. Over 10 monographs have been published as well. Notably, in 2017, the project “Deep Integration of Ministry and School: Exploring and Practicing the Training of Outstanding Journalists” won the first prize for teaching achievements at the autonomous region level. In 2019, Professor Zheng Baowei, former president of the School, was granted major projects from the National Social Science Foundation. These projects were titled “Research on the Changes of the News Policy of the CPC in the Past Century (1921-2021)” and “Strategic Positioning and Action Strategy of Climate Communication in China under the Background of Ecological Civilization Construction and Green Development Concept,” respectively.

Distinctive Features of the School: Ministry-School Integration and Collaborative Education with Government, Industry, Universities, and Research Institutes

Since the establishment of the School’s independent system, significant progress has been made in various areas. This includes the construction of the School of Journalism building, the establishment of a laboratory platform, and the co-construction of courses, personnel assignments, and practice platforms. The Ministry and the School have actively engaged in co-construction and achieved deep integration, paving the way for a new model of collaborative education.

Comprehensive Reform of “Sanquan Yuren”  (all-students, whole-process, and all-round education) and Successful Implementation of Pilot Construction

The School is actively engaged in the comprehensive reform initiative called “Sanquan Yuren” and is dedicated to effectively implementing pilot construction measures. Through the implementation of the “Wuwu Plan of Action,” the School aims to produce exceptional journalism and communication talents who can serve as the voice of the Party and the people. Under the leadership of Ma Xinguan, the School leverages the strengths of cultural individuals and the media to fully explore the educational elements and logic embedded in various work areas. These elements are then integrated into the overall system design and specific operational processes, resulting in the creation of a professional education demonstration curriculum and the establishment of a micro-education system.

Establishing a Journal to Foster Discipline Development within the School

In order to promote the advancement of the discipline, the School has taken the initiative to establish a publication. The journal encompasses a range of columns, such as News Communication History, Anti-Japanese War Culture and Communication, Mass Culture Communication, Advertising Culture and Communication, and more. The overarching goal of this endeavor is to elevate the quality of the publications while actively supporting the development of the discipline.

Exerting Strong Influence and Give Full Play to Leading Demonstrations

The collaborative efforts between the Ministry and the School, along with the comprehensive approach of all-students, whole-process, and all-round education, have gained recognition from national and provincial media outlets. Notably, publications such as Three Learning Education Newsletters, Guangming Daily, and People.com.cn, sponsored by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China, have reported on the practice and experience of this co-building. Furthermore, the School has been honored three times as an innovative project in the teaching reform of journalism and communication in China. Over 50 cohorts from colleges and universities across the country have visited the School for mutual exchange and learning. These accomplishments have positioned the School as an exemplary and leading institution in journalism and communication education, not only within the region but also nationwide and among ASEAN countries.

School Vision

The School is committed to enhancing the quality of talent training as its core objective. It places discipline construction at the forefront, prioritizes the development of discipline echelons, and considers talent cultivation and education as its foundation. The School is driven by a spirit of reform and innovation. It upholds the college motto of “strive for innovation on the basis of adhering to integrity; seek truth and beauty.”

Teachers within the School are expected to embody qualities of ambition, composure, depth, and professionalism. Students are encouraged to cultivate a spirit of personal growth, inspiration, value learning, and continuous improvement. Through the collaborative efforts of the School and the Propaganda Department of the Party Committee of the autonomous region, the School aims to serve not only Guangxi but also the entire nation, extend its influence to ASEAN, and embrace a global perspective. Its mission is to nurture outstanding journalism and communication talents who possess social responsibility, an innovative spirit, practical abilities, legal consciousness, and an international outlook.

The School strives to obtain the authority to grant doctoral degrees in the first-level discipline of journalism and communication at the earliest opportunity. It aspires to establish itself as a distinguished journalism and communication college that focuses on teaching and research. With a strategic layout that reflects the unique regional characteristics of the southern boundary of China, the School aims to create a dynamic academic environment.