Internationalising China’s digital media literacy education

Abstract

Formal Chinese demand for internal cultural coherence has for the last 60 years been met by specialist training institutions working in industrial-era models of content production. This model has served Chinese national unification goals but is less able to project Chinese cultural and soft-power values internationally in a digital world where both Chinese and foreign consumers have increasing access to a range of globalised and competitive cultural entertainment and information products from many nations. Additionally, media once considered not employment related in mission – film, radio, television and publishing – has through digitalization developed educational and professional communications roles in a broad range of new and existing non-entertainment industries that traditional media education providers struggle to fulfil. The challenge for Chinese higher education is how digital media content production literacies may be integrated into the widest range of primary and secondary industries in service of the nation’s transition to a knowledge economy, whilst projecting Chinese values persuasively on a digital world stage. Hong Kong’s historical gateway role may provide innovative and catalytic nationwide capabilities in expressing contemporary Chinese values globally.