Transformative learning and life competencies and their application for the education of communication professionals

Due to several ecological, technological and social disruptions, the role, structure, and significance of strategic communication in our society are changing. Communication professionals must navigate constant flux and uncertain, complex and ambiguous situations, and at the same time, their craft can enhance society's engagement with sustainability and digitalization. Therefore, we must adapt the education of communication professionals to meet these new and pressing challenges. The literature review is embedded in a theoretically informed argumentation that proposes the paradigm of Transformative Learning to improve education settings. The results offer practical implications for lecturers, teachers, professors, and trainers in higher education programs for professional communicators. They highlight the need to remodel course offerings by integrating methods closely aligned with Transformative Learning. This approach is recommended to effectively train soft skills, strengthen lifelong learning competencies and support students in maintaining a balanced sense of self during times of profound change. While several studies and competency frameworks list hard and soft skills as well as personal traits and competencies in the field of communication, there is a lack of academic literature focusing on concrete and pragmatic approaches to systematically optimize educational programs for communication professionals in regard to these competencies. This article addresses this essential need in times of social transformation and political upheaval.