Oral communication: An unresolved issue among university students

Oral communication is a critical skill in both educational and professional settings, as well as being considered a relevant transversal competence within the European Higher Education Area. Previous research has warned of a low level of competence in public speaking, but until now, no research has been systematically carried out to evaluate this skill among university students. Therefore, the aim of this study is to diagnose the level of competence of university students in oral communication skills. For this purpose, an online, semi-structured, and closed survey was conducted among 2,400 undergraduate university students. The sample was weighted by areas of study and gender balanced. The results showed that most students claim not to have had specific training in oral communication during their educational career, despite considering it basic for their academic and professional development. In addition, a large majority of them have drawn a blank during a presentation, their degree of anxiety is medium, and more than half of the students claim to have gone through an embarrassing situation when speaking in public. In short, this study reveals a deficiency in oral communication in preparing the university students surveyed, despite recognizing its critical relevance for academic success and their professional future.