Zeharkako Konpetentzien (ZK) prestakuntza, sareko kazetaritza jasangarriko proiektuen bidez / Training in Transversal Competences (TC) through sustainable online journalism projects

Technological change has compelled journalism to continuously adapt, redefining the professional competences required in the media industry. This article presents the design and outcomes of a pedagogical innovation implemented during the 2020/2021 academic year in the course “Writing and Creation of Web Content” at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). The initiative integrated the development of six transversal competences with the production of multimedia online reports linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through project-based, research-based, and challenge-based learning, students collaborated in producing in-depth, socially engaged web journalism. The experience emphasised emotional literacy as a core skill for future journalists, fostering empathy, critical thinking, and social commitment. Survey results revealed increased student motivation, awareness of global challenges, and improved professional competences, particularly in digital content creation, information management, and teamwork. The findings suggest that embedding sustainability and transversal competences into journalism curricula not only enriches academic training but also promotes responsible, community-oriented journalism capable of addressing misinformation and fostering quality public discourse. This approach contributes to reorienting journalism education from an industry-focused to a community-focused paradigm, enhancing its democratic, social, and ethical value.