Are International-Class Students Future Ready? A Benchmarking Study of 21st-Century Competencies in Arabic Language Education
Keywords:
Competency Assessment, Curriculum Evaluation, Digital Literacy, P21 Framework, Teacher EducationAbstract
This study benchmarks the 21st-century competencies of students enrolled in an International Class Program in Arabic Language Education to evaluate their readiness for future educational and professional demands. Using a cross-sectional benchmarking survey, data were collected from 25 undergraduate students through a validated questionnaire based on the Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21) Framework, encompassing ten competency domains. Descriptive statistics, competency ranking, gap analysis, and a competency benchmark matrix were employed to identify strengths and curriculum priorities. The findings indicate that students demonstrated a high overall level of 21st-century competencies (M = 4.05, SD = 0.49), suggesting that the international-class environment effectively supports future-ready graduate development. Communication, Collaboration, and Global Competence emerged as the strongest competencies, whereas Leadership, Digital Literacy, and Creativity represented the largest competency gaps. The study extends existing research by transforming competency assessment into an evidence-based benchmarking framework that informs curriculum evaluation and continuous quality improvement. The proposed Competency Benchmark Matrix offers practical guidance for curriculum enhancement and provides a baseline for longitudinal benchmarking across cohorts and institutions, thereby strengthening future-ready Arabic language teacher education.
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