Abstract

In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digital transformation is reshaping professional standards and creating an urgent need to redefine the core competencies required of the future workforce. This study combines an analysis of international academic literature and reports issued by leading professional organizations between 2015 and 2024 with a survey of 434 social work students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, and Dalat University. It aims to systematize the theoretical foundations and propose solutions for developing social work students’ professional skills in digital environments. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating internationally recognized competency models when developing a digital competence framework for social work students. Such a framework can provide a basis for comprehensive assessment, improve training quality, and strengthen the application of digital knowledge in social work practice.

Keywords: Digital competence, digital social work, digital transformation, higher education, professional skills.