Managerial and digital competence as predictors of perceived internship performance: A PLS-SEM study of Islamic education management students

This study examines whether managerial and digital competence are associated with perceived internship performance among 31 Islamic Education Management students at an Islamic higher education institution in Indonesia. Questionnaire data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. After measurement-model reassessment, one overlapping digital-competence item was excluded. The final model demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity. Managerial competence was positively associated with perceived internship performance (β = 0.699, p < 0.001), whereas digital competence was not (β = −0.032, p = 0.891). The predictors explained 45.6% of the variance. The findings indicate that planning, records management, coordination and reporting are important correlates of students’ self-reported professional behaviour, while the contribution of digital competence may depend on opportunities to apply it in internship tasks.