Curriculum Innovation in Library and Information Science Education: A Conceptual Perspective on Establishing Faculties of Library and Information Sciences and New Academic Programmes in Nigerian Universities.

Abstract

Curriculum innovation has become imperative for Library and Information Science (LIS) education as digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), information governance and evolving labour market demands reshape the competencies required of publishing and records management professionals. However, existing curricula often exhibit limited integration of emerging digital competencies and insufficient stakeholder involvement, resulting in a mismatch between graduate capabilities and industry expectations. This conceptual paper addresses this gap by proposing a stakeholder-centred conceptual framework for curriculum innovation in Publishing and Records Management programmes within LIS education. Adopting a conceptual research design, the study synthesizes literature on curriculum innovation, stakeholder theory, competency-based education, outcome-based education, publishing and records management to develop an integrated framework. The proposed framework comprises six interrelated constructs: drivers of curriculum innovation, stakeholder engagement, curriculum innovation processes, curriculum components, graduate competencies and educational outcomes. It demonstrates how collaboration among employers, faculty, students, alumni, professional bodies, publishers, records professionals, government and other stakeholders can inform curriculum redesign and foster future-ready graduates. The framework contributes theoretically by extending stakeholder theory into curriculum innovation and enriching the discourse on LIS education. Practically, it provides guidance for universities, curriculum developers, accreditation agencies and policymakers seeking to enhance curriculum relevance, graduate employability and quality assurance. The paper concludes that stakeholder-centred curriculum innovation is essential for developing sustainable, industry-responsive Publishing and Records Management programmes capable of supporting the digital knowledge economy and recommends future empirical validation of the proposed framework.