The NSIS Project

Empowering Information Specialists to Strengthen Research, Business, and Innovation in South Asia

 

The NSIS Project is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) initiative focused on enhancing the role and effectiveness of Library and Information Specialist (IS) staff in supporting research, business, innovation, and entrepreneurship across India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.

In today’s knowledge-driven economy, academic institutions play a pivotal role in advancing national development. However, information professionals - those tasked with managing access to knowledge and research - often lack opportunities for targeted skills development aligned with the changing needs of society and the economy. NSIS addresses this gap through a comprehensive strategy of curriculum development, institutional cooperation, training delivery, and stakeholder engagement.

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Our Mission

 

The core mission of NSIS is to build capacity within universities to deliver advanced, relevant, and sustainable training for information specialists, with a direct impact on:

• Research productivity

• Business and entrepreneurial ecosystems

• Innovation capacity

• Knowledge transfer

• Lifelong learning opportunities

By improving the skills, tools, and methods available to Library and IS staff, the project directly strengthens the support services offered by universities to researchers, entrepreneurs, students, and society at large.

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What We Do

 

The NSIS project is structured around the following key pillars:

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🔹 Curriculum Development

NSIS is creating a modular, practice-based curriculum based on the EU Tuning Methodology, tailored to the regional contexts of South Asia. The curriculum addresses:

• Information and digital literacy

• Research support skills

• Innovation and entrepreneurship knowledge

• Transferable and transversal skills

 

🔹 Training and Capacity Building

Through a “Train-the-Trainer” model, the project builds internal institutional capacity to deliver high-quality training. Piloting activities within and beyond partner institutions will ensure that knowledge is both embedded and disseminated widely.

 

🔹 Digital Learning Platform

An online platform will host all curriculum modules and resources, enabling blended learning and broad access to training materials across the region.

🔹 Engagement with Employers and Stakeholders

The project is designed to bridge the gap between academia and the labour market. NSIS supports stronger engagement between universities and external stakeholders, ensuring that skills training meets the needs of research, business, and innovation sectors.

 

🔹 Sustainability and Visibility

NSIS includes the creation of National Action Groups and the organisation of National Awareness Days in each country to ensure long-term impact, wide dissemination, and alignment with national development priorities.

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Our Impact

 

By the end of the project, NSIS will:

• Deliver a sustainable, modular curriculum ready for institutional integration

• Train academic and professional staff in modern IS competencies

• Strengthen collaborations between HEIs, business, and policy makers

• Equip universities to become regional hubs of research and innovation support

• Contribute to the long-term digital and economic development of the participating countries

 

Who We Work With

 

The NSIS consortium includes universities and organisations from Ireland, Romania, Germany, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, working collaboratively across disciplines and sectors. Together, these institutions contribute to a shared vision of modern, inclusive, and innovation-driven higher education.

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