Transforming the Job Market for Library and Information Science PhDs in China: An Empirical Study from an Alternative Academic (Alt-Ac) Perspective
Abstract
This study investigated the transformation of the library and information science
(LIS) doctoral job market in China from an alternative academic (Alt-Ac) perspective.
Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyzed supply and demand dynamics,
based on data from 21 LIS programs and 10,331 job postings. The findings revealed
a rapid expansion of LIS doctoral education, with an increasing enrollment in firstlevel
disciplines and self-established interdisciplinary second-level disciplines. On the
demand side, Alt-Ac positions showed significant growth across diverse institutional
settings, requiring skills in data analysis, research methodology, and interdisciplinary
collaboration. These results underscore the growing viability of Alt-Ac careers for
LIS doctoral graduates and the need for programs to adapt curricula accordingly
(LIS) doctoral job market in China from an alternative academic (Alt-Ac) perspective.
Using a mixed-methods approach, we analyzed supply and demand dynamics,
based on data from 21 LIS programs and 10,331 job postings. The findings revealed
a rapid expansion of LIS doctoral education, with an increasing enrollment in firstlevel
disciplines and self-established interdisciplinary second-level disciplines. On the
demand side, Alt-Ac positions showed significant growth across diverse institutional
settings, requiring skills in data analysis, research methodology, and interdisciplinary
collaboration. These results underscore the growing viability of Alt-Ac careers for
LIS doctoral graduates and the need for programs to adapt curricula accordingly
Copyright Ye Tian, Jingbei Zhang
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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