Transformative Pathways for Environmental Management Education in Nigerian Universities: A Curriculum Innovation and Pedagogical Reform Study

Environmental management education in Nigerian universities is challenged by curriculum frameworks that inadequately incorporate systems thinking, indigenous environmental knowledge, transdisciplinarity, and practical problem-solving capacities demanded by the complex environmental challenges facing Nigeria. This doctoral research investigates transformative pathways for environmental management education through a comprehensive curriculum innovation and pedagogical reform study engaging seven Nigerian universities offering undergraduate and postgraduate geography and environmental management programmes. The research employs a transformative learning theory framework and combines curriculum analysis, pedagogical experimentation, and institutional change research. Curriculum analysis systematically assesses current programme content, learning outcomes, pedagogical approaches, and assessment practices across all seven institutions using a newly developed Environmental Management Education Quality Framework. Action research cycles involving 42 faculty members and 380 students across three universities test and evaluate three innovative pedagogical interventions: problem-based learning using real Nigerian environmental cases, community-engaged environmental monitoring projects, and transdisciplinary studio-based learning combining geographical and management science methods. Institutional change analysis examines enabling and constraining factors for curriculum reform through 55 interviews with faculty, students, administrators, and employer stakeholders. Original contributions include the Environmental Management Education Quality Framework as an assessable benchmark instrument for Nigerian tertiary institutions, evidence-based pedagogical guidelines for transformative environmental management teaching, and a theory of change for curriculum reform in resource-constrained African university contexts. Policy contributions address accreditation standards revision by the National Universities Commission and minimum curriculum expectations for environmental management degree programmes. Keywords: environmental management education, curriculum reform, transformative learning, Nigerian universities, pedagogical innovation.