Active Aging and Universities for Seniors

Aging is not only a personal issue, but it is also a social reality. Half of the current generations are already in the stage of mature adulthood. Baby boomers are already in their 60s and 70s, Generation X members are passing 50, and even the first cohort of Millennials are already at the dawn of 40 years old.

The importance of the above data, more than emphasizing the aging of these generations, is the realization of the negative social burden we are imposing on the course of life. Aging is intrinsically associated with a lack of impetus, the onset of physical ailments, decreased mental capacity, and the ability to learn. The latter aspect is not necessarily correct, at least, not like that painful process of intellectual decline that is commonly presented when talking about the subject.

Older people are capable of learning. Recent studies in psychology and neurosciences show that the brain is able to acquire new skills at ages 30, 50, and even 90. Although it might require more effort to learn at advanced ages, the benefit is significant, as older adults who keep learning are more likely to maintain stable cognitive health. These research studies can be considered as a theoretical basis for driving what we are calling active aging.

What is Active Aging?

Active aging is defined as the process of optimizing the opportunities for health, participation, and safety to raise the quality of life for people as they progress in age. The principle applies to both individuals and groups and has permeated the way in which we view learning and the ability of people to acquire it.

The most prominent thesis sustaining the idea that the older adult lacks learning capacity comes from the theory that his brain is losing plasticity. However, researchers at Brown University found that older people still had the ability to learn competently. They also found that plasticity still occurs in their brains, only in a different region.

In this context, the problem is not that older people cannot learn, but that they need tailor-made methods and programs; that they accept a broader curve for their learning, and find out how to take advantage of their experience, their skills already acquired, and the cognitive structures they have developed throughout their lives.

Educational offerings for seniors and the elderly

There are numerous continuing educational efforts in the world that aim to keep older adults active with better cognitive and mental health. Depending on the educational institution and the country in question, it is possible that the candidate over the age of 45 may have to go take an accreditation test that assesses general knowledge about the subjects to be taken. Other universities allow attendees to listen to or “audit” a course; no tests are necessary, and no academic grade is given.

For older adults seeking certification of their learning and acquired skills, there are already options at various universities around the world. There is the Age Friendly University Global Network in which universities in America, Europe, and Asia are members.

Spain has both face-to-face and virtual options. Catalonia is the autonomous community with the most significant number of universities offering programs for the elderly. Among these are the Universitat a l’Abast in the Autonomous University of Barcelona, which has two types of programs, namely, on-campus, where older people can take the same courses that “traditional” students take, and the university extension classrooms, where those interested in continuing to learn but who are far from the campus can do so from their localities. The University of Girona also has a university training program for people over 50, their educational offer is on campus and in university extension classrooms.

Also in Spain, the Universitat per a Majors of the Jaume I University also stands out; in 2019/2020, it will coordinate the new European project Life-eLearn: blended experiential learning for adults, which aims to design an educational and methodological plan to make the most of mixed (in-person and virtual) education, with the aim of maximizing the educational experience for older adults.

The Permanent University of the University of Alicante seeks to facilitate the personal and social development of older adults through a “program of scientific, cultural, and social development aimed at promoting science and culture and also intergenerational relationships that improves the quality of life of older people and encourages their participation in their context as social dynamos.”

The Complutense University of Madrid also has a division focused on the education of older adults. Its University for Seniors has an educational offering that is divided into two cycles, namely, a First Cycle with four academic courses directed to people 55 and older, and a Second Cycle or Specialization Cycle, aimed at people over 50 years old. The university currently has more than 2,100 senior students enrolled.

Specialized programs for older adults are also available in the virtual realm. UNED Senior specializes in current affairs and personal development and seeks to provide knowledge, learning, and strategies for the integral development and personal autonomy of people over the age of 55, in addition to promoting their communication through interpersonal relationships and intergenerational encounters. The University on the Internet (UNIR), also has senior degrees in health sciences, social sciences, law, humanities, architecture, and engineering.

In America, the United States has colleges with education programs geared specifically to older a
dults, some of whom are free to U.S. citizens at universities such as the University of Alaska, Central Connecticut State University, the University of Kansas, and Mississippi State University.

This inclusion movement for older generations in universities goes beyond just developing friendly educational programs; there is an initiative to enable and extend such programs in retirement homes near college campuses. This project serves a variety of purposes. It allows older adults to be close to educational offerings, young students are allowed to find mentors, and universities are offered an option to raise funds in a landscape where a growing number of institutions are losing opportunities to procure funds.

“Taking into account the demographic situation, the student debt from tuition, and how states have stopped supporting higher education, the result is that tuition goes up and the demand for scholarships goes up. So this is a benefit to the gear, somehow it fits together,” says Tom Schwarz, the recently retired president of Purchase University, about the practice of summoning older adults to invest in both higher education and homes near houses of study.

Singapore spares no resources or challenges for educational institutions seeking to offer programs for older adults. All graduates and postgraduates at the National University of Singapore remain enrolled for up to 20 years after their first admission date, making them eligible for any of the university’s 500 courses.

China has had a boom in the number of senior universities being founded. Since 1983, they have opened 70,000 programs for persons of advanced age. They offer everything from traditional academic courses to extra-curricular activities such as dancing, online shopping, and English for travel. The average age of students admitted to these programs is 65 to 70 years.

Continuing education for older adults is a patent necessity considering the extension of retirement age limits. The retirement age is hovering above 70. It is imperative that universities participate in the effort to keep a growing elderly population active and healthy. They deserve the same access to education and quality of life as their younger peers.

So, we can say that the trend of creating educational products focused on older people will not only continue but will increase. Because of these changes, we can talk about a near future in which young people and adults live in a university environment where socially imposed boundaries are erased, and anyone can learn.

Sofía García-Bullé

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This article from Observatory of the Institute for the Future of Education may be shared under the terms of the license CC BY-NC-SA 4.0