Age-Friendly University
By 2030, 1 in 6 people around the world will be 60 years or older due to the rising global population and individuals living longer. In response to this demographic shift, an international Age-Friendly City movement was launched to optimize environments and services that promote the participation, health, and well-being of older adults. The Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative was born out of this broader movement due to post-secondary institutions having the potential to offer educational, health and wellness, arts and cultural, and civic engagement opportunities that can benefit older adults and facilitate connections across generations. However, most post-secondary institutions have not yet adapted for a rapidly growing aging population.
The AFU Global Network consists of post-secondary institutions that are committed to making policies, programs, practices, and environments in higher education more accessible and inclusive for older students, faculty, staff, alumni, emeriti, retirees, and community members. With leadership from the Centre on Aging, the University of Calgary became a member of the AFU Global Network in 2018. The Centre has since been leading initiatives to promote research, education, and community engagement opportunities that support the aging population.
Guiding Principles
Ten principles have been identified to guide members of the AFU Global Network in developing and evaluating age-friendly initiatives.
Based on an assessment of UCalgary's age-friendliness, five principles (1, 4, 6, 7, and 10) have been prioritized for the period of 2024-28.
- To encourage the participation of older adults in all the core activities of the university, including educational and research programs.
- To promote personal and career development in the second half of life and to support those who wish to pursue second careers.
- To recognize the range of educational needs of older adults (from those who were early school-leavers through to those who wish to pursue Masters or PhD qualifications).
- To promote intergenerational learning to facilitate the reciprocal sharing of expertise between learners of all ages.
- To widen access to online educational opportunities for older adults to ensure a diversity of routes to participation.
- To ensure that the university's research agenda is informed by the needs of an aging society and to promote public discourse on how higher education can better respond to the varied interests and needs of older adults.
- To increase the understanding of students of the longevity dividend and the increasing complexity and richness that aging brings to our society.
- To enhance access for older adults to the university's range of health and wellness programs and its arts and cultural activities.
- To engage actively with the university's own retired community.
- To ensure regular dialogue with organizations representing the interests of the aging population.
Assessing UCalgary's Age-Friendliness
The Centre on Aging conducted a research study to assess the current age-friendliness of UCalgary. The results of this assessment are being used to guide initiatives aimed at helping the University achieve the full vision of an AFU.