[Senior Trend] Finding the Future of Universities in Senior Education

“Cherry Blossom Ending,” a song that lyrically celebrates the season of spring, has recently been used to describe the crisis facing regional universities. As the school-age population declines in earnest, more regions are unable to fill their freshman quotas, making the phrase “universities close in the order that cherry blossoms bloom” a reality. While discussions on measures such as increasing scholarship benefits are active, the preference for the metropolitan area does not seem easy to change. What if we think of universities not just as a choice for students but as senior lifelong education institutions?

Last year, during the height of COVID-19, there was a retired senior who seemed to rest comfortably for a while but soon experienced a sharp decline in activity and felt that the days were long. This is the story of the author’s mother in her 70s, who became a freshman in the “Future Life Convergence Department” earlier this year. This curriculum is part of the university’s lifelong education system support project. It is promoted as “established to nurture talent that leads a healthy centenarian era in the region.” It is broadly divided into regionally customized talent development courses and adult learner-friendly courses. Through major studies in leisure, sports, foreign languages, and cultural arts, students can aim for employment, career change, self-development, or health improvement. After finishing the second semester and entering winter vacation recently, the mother’s impression was full of vitality. She is contemplating whether to become a barista or a grandmother fitness coach after completing the four-year program. Watching her memorize English vocabulary daily or repeatedly attend anatomy classes to prepare for final exams, dementia among people of her age seems like a distant story.

In Korea, senior education began targeting those aged 65 and older alongside UNESCO’s lifelong education movement in the 1970s, emphasizing that seniors should also learn. However, despite the rapid introduction, senior education in the field has had many shortcomings. It reflected the provider’s perspective more than the demand side and lacked proactive policies. However, in December 2021, the “Lifelong Education Act” was amended. The reason for this was “to expand the issuance of lifelong education vouchers from the current low-income groups to all citizens, (omitted) to establish an institutional foundation and to lay a legal foundation for lifelong education statistical surveys,” marking the beginning of significant change.

Looking at how other countries handle this, Germany began operating senior universities in medical schools in 1978. After reunification, due to disparities between East and West Germany, it became difficult for the government to operate them uniformly. In Berlin, a demand-centered membership organization called “Pro Geniores” emerged voluntarily. It offers over 500 lectures and seminars focused on seniors’ interests, not for profit but with participation fees less than the cost of a cup of coffee. Additionally, local communities and universities jointly provide facilities, participate in planning, and support research, helping seniors who mostly live at home to go outside and build social networks.

Canada has the “New Horizon Program.” It provides seniors with recreation, hobby activities, history, and cultural lectures, aiming to alleviate senior isolation and loneliness through community activities. The government leads and operates this program. The Canadian Korean Broadcasting System (CKBS) directly applies for programs from the Alberta provincial government’s New Horizon Fund and offers classes such as English, cooking, and dance for Korean seniors. A distinctive feature is providing lunch snacks, facilitating conversations among participating seniors to create a pleasant atmosphere. They also organize senior golf classes inviting professional golfers, require outdoor activities for course completion, and improve flexibility and strength through pre-designed exercise programs.

The United States has the “Golden ID Program (Older Adult/Senior Citizen Free Tuition Program).” The senior age criterion is about 60, and all courses are free or very inexpensive. This is possible because most state universities are funded by taxes. The universities operate with young people attending during the day and working adults or older people attending at night, so campuses are always bustling with students. According to someone who majored in gerontology in the U.S., “On campus, the formula of young equals student and middle-aged equals professor does not hold,” and “graduate schools of gerontology have professors in their 30s and students ranging from their 20s to 60s.”

Changing perceptions is an important issue. At a seminar on Senior Citizens’ Day, Professor Noh Kyung-ran of the Department of Education at Sungshin Women’s University criticized the reality where seniors themselves say, “What’s the point of learning?” and families respond, “What’s the use of learning that?” Although Korea is very positive about education and learning activities, it is particularly unaware of the value and happiness conveyed by senior education. Viewing seniors as subjects of learning who can grow and seek social roles will allow imagining different perspectives. From the perspective of lifelong education, old age is not a period of decline but one of continuous development and growth, and these activities naturally contribute to a society of coexistence by increasing intergenerational exchange.

Everyone learns, works, and plays throughout their lives. Although the emphasis varies depending on life stages and circumstances, these three revolve continuously. Life is no longer divided into a first and second half. Even setting aside the fourth act of life when care is needed, diverse learning must continue in a lengthened life. For healthy aging and to prepare well for the third act of life, why not expand the meaning and use of universities?

Lee Boram, CEO of Third Age

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.