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Age-friendly universities

Starting: 01 Nov Ending

0 days left (ends 04 Dec)

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Vote and comment on the business case proposal outlined below.

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P1

Brief description of the opportunity

Ageing populations offer opportunities for re-education and diversification in the workforce. ‘Age-friendly’ universities and age-friendly further education should be promoted. Universities are typically engaged with preparing young people for a professional career. Dublin City University became the first designated age-friendly university. The university is leading a network of age-friendly universities to work collaboratively to meet the needs of an ageing demographic and to support active and healthy ageing. The university has developed 10 Principles of an Age Friendly University. Adult education is becoming more popular across various EU countries, e.g. several German universities have specific programmes for older people termed ‘Seniorenstudium.’ In the Netherlands, around 30 HEIs offer higher education for older people (50+) under the umbrella of HOVO (Hoger Onderwijs Voor Ouderen). The organisation offers education at an academic level but no exams. Around 25,000 older people take part in education HOVO each year. In the Czech Republic, the concept of “Universities of the Third Age” has become very popular after 2000 and currently, the majority of higher education institutions offer some courses for seniors and for the older adult.

A specific focus could be on the proposition of digital technology courses for older adults, which could increase the employability of older adults later in life and help them retain their cognitive skills. For example, assignments involving internet searches and an element of ICT skills training could contribute to increase the ICT skills of older people.

Redundancies have a particularly negative effect on the career prospects and wellbeing of people in the 50-60 age group, as while these individuals might reasonably expect to have the opportunity to work for another 10-20 years before retirement attitudes and competition within the labour market can make it very difficult for people to find work with new employers or in new sectors, with a growing proportion of people in this age-group ultimately leaving the working population years before their retirement age.  The economic benefits of policy intervention here are largely indirect, and concern the deleterious effects on wellbeing, families and the wider community.  There are possibly some direct economic benefits, through Europe’s education and training providers beginning to develop targeted courses, much of it online, specifically for older people, and for which they are able to charge. Moreover, e-learning can become a big market in the future as universities in the EU will be able to market their courses world-wide. Initially, the market may not bear the full costs and some form of public support may be necessary.

Objectives include:

  • Increase the employability of the older adult by re-training
  • Increase the offer of universities, contributing to jobs and growth in the education sector
    • Formal Bachelor/Master courses
    • Short training courses, eg in liaison with employment agencies and the private sector
  • Contribute to a longer active life-style of the older adult

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P2

Barriers and market failures

There are three main types of barriers to lifelong learning that older people face: attitudinal, situational and institutional (Cross, 1981), (see also link to UK foresight report).

  • Attitudinal barriers
    • Older learners have a negative perception about their ability to gain new knowledge, which negatively affects their motivation and interest in gaining new knowledge.
    • Educational providers have a negative perception about the ability, motivation and interest of older people to gain new knowledge. There is a general lack of awareness about older people’s interest in continued education and how to best address it. In this regard, the (potential) contributions of older people to the workforce are not always valued and supported enough.
  • Situational barriers encompass personal circumstances such as poor health, other responsibilities and lack of resources
  • Institutional barriers encompass organisational practices that discourage older people to partake in higher education. For example, course schedules may not be flexible and older people may be less aware about educational programmes. Also, some infrastructural barriers may impede accessibility.

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P3

Market prospects – size, growth trends and scalability

Williams et al. (2010) suggest that total annual expenditure on formal and informal learning for the 50+ population in the UK amounts approximately €1.9b (£1.7b) (2007/08). This includes public expenditure, tax relief, expenditure on employee development, expenditure by self-employed, expenditure by the voluntary and community sector, and individual expenditure on learning, which is approximately 10% (approximately €190m) of total expenditure for the older learner (UK population aged 25+).

When looking at the annual cost of higher education to the older adult and the estimated number of older adults enrolled in higher education, we find that, in the UK, the estimated contribution to the silver economy falls within the range €141m-€211m. For Germany, it is estimated that the spending on education for older adults falls within the range of €5.5m - €33m. In the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Ireland there are examples of modules that are tailored to the needs of older adults Such tailored courses may be less prescriptive and designed around the interests and preferences of older adults. The value of these types of modules can be estimated around €8m for HOVO adult education in the Netherlands. Altogether these figures suggest that there is an appetite amongst older people for continued higher education.

There are several other economic advantages to increase higher education for older people.

  • Expanding the offer of Higher Education implies additional jobs and growth in the educations sector.
  • The benefits to the economy as a result of increased education and skills include an increase in productivity, jobs and growth. The Leitch Review (2006) provided an overview of the economic benefits of increasing the level of education and skills of adults. Upskilling (an estimated 3.5m adults) was estimated to product an estimated benefit (of €95-€112b [£85-100b] to the UK economy), leading to increase in employment and productivity of around 10%. The OCED (2006) finds that low employability of the 50+ is related to a lower participation in training for this age group.
  • If a greater uptake of life-long learning leads to an increase in the population of older people in full-time employment, then this consumer group has more disposable income for the Silver Economy.
  • Higher education and re-training can contribute to address skills shortages, especially in the health and care sector where there are shortages in nurses, amongst other. The social care sector for example has consistently had a workforce with an older age profile and the number of older workers active in the sector is increasing.
  • As a result of a lifelong learning trajectory, older people might be able to transition from voluntary work to paid work and may remain in paid work for a longer period of time.

 

Table 1  Spending on Higher Education by older learners, examples of programmes in EU member states

 

Cost of higher education to the older learner

Estimated number of older learners enrolled in higher education

Estimated annual contribution to the silver economy

Age group

Germany

€100-€600[1] per year

55,000[2]

€5.5m - €33m

Older people

UK

€6,700-€10,000 per year

(£6,000 - £9,000)

21,085[3]

€141m-€211m

60+

Czech Republic

€45 per module (on average)[4]

48,000[5]

€2.2m - €4.3m [assuming 1 or 2 modules per person]

Retired population

The Netherlands, HOVO

€160 per module (indicate[6])

25,000

€4m - €8m [assuming 1 or 2 modules per person]

50+

Ireland, DCU – age friendly

€500 per module[7]

 

 

 

 

[1] http://www.duz.de/duz-magazin/2014/11/die-grauen-da-vorne/276

[2] http://www.zeit.de/2015/13/seniorenstudium-geschichte-zeitzeugen/komplettansicht

[3] https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students

[4] The Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports subsidies the courses of the “University of the Third Age” at HEIs with €815,000 annually. Source: http://www.msmt.cz/file/36866_1_1/.

[5] http://www.msmt.cz/file/36866_1_1/

[6] http://www.aanstaande-studenten.leidenuniv.nl/anders-studeren/contractonderwijs-cursussen/cursussen/hovo.html

[7] http://dcu.ie/agefriendly/initiatives.shtml

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P4

Challenges - identified need for action

The average employment rate of 55-64-year-old in the OECD is 58.5%, substantially lower than the average employment rate of the 25-49 year old in the OECD, which is 76%. Amongst EU member states the employment rate of the 55-64 year old is highest in Sweden, where approximately 75% are employed and it is lowest in Greece where only 35% are employed. Employment rates amongst the 50+ have increased substantially in some EU countries, eg in the UK employment rate for the 50-64 year olds increased from around 55% to 70% over a period of 30 years.

Adult education and training can contribute to increase the employability of older people. In this regard the OECD has set out a number of recommendations including the following. “Promote the employability of workers throughout their working lives with a view to strengthening employment opportunities at an older age” and “enhance participation in training by workers throughout their working lives by providing guidance services and ensuring that training is adjusted to reflect the experience and learning needs of workers at different ages, including strengthening access to work-based training for those in non-standard forms of work, encouraging increased investment in skills development at mid-career and improving the attractiveness of training and its potential returns for older workers by adapting teaching and learning methods and content to their needs. ” Related challenges include age discrimination, increase incentives for working longer, and linking age awareness to economic opportunities.

Despite the socio-economic benefits of continued education, older adults are much less likely to enrol in higher education programmes than younger people are. By encouraging older adults to continuing education and training it is likely that more people will enrol in higher education and can seize the associated socio-economic benefits.

This might mean that older adults are abler to return to employment and become more productive for longer periods. By promoting an age-diverse culture in the workforce, the EU can also draw on the experience of older workers to improve services (e.g. in the care sector) and successful ‘silver entrepreneurs’.

Other benefits from education and training for older people are mental health benefits and increased socialisation and interaction with the community, leading to less social deprivation and associated health and welfare challenges.

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P5

Added value of EU action

The EC, via DG Education and Training is an active supporter of lifelong learning and under the framework programmes funding is set aside for the adult learner. No specific European policy exists to support higher education specifically for the 50+.

The efforts made to support higher education for older people at the national level differs substantially, several EU member states have HEIs with targeted programmes of older adults and other member states do not. Silver Economy consumption of national public education services is very small: only 0.2% of all education spending across the EU. Moreover, national budgets do not prioritise education for older people and there is a lack of investment in increasing the employability of older people. There is opportunity to do more. As an example, several US states (eg New York) have mandated tuition waivers and/or discounts for older adults at public colleges and universities.

The EC has to opportunity to drive a more positive outlook about the wider benefits of education for older people, and support retraining older people via higher education programmes tailored to the 50+.

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P6

Existing or planned initiatives to build on

Older adults already take part in Higher Education across the EU. At some Universities, the percentage of 60+ is 3% of the total student body, eg as is the case at Birkbeck.

With support from the Irish Government, Dublin City University became the first designated age-friendly university. The university has developed the following 10 Principles of an Age Friendly University that are now adopted by universities in Ireland, the UK and the USA:

  • To encourage the participation of older adults in all the core activities of the university, including educational and research programmes.
  • To promote personal and career development in the second half of life and to support those who wish to pursue "second careers".
  • To recognise the range of educational needs of older adults (from those who were early school-leavers through to those who wish to pursue Master's 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 ageing 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 ageing brings to our society.
  • To enhance access for older adults to the university's range of health and wellness programmes and its arts and cultural activities.
  • To engage actively with the university's own retired community.
  • To ensure regular dialogue with organisations representing the interests of the ageing population.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic supports courses of the “University of the Third Age” designed and offered at the majority of the Czech higher education institutions (22 of 26). In most general terms, the main goal of the University of the Third Age is to facilitate access to the most recent scientific, technological, cultural and societal knowledge to the older adult. The initiative is subsidised from the public budget by €815,000 annually. In 2016, almost 48,000 seniors participated in one or more modules/courses, amounting to more than 906,000 student-hours in total. Participants pay a fee that is variable per HEI and even per module. On average, participants pay €50 per academic year per module. Although subsidised by the government, the highest cost is covered by HEIs themselves, who organise these courses as part of their “third mission”. They created an umbrella organisation Association of Universities of the Third Age of the Czech Republic. This organisation aims:

  • To ensure the stability in funding Universities of the Third Age
  • To create quality standards for the modules
  • To develop the branding of the Universities of the Third Age
  • To provide a platform for knowledge sharing
  • To maintain and develop international collaboration
  • To develop inter-generational dialogue

The Strategic Plan of the Association for 2016 – 2020 aims at raising awareness of the importance of  Universities of the Third Age in the society and improve the availability of the modules and courses. This also helps to improve seniors’ quality of life and enriches their socialisation.

In the recent years, the “Virtual University of the Third Age” has started to emerge in the Czech Republic. Standard courses in classrooms and lecture halls are complemented by courses and modules designed for online platforms, similarly to MOOCs. This allows less mobile seniors from remote locations to participate in the courses and modules from many libraries, municipal centres and day centres, without having to travel to the university campus.

The Open University in the UK is a pioneer in distance learning offering 150 programmes.[5] This and other online programmes (Massive open online courses or MOOCs) already are of interest to older adults.

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P7

Recommended EU policy actions

Target HEIs and support HEI to improve their offer of higher education for older people

  • Promote the age-friendly university concept, eg working together with current age-friendly higher education providers
  • Share best practices
  • Create awareness of the increasing demand in higher education by older people
  • Establish a standardised accreditation and contribute to develop the European market for e-learning

Target the older population promote the uptake of higher education for older people (50+)

  • Create awareness around the possibility for higher education programmes for older people
  • Create awareness around existing e-learning programmes
  • Create awareness about the benefit of life-long-learning
  • Promote language learning and knowledge about cultural diversity and the LLL concept

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P8

Key stakeholders

Key stakeholders are HEIs, national/regional governments and accreditation bodies. Volunteers and informal adult education providers may also play a role.

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