Welcoming older people to our university contributes to the social and economic capital of the university, contributes and informs the research agenda and supports the wider community to embrace the opportunities of higher education to support ageing in a positive and healthy way.
"An age-friendly world enables people of all ages to actively participate in community activities and treats everyone with respect, regardless of their age" (WHO Definition of an age-friendly world).
Ms. Christine O'Kelly, DCU's dedicated Age-Friendly University Global Network Coordinator supports the age-friendly initiative on campus and drives the development of the global network.
What sets us apart
DCU's pioneering approach to developing the age-friendly initiative has clearly resonated with higher education institutions which have grown to over 50 members globally. The Ten Principles of an Age-Friendly University developed by DCU provides a framework which has started a dialogue on ageing and we warmly invite our colleagues in higher education to contribute to the conversation by joining the AFU global Network.
Over 2,000 older people visit DCU to take part in wellness, cultural, social, research and educational opportunities on a weekly basis which brings a richness to the university campus, promoting intergenerational engagement, helps to challenge stereotypes and combat ageism.
Read more about The Age-Friendly Initiative here