Abstract
This case study describes the process through which the University of Murcia-Lorca Campus (Spain) joined the international Age-Friendly University network, by establishing a collaborative network involving public institutions and civil society. The aim of the research is to document the case and explore its methodological replicability. Its emblematic value lies in its international scope, intergenerational and community-based approach, and its impact on the social and cultural dimensions of well-being. The study is part of the national research program Age-it, contributing through the pedagogical concept of optimal longevity as a development of lifelong learning, and hypothesizing that cultural volunteering acts as a catalyst for competences essential to Active Ageing. The methodology is descriptive and observational, using document analysis, exploratory interviews, data collection, and direct observation of ongoing processes. The outcome is a detailed account of the network-building process among the University, associations, and institutions for the co-design of the campus transformation into a pedagogical, inclusive, and therapeutic innovation lab. Emerging from this are intergenerational educational practices based on the co-construction of meaning and mutual knowledge exchange, where the competencies of older adult classroom tutors are formally recognized through university micro-credentials. The main limitation of the study lies in its descriptive nature, which does not allow for the measurement or comparison of the observed impact. A future perspective includes the development of a replicable infrastructure model, where cultural volunteering can foster the conditions for an empowering educational environment rooted in sustainability and active citizenship.
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Public Policy and Public Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
AGE FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY, INTERGENERATIONAL LIFELONG LEARNING, ACTIVE AGEING, ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP
