Objectives:
The project had the aim:
- To explore different models of inter-generational learning: older teacher + younger learner, younger teacher + older learner; collaborative learning between older and younger learners, and older + younger collaboration on designing new modules.
- To develop learning opportunities that could promote participation in civil society as promoters for European themes and facilitators/mentors with others to promote active European citizenship.
- To design 12 modules of learning using these different models and flexible approaches, and pilot 6 of these.
- To evaluate the pilots systematically and report on the lessons learned from inter-generational teaching and learning, and from collaborative design of inter-generational university courses, identifying the need for further development, including concrete recommendations.
- To evaluate systematically and report on the lessons learned about universities’ potential role in training promoters for different fields of voluntary and paid work, identifying the need for further development, including concrete recommendations.
- To disseminate and valorise the outputs and products of the project among the professional communities in European universities and beyond.
Activities:
The project gives learners in five countries the opportunity to participate in the piloting of the modules and to become promoters and facilitators/mentors for the participation of other people. The provision of lifelong learning for younger and older people and the organisational structures necessary for this type of provision in universities was improved. The dissemination activities provided case studies and evaluative reports that enabled other universities to valorise the results. Dissemination and valorisation were maximised through the associate partners.
Products and outcomes:
- six piloted Taught Modules on major European themes which dealt with major themes on the European agenda providing inter-generational learning settings;
- six concepts for Facilitated Open Modules which were negotiated with the potential target groups in a collaborative process comprising different generations;
- a “European Tool Kit for Developing Inter-generational Learning in Higher Education” which was aimed at professionals in Lifelong Learning and those especially interested in Learning in Later Life and inter-generational learning; it included case studies on the developmental work in the project. The Tool Kit was published in German, Finnish, Hungarian, Czech, and Spanish, as well as in English.
Partners:
The followings are full partners:
- University of Graz, Austria, Coordinator
- Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic
- Goldsmiths University of London, UK
- Summer University of Jyväskylä, Finland
- University of Pécs, Hungary
- University of A Coruna, Spain
- European University Continuing Education Network – EUCEN
The following institutions were invited by the full partners to join the consortium as “associate partners”, representing segments of stakeholder groups:
- Technology Centre Deutschlandsberg Ltd, Austria
- Association of Third Age Universities, Czech Republic
- The Learning from Experience Trust, United Kingdom
- University of Kiel, Germany
- Educators’ Center Association – House of Civic Communities, Hungary
- Provincial Association of Pensioners and Retired Persons from A Coruna, Spain
- European Association for the Education of Adults – EAEA
Meetings:
The focus of the ADD LIFE Final Open Symposium “Inter-generational Learning in Europe: Partnerships, Policies and Good Practice” (May 2008, Graz) was on discussing current approaches, experiences and good practice in inter-generational learning in a higher education context in Europe. It invited participants to share the outcomes of the project by giving feedback to the draft version of “The European Toolkit for Developing Inter-generational Learning in Higher Education”. The programme offered a mix of keynote presentations and hands-on workshops, including the planning of concrete further action.