[Global HR Forum 2011] Lifelong Education Policies in the Age of Centenarians

Lifelong Education Policies in the Age of Centenarians

 

Elderhostel is a non-profit organization that seeks to make lifelong learning opportunities available to people who are 55 years old and above. As its slogan “adventures in lifelong learning” suggests, it grants the elderly strong academic experiences by providing over 7,000 travel programs in more than 150 countries. The programs include outdoor adventures, service learning, water adventures and intergenerational programs.

 

 

 

Korea is rapidly becoming an aging society. Benchmarking organizations such as Elderhostel would make for a smoother transition. A special session on ‘Framing Lifelong Education Policies for the Era of Centenarians’ will take place on the final day of the Global HR Forum 2011. The session will discuss the social demands in an aging society and try to come up with proper lifelong education contents and support systems. Lifelong education strategies in advanced countries will also be presented during the session.

 

Peter Jarvis, professor emeritus at the University of Surrey, and Harry Patrinos, lead education economist at the World Bank will speak while Simon Field, project leader at the OECD, and Dooseng Kwon, president of the Korea Research Society of Lifelong Education, will participate as discussants. Unshil Choi, president of the National Institute for Lifelong Education, will moderate.

 

 

 

Many suggestions have been made concerning lifelong education policies in the light of an aging population. “Each society must be able to support itself in a competitive world,” said Professor Jarvis. “The working life will need to be extended to at least 50 years and maybe longer if society hopes to be able to support itself and people will need to understand the reasons for an extended working life—another challenge for lifelong learning.” He also mentioned citizenship, culture, welfare and individual fulfillment as society’s prerequisites in the era of centenarians. on welfare and individual fulfillment, he said “concern for others is the beginning of all morality and for society to survive it must be based upon a responsible caring morality.”