EU Project supports the establishment of Centres for the Third Age Education in the Russian Federation

A delegation from the "Centre for the Third Age Education " (CTAE) project, an EU funded TEMPUS project, recently paid a visit to colleagues in St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design. The meeting was hosted by Professor Tatiana Tereshkina and Professor Svetlana Tereshchenko, Department of Management Studies. The purpose of the visit was to exchange experience around a model for development of Third Age Education based on experience in the EU. The EU delegation was led by Professor Guido Amoretti and Dr. Diana Spulber, Department of Education, DISFOR University of Genoa, Italy. The project involves St. Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design and universities from other parts of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Azerbajan in establishing Institutes of Third Age Education. In the first stage of the project university staff visited other EU Countries to learn from their experience in Third Age Education. In St. Petersburg, staff have already set up classes in Computer Studies and English Language to meet the needs of Senior Learners. The delegation also provided support for the project piloting process which is modelling provision in other European countries.

A dissemination event was also hosted by XI International Forum "Third Age Generation" which provided an opportunity to highlight the project outcomes to Third Age experts from the St. Petersburg region as well as people coming from different regions of the Russian Federation. The visit involved participation in the opening of the XI International Forum "Third Age Generation". Professor Mara Morini (University of Genoa) and Dr. Rob Mark (Age Friendly University Project, Strathclyde University and Dublin City University) addressed the international forum on research into ageing and on innovation in teaching and learning programmes for the third age. The seminar was attended by more than 200 delegates from various organisations providing for the needs of older people.

A visit was also made to a Social Services Centre in Krasnoselsky District, one of a number of centres providing support and day care for residents of the retired community experiencing social isolation. The retired community in St. Petersburg includes approximately 25% of the city's population of 5 million.