China sets up national university for aged, to ‘build lifelong learning society’

China’s Ministry of Education announced on Thursday that it has decided to set up a national university for the aged, a move that experts believe is intended to cope with the aging society and build a lifelong learning society.

The ministry said the plaque of the National University for the Aged will be unveiled and merged with the Open University of China – a lifelong school for adult learners.

The Open University of China is not only an educational entity, but also an educational system covering both urban and rural areas of the country. It is composed of one headquarters in Beijing, 45 branches and 3,735 learning centers.

On the basis of the Open University of China, the National University for the Aged is a national education resourcesharing platform for senior citizens, with their students aged 60 or above and their curriculum extensively ranging from foreign languages, computer skills, music and dance to photography, painting, sports and other crafts and skills.

Considering the better physical condition of senior citizens and their extended life expectancy, care for them should not be limited to material security and medical insurance. Providing education for them is one aspect of enriching their spiritual lives, said Zhu Wei, a professor from the China University of Political Science and Law. Facilitating systematic education for senior citizens can help build an age-friendly society, Zhu said.

Figures show that the population aged 60 or older amounted to 267 million in 2021, accounting for 18.9 percent of China’s total population.