Why are more and more older people returning to university?
A manifesto for accessible education
Recently, in a new New York Times article, I read that retirees are returning to colleges and universities to help in their own way, either as listeners to the students who attend programs there or for administrative purposes. They even pay quite large sums, by our standards as Greeks, to be there.
Of course, they know that learning and engaging with learning new things with it keeps the mind active, according to research. Especially in cases where there is an increased risk of neurodivergent diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, reading and studying can help a lot.
There are many guides that show how older people can return to education, such as this one, thus demonstrating a huge interest in this area. So let’s analyze what knowledge can offer, whether it is theoretical or practical (i.e., you are a student).
Firstly, engaging in learning can enhance an individual’s self-efficacy, i.e., how well they think they can achieve something.
For example, a programmer needs high self-efficacy to produce high-quality code.
It also increases their sense of meaning and social participation, whether in the academic community or in student communities. It is very important for students to take an active role in their studies, but also to socialize.
When it comes to self-actualization, i.e., the tendency to feel “satisfied,” learning plays a key role, as it helps establish specific professional steps to lead the individual to their maximum personal development.
But why should education be freely accessible?
Because it offers a sense of democracy, freedom, and freedom of speech. Through articles, books, and lectures, students can cultivate their critical thinking and analytical skills.
Furthermore, the less politics or religion are involved in knowledge, the more objective things become. And the more objective the nature of the university is, the more accessible to diversity and top it becomes.
And we come to the crucial question: Can a retired professor return to work, paying a fee, to help the university?
And the answer is yes! Because there is room for diversity in academia. Universities are also growing and receiving larger subsidies. All of this is positive in these difficult times.
In closing, I would like to leave you with a thought: Is it dangerous to criticize such measures when our world is falling apart day by day, lest we appear “strange”? Or is it human nature to be curious and observant, two concepts that are essential for education and learning?