Launch of UL Age Friendly University
On Friday, 6th December 2024, the ºÚÁÏÉç (UL) celebrated the launch of its Age Friendly University initiative. Dr Marie Connolly, Director of Human Rights, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (HREDI), opened the event and welcomed Acting President Professor Shane Kilcommins, who officially announced UL’s membership to the Age Friendly University Global Network (AFU). The AFU movement seeks to reshape how we live and work by expanding educational opportunities across the lifespan.
The event attracted a diverse audience, including UL staff, members of UL Restart, older adults from the Mid-West Region, and representatives from local Age Friendly Alliances.
Established in 2022 by the HREDI Department under its Diversity & Inclusion Pillar, the UL Age Friendly University Committee aims to promote age inclusivity and lifelong learning while fostering community engagement among older adults. The committee brings together dedicated staff committed to making UL a more age-friendly environment. It is co-chaired by Professor Rose Galvin, Professor in Physiotherapy at UL and a member of the Ageing Research Centre and the Health Research Board, and Professor Joachim Fischer, Emeritus Jean Monnet Chair in European Cultural Studies.
The Keynote speaker at the launch, which was held in the School of Medicine was the very imminent Regius Professor Rose Anne Kenny – Regius Professor of Physics TCD and founding Principal Investigator of The Irish LongituDinal Study of Ageing (TILDA). Presentations were also provided by Alix McDonald Head of the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Strathclyde and chair of the AFU Global Network and Dr Christine O’Kelly – Age friendly University Co-ordinator in DCU.
Our commitment
ºÚÁÏÉç formed the Age Friendly University Committee in 2022 to promote the participation of older adults in its educational and research activities. This aligns with UL's long-standing commitment to providing learning opportunities for people of all ages, fostering inclusivity and lifelong learning. Through various programs and outreach efforts, UL aims to create a welcoming environment where older adults can engage in and contribute to the academic community.
Our Mission
The mission of the UL-AFU is to create an inclusive culture, that values diversity, and encourages the participation of older persons from both within and outside of the UL Community in the act of ‘knowledge creation and exchange’.
Age Friendly University (AFU) Global Network
The ºÚÁÏÉç has been accepted as a member of the Age Friendly Global Network. The Age Friendly Global Network serves as a collective platform for institutes of higher education committed to creating inclusive and supportive environments across the lifespan. By joining the Global Network, UL has demonstrated our dedication to fostering lifelong learning opportunities and promoting active participation among older adults. This moment marks a significant step forward in our collective commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals of all ages within our academic community.
Principles of the Age Friendly University
- To encourage the participation of older adults in all the core activities of the university.
- To support those who wish to pursue "second careers".
- To recognise the range of educational needs of older adults.
- To promote intergenerational learning. 
- To widen access to online educational opportunities for older adults.
- To ensure that the university's research agenda is informed by the needs of an ageing society.
- To increase the understanding of students of the longevity dividend.
- To enhance access for older adults to the university's range of health and wellness programmes and its arts a²Ô»å cultural activities.
- To engage actively with the university's own retired community.
- To ensure regular dialogue with organisations representing the interests of the ageing population.