FIFTH NATIONAL MEETING OF UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMES FOR OLDER ADULTS- Tenerife

City: Puerto de la Cruz (TENERIFE)

Date: 05/04/2001

Organizer: University of La Laguna

Contents

1) Establish the National Committee of University Programmes for Older Adults as the coordinating body of the different university programmes. This Committee will have, among others, the duty of preparing the next National Meeting. The National Committee will draw up a document that includes all the positions of the University Programmes for Older Adults to the announced Law on Universities. The appointed Committee is composed of:

• Mrs. Francisca Pérez Llamas (University of Murcia)
• Mrs. Carmen Orte Socías (University of the Balearic Islands)
• Mrs. Concepción Bru Ronda (University of Alicante)
• Mrs. Adoración Holgado Sánchez (Pontifical University of Salamanca)
• Mrs. Dolores Zahonero Virgili (IMSERSO)
• Mr. Juan Antonio Lorenzo Vicente (Complutense University of Madrid)
• Mr. Manuel Velázquez Clavijo (University of Seville)
• Mr. Josep María Sabaté i Bosch (Rovira i Virgili University of Tarragona)
• Mr. José Manuel Mayán Santos (University of Santiago de Compostela)
• Mr. José Arnay Puerta (University of La Laguna)  

2) This Committee will formally request the inclusion of the Ministry of Education.

3) The National Committee, in their preparatory work for the next Meeting, will gather the participation of the Associations of Older Adults.

4) The next meetings will have thematic nature. Proposal for the next theme: framework models, to better define the characteristics of these programmes for older adults.

5) Emphasize the university dimension of the Programmes for Older Adults and, therefore, to highlight their scientific and humanist education.

6) Stimulate the university professorship of the programmes so that they promote research in the field of these programmes with a view to allow a better understanding of their various aspects.

7) Encourage the Programme evaluation processes as a way to improve their quality.

8) Update the programme census. Inclusion of a guide of university programmes for older adults published by IMSERSO.

9) Ask the programmes of the different universities to help with their contributions to the document Draft Paper 2 and 3 of the Second State Meeting of Older Adults. 

10) Encourage the holding of regional meetings of University Programmes for Older Adults.

11) Boost the exchange with European institutions similar to the Programmes for Older Adults through actions such as Grundtvig that allow the exchange of students and teachers in the European Union.

12) Encourage the use of new technologies from the Programmes for Older Adults.

13) Recognize the social character of the Programmes for Older Adults and, in this sense, seek the collaboration with IMSERSO. This institution shall be open to cooperate with new initiatives and boost, as far as possible, the development of the existing ones.

14) Gather the proposal of the University of Alicante to organize he Fourth National Meeting of University Programmes for Older Adults.

STUDENTS' AGREEMENTS

Request the official recognition from universities that allow, after the completion of the corresponding three academic years, the formal access to university without any other requirement. The students shall oficially take part when choosing subjects and teachers. The curricula must be regulated so that the first cycle consists of three academic years minimum. The Governing Body of the University must count with the presence of the seniors students with voice and vote. The students, after finishing the first cycle, will have the possibility to attend monographical and/ or diversified courses.

ASOCIATIONS' AGREEMENTS

The need of creating Associations of Senior Students in those universities without them. Independence of associations in their proposals and actions. The Associations will have the right to federate.

FEDERATION'S AGREEMENTS

The need of integration in the National Federation of all Associations of University Programmes. To become part of the creation and development of University Programmes for Older Adults. Integration in the Universities' goberning bodies and other collaborating bodies.