Education as a lifeline for elderly Belarusians?
Alesia Rudnik, BelarusDigest.com
5 January 2017, 22:03
In 2030 the number of elderly in Belarus will predictably reach 29,7% of the population. Life quality of seniors in Belarus is low and nothing indicates further improvement.
Instead of the pension age reform, elderly population needs an effective strategy of active ageing. One of the main tasks lies in providing educational opportunities for this group.
Despite the fast ageing of the country, Belarus demonstrated little experience in educating seniors, comparing to the neighbouring EU countries.
Education of seniors in Belarus: in search of the own model
As a response to ageing trends, in 1973 Pierre Vela opened the first "Third Age University" in the world, located in France. With the aim of better integration of elderly to the society, Vela’s university focused on the communication of younger and older population through education. Third Age Universities further formed the ideas of using a potential of elderly in economy, creating opportunities for intellectual, physical and social activation, building anti-discrimination environment for seniors.
Third Age Universities received wide popularity in the beginning of 2000, forming two main models of seniors education. French model implies binding of the seniors’ education projects to universities in form of autonomous departments. According to the British model, Third Age Universities emerge on the basis of NGOs. 20 years after the foundation of the first Third Age University the ideas of seniors education came to Belarus.
![Education as a lifeline for elderly Belarusians?]( "Education as a lifeline for elderly Belarusians?")
Historically, the first project for seniors education in Belarus emerged due to the work of Union of Poles in Belarus in the 1990s. Mokotow Third Age University (Warsaw) supported the foundation of educational platform for seniors in Hrodna. Although the initiative succeeded quickly, only representatives of the Polish minority participated in the project.
In 2010 the NGO 'The Third Sector' in Hrodna founded the first Belarusian Third Age University. The largest such university started its work in Minsk in 2013 as a project of the NGO 'Belarusian Association of Social Workers' funded by the German foundation 'Remembrance, responsibility and future'. The government has quickly followed the path and introduced its own Institutes of the Third Age. Based in Brest and Navapolatsk, Third Age Institutes form a part of the local social care centres.
Currently, there are four Third Age Universities in Belarus with relatively low coverage of students.
![Education as a lifeline for elderly Belarusians?]( "Education as a lifeline for elderly Belarusians?")
Despite the similarities of state and non-state projects, educational approaches significantly differ. Governmental projects mainly focus on psychological and social support for seniors. At the same time, independent Third Age Universities tend to develop new skills and knowledge for further empowerment and stimulate active participation of Belarusian seniors.
Although such universities provide education for elderly, Belarus lacks action plans for seniors. An absence of project for seniors education in academic system characterises Belarusian model for seniors education.
Belarusian Response to Ageing
Increasing retirement age became a response of Belarusian government to ageing challenge. Since 2017 a retirement age in Belarus will annually increase for 6 months preserving a 5-year gender gap. On one hand, raising a pension age sounds rational. On the other hand, such decision fails to improve seniors life quality.
The income-replacement ratio in Belarus - 43% - is close to many European countries. At the same time, Belarusians now earn extremely low wages. The researcher of IPM Research Centre Hleb Šymanovič notes that increasing the retirement age is unable to insure seniors from impoverishment and decreasing of living standards.
Low pensions force people to search for the new sources of income. Due to a reducing physical activity, seniors face a challenge in working at the same positions or finding new jobs without needed competencies.
Today only 11% of Belarusian elderly supplement pensions with additional work. This is the lowest labour force rate of 65+ population among the Post-Soviet countries.
A decreasing speed of the information processing, as well as a need of permanent repetition in the learning process, require customisation of educational programmes to demands of seniors. Organising more educational opportunities for elderly would develop an inclusive society where seniors have enough competencies for a modern labour market. With the development of technologies elderly require additional knowledge.
Digital education has a wide popularity in Hrodna Golden Age University and Minsk Third Age University. A success of computer literacy courses created by mobile provider MTS proves a high demand for digital education among seniors. The project aimed at educating seniors in digital sphere had more than 30 study centres and 2,000 graduates across Belarus.
Integration in education enables seniors with additional instruments for managing own and public issues independently. This could significantly reduce the workload of the social system and impact to the country’s economy.
It would also be beneficial for seniors and state to shorten expenses for medical care. Widening a promotion of healthy lifestyle, physical activities, workshops, through education would have a positive impact on seniors life quality. Despite this, the Universities help to change a perception of elderly by the society, - believes a coordinator of the Third Age University in Minsk, Alena Stanislauchyk.
First Steps to Start
The fast ageing of the world demands to search for new approaches of seniors empowerment. In Belarus a share of 60+ population has overcome 20%. At the same time, low pensions and lack of professional competencies lead to low labour force participation of seniors. In such situation, education can become a lifeline for elderly Belarusians.
Four Third Age Universities with small amount of students across Belarus are struggling to provide educational opportunities for Belarusian seniors. An introduction of the French model in Belarus would allow reaching a progress in seniors education.
The state, civil society, academic institutions and seniors themselves can take responsibility for creation of the Third Age Universities and other educational platforms, as it often happens in Poland, Great Britain, Lithuania and other countries.
Development of the action plans for elderly in Belarus would positively reflect on the economic and social systems of the country. However, these steps are unrealistic until Belarusian seniors, society and government recognise a need for changes.
Alesia Rudnik is an intern at the Ostrogorski Centre and MA student at Stockholm University.
5 January 2017, 22:03
Instead of the pension age reform, elderly population needs an effective strategy of active ageing. One of the main tasks lies in providing educational opportunities for this group.
Despite the fast ageing of the country, Belarus demonstrated little experience in educating seniors, comparing to the neighbouring EU countries.
Education of seniors in Belarus: in search of the own model
As a response to ageing trends, in 1973 Pierre Vela opened the first "Third Age University" in the world, located in France. With the aim of better integration of elderly to the society, Vela’s university focused on the communication of younger and older population through education. Third Age Universities further formed the ideas of using a potential of elderly in economy, creating opportunities for intellectual, physical and social activation, building anti-discrimination environment for seniors.
Third Age Universities received wide popularity in the beginning of 2000, forming two main models of seniors education. French model implies binding of the seniors’ education projects to universities in form of autonomous departments. According to the British model, Third Age Universities emerge on the basis of NGOs. 20 years after the foundation of the first Third Age University the ideas of seniors education came to Belarus.
Students of Hrodna Golden Age University
Historically, the first project for seniors education in Belarus emerged due to the work of Union of Poles in Belarus in the 1990s. Mokotow Third Age University (Warsaw) supported the foundation of educational platform for seniors in Hrodna. Although the initiative succeeded quickly, only representatives of the Polish minority participated in the project.
In 2010 the NGO 'The Third Sector' in Hrodna founded the first Belarusian Third Age University. The largest such university started its work in Minsk in 2013 as a project of the NGO 'Belarusian Association of Social Workers' funded by the German foundation 'Remembrance, responsibility and future'. The government has quickly followed the path and introduced its own Institutes of the Third Age. Based in Brest and Navapolatsk, Third Age Institutes form a part of the local social care centres.
Currently, there are four Third Age Universities in Belarus with relatively low coverage of students.
Despite the similarities of state and non-state projects, educational approaches significantly differ. Governmental projects mainly focus on psychological and social support for seniors. At the same time, independent Third Age Universities tend to develop new skills and knowledge for further empowerment and stimulate active participation of Belarusian seniors.
Although such universities provide education for elderly, Belarus lacks action plans for seniors. An absence of project for seniors education in academic system characterises Belarusian model for seniors education.
Belarusian Response to Ageing
Increasing retirement age became a response of Belarusian government to ageing challenge. Since 2017 a retirement age in Belarus will annually increase for 6 months preserving a 5-year gender gap. On one hand, raising a pension age sounds rational. On the other hand, such decision fails to improve seniors life quality.
The income-replacement ratio in Belarus - 43% - is close to many European countries. At the same time, Belarusians now earn extremely low wages. The researcher of IPM Research Centre Hleb Šymanovič notes that increasing the retirement age is unable to insure seniors from impoverishment and decreasing of living standards.
Low pensions force people to search for the new sources of income. Due to a reducing physical activity, seniors face a challenge in working at the same positions or finding new jobs without needed competencies.
Today only 11% of Belarusian elderly supplement pensions with additional work. This is the lowest labour force rate of 65+ population among the Post-Soviet countries.
A decreasing speed of the information processing, as well as a need of permanent repetition in the learning process, require customisation of educational programmes to demands of seniors. Organising more educational opportunities for elderly would develop an inclusive society where seniors have enough competencies for a modern labour market. With the development of technologies elderly require additional knowledge.
Digital education has a wide popularity in Hrodna Golden Age University and Minsk Third Age University. A success of computer literacy courses created by mobile provider MTS proves a high demand for digital education among seniors. The project aimed at educating seniors in digital sphere had more than 30 study centres and 2,000 graduates across Belarus.
Integration in education enables seniors with additional instruments for managing own and public issues independently. This could significantly reduce the workload of the social system and impact to the country’s economy.
It would also be beneficial for seniors and state to shorten expenses for medical care. Widening a promotion of healthy lifestyle, physical activities, workshops, through education would have a positive impact on seniors life quality. Despite this, the Universities help to change a perception of elderly by the society, - believes a coordinator of the Third Age University in Minsk, Alena Stanislauchyk.
First Steps to Start
The fast ageing of the world demands to search for new approaches of seniors empowerment. In Belarus a share of 60+ population has overcome 20%. At the same time, low pensions and lack of professional competencies lead to low labour force participation of seniors. In such situation, education can become a lifeline for elderly Belarusians.
Four Third Age Universities with small amount of students across Belarus are struggling to provide educational opportunities for Belarusian seniors. An introduction of the French model in Belarus would allow reaching a progress in seniors education.
The state, civil society, academic institutions and seniors themselves can take responsibility for creation of the Third Age Universities and other educational platforms, as it often happens in Poland, Great Britain, Lithuania and other countries.
Development of the action plans for elderly in Belarus would positively reflect on the economic and social systems of the country. However, these steps are unrealistic until Belarusian seniors, society and government recognise a need for changes.
Alesia Rudnik is an intern at the Ostrogorski Centre and MA student at Stockholm University.
