"Cities all over the world are aging rapidly." (Buffel et al., 2024)*.
To deal with this demographic disruption, policies increasingly prioritise aging in place. Public urban facilities and mobility services are, however, under growing pressure. Ensuring that older adults remain connected to essential services, opportunities, and social life is a pressing urban challenge.
This summer school will delve into the challenges that urban policy makers, public administrations, and civil society organisations face in creating age-friendly cities. Particular attention is paid to the lived experiences of older adults, as well as to critical and reflexive co-production methodologies that support older adults in (re)claiming their “right to the city.”
We focus on concrete solutions, including policies, implementation strategies, and good practices that help age-proof urban communities, taking an interdisciplinary perspective to critically assess these approaches.
The summer school features lectures by international and Antwerp-based experts, covering the demand-, supply-, and policy-side of age-proofing cities. Participants will also have ample opportunity to present their ongoing research and receive feedback from peers, practice experts, and senior scholars.
A detailed programme, including confirmed speakers, will be available by early March.
*Buffel, T., Doran, P., & Yarker, S. (2024). Reimagining age-friendly communities: Urban ageing and spatial justice. Policy Press
Target group
CityLAB is aimed at students, researchers and urban professionals from different fields and who are interested in or have experience with urban environments, ageing populations, participatory research or social inclusion are welcome to apply.
Prerequisites: A professional or academic bachelor degree is required. Open to all disciplines, but some experience with one or more of the following topics is recommended: urban planning, social inclusion ageing populations or participatory research.
Campus
This summer school takes place at Stadscampus (Prinsstraat 13, 2000 Antwerp) of the University of Antwerp. This campus is located in the city centre.
Micro-credential and study credits (ECTS)
Successful completion of the summer school can be awarded with 3 credits according the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Credits will be awarded by the University of Antwerp based on:
- preparatory readings
- completion of the assignments
- 100 % (active) participation during the course
- final presentations
To include the credits in the curriculum at the home institution, participants need an agreement with the responsible person at their university. University of Antwerp students eligible to include the ECTS credits as part of their study programme must register via Mobility Online and SisA.
All certificates of completion are issued as a micro-credential. Participants who attend the scheduled course contact hours, but don't complete the tasks will receive a certificate of attendance.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the programme, the participant will:
- have developed a critical and interdisciplinary understanding of the importance of the opportunities and challenges experienced in cities related to the specific topic of the CityLab.
- have developed a critical and interdisicplinary understanding of possible responses from city policy, planning and other practices to the opportunities and challenges related to the specific topic.
- be able to develop and express a critical viewpoint on the CityLab's topic, informed by scientific literature, academic debates and case studies.