insights
NOVEMBER 2024
& Implications
I N GERONTOLOGY
faculty
Joann M. Montepare, PhD, FGSA, FAGHE
Professor Emerita of Psychology Lasell University Faculty Fellow, Gerontology Institute University of Massachusetts Boston Nina M. Silverstein, PhD, FGSA
Professor Emerita Department of Gerontology Faculty Fellow, Gerontology Institute University of Massachusetts Boston
Learners for Life: The Future of Higher Education in the Era of Longevity areas of growth and the need for new academic disciplines with cutting-edge curricula and fields of research.
contributors Surya Kolluri, MBA, MS, CRPC
Head TIAA Institute Anne Ollen, MEd, CEBS
Managing Director TIAA Institute
Developed by
Introduction
Supported by
This publication is available on GSA Enrich
Copyright © 2024 by the Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved.
contents
Throughout the centuries of higher education, change has been constant. Institutions of higher learning have adjusted curricula, created new degrees, and established schools and colleges to meet emerging needs. When the Information Age began in the 1950s, a population explosion expanded the number of students on campuses. Advances in science and technology provided
1
Introduction
3
Insights Into Higher Education: Factors Driving the Age-Inclusivity Movement
Now, in the eighth decade of the Information Age, institutions of higher education are anticipating a new period of radical transformation. An era that began with the realization that computers could perform tasks that previously required a human brain has brought artificial intelligence (AI) able to perform tasks formerly requiring a college degree. AI is already displacing a variety of workers and creating a need for them to focus on different functions or pivot to new careers. The population pyramid that reliably filled the ranks of college undergraduates each fall now looks like a pillar. The burgeoning costs of higher education are questioned as students need to work during school and repay the loans used to cover expenses.
12 Implications for Higher Education: Creating Age-Inclusive Campuses for Students of All Ages 22 Conclusion