UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State has joined the Age-Friendly University Global Network, an international group of higher education institutions committed to promoting positive and healthy aging and enhancing the lives of older members of the global community.
The Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network began in 2012 at Dublin City University in Ireland and now includes more than 110 member universities around the world. Members adopt 10 guiding principles to support their age friendly efforts.
Penn State’s land-grant mission aligns with the AFU core principles, which focus on education, success and lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. In particular, the AFU framework encourages members to provide access for older adults to participate in core university activities, including career development, the pursuit of master’s or Ph.D. qualifications, research, cultural events, and health and wellness activities.
Penn State earned the designation through the efforts of a task force formed by leaders from the Tressa Nese and Helen Diskevich Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (CGNE) in the Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, the Penn State Center for Healthy Aging, and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Penn State, along with representatives from diverse units across the University and community stakeholders.
OLLI is a Penn State Outreach unit that offers community members age 50 and above the opportunity to learn, explore and connect through educational experiences, travel, and social and volunteer opportunities. Larry Terry, vice president for Outreach, who charged the task force in 2024 with exploring the designation, said that Penn State’s land-grant mission is deeply rooted in providing education, research and resources that enhance the lives of all Pennsylvanians.
“By joining the Age-Friendly University Global Network, we are not only embracing the principles of positive and healthy aging but showcasing Penn State’s commitment to ensuring that older adults have the opportunity to engage in lifelong learning, cultural enrichment, and health and wellness programs,” Terry said. “The designation’s application across the University ensures that the coordinated efforts to maintain our Age-Friendly University status will highlight existing and create new opportunities for Pennsylvanians everywhere, while also serving as a further demonstration of commitment to our land-grant mission.”
Martin Sliwinski is the director of the Center for Healthy Aging. The center is a part of the College of Health and Human Development and brings together researchers, students and community partners working to realize a vision of a society that cultivates independence, security and purpose for every person throughout their entire life.
“Penn State has a long and proud history of research, education and outreach dedicated to promoting health, well-being and purpose across the entire lifespan,” said Sliwinski. “Joining the Age-Friendly University Global Network reflects our commitment to creating a university community where people of all ages can learn, thrive and contribute — from students just starting their journey to those seeking new opportunities later in life. It also connects and amplifies the incredible work already happening across Penn State — from cutting-edge research on healthy aging to lifelong learning programs that engage and enrich our communities.”
Being part of the global network provides Penn State with the opportunity to strengthen its age-friendly initiatives and contribute to an educational, research-driven movement that provides social, personal and economic benefits to institutions of higher education and to students of all ages.
Established at Penn State in 2007, the Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence is an interdisciplinary community of clinicians, educators, scientists and learners whose leadership involves actively improving health care and quality of life for older adults.
“We saw an immediate connection between the Age-Friendly University commitment and the work CGNE does daily to support older adults, improve care outcomes, and facilitate intergenerational experiences,” said Donna Fick, CGNE director and Elouise Ross Eberly Endowed Professor of Nursing at Penn State. “This also aligns well with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s movement to promote age-friendly systems of care. We’re grateful for this collaboration and eager to integrate the principles across the University and community.”
