Emilia Velikova, University of Rousse
Abstract. The paper presents a concept for an academic program for continuing education of seniors created by the University of Rousse under the project DASUN.
Introduction
The project DASUN: Danube Seniors‘ Universities was supported by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung, the Heidehof Stiftung and the Zentrum für Allgemeine Wissenschaftliche Weiterbil- dung (ZAWiW) der Universität Ulm.
Its main objective was the development of a concept for academic program for continuing education of seniors as a bridge between science and civil society.
Concept background
A research instrument (questionnaire) was developed with the methodological help of ZAWIW team, to study the old people needs and the necessity of getting specific knowledge and abilities.
The survey conducted in Rousse showed that the seniors are interested mainly in: forming and development of skills in computer and Internet usage (93%); healthy lifestyles (13%); Bulgar- ian and foreign cultural-historical heritage (12%); intergenerational activities (12%), etc.
The most important expectations of the seniors from the continuing education are: to be to- gether with people who have similar interests (20%); to be able to follow new social develop- ments (15%); to be able to discuss things with other people, also younger ones (12%).Four training groups were organized with four scientific subjects:
- Group A: Healthy Lifestyle. Geragogy, Andragogy, Ethnologic, Physical Culture and Sport, Methods of Instruction in Physical Activities and Sport.
- Group B: Bulgarian and Foreign Cultural-historical Heritage – Travelling from the Past to To- morrow. Architecture, Ethnology, Folklore, Anthropology, History, Art.
- Group C: Solidarity between Generations – a Message to the Future. Social Pedagogy, Age Pedagogy, Psychology, Sociology.
- Group D: Computer and Internet Usage. Computer Sciences, Geragogy
The training in the first three groups took place on 14 June, 2011, the training in the last one took place every Saturday from April to July.
Academic Day
The Academic Day was open by official representatives of the national and regional govern- ment organizations and NGOs. 146 participants took part in it.
Group A. The subject was Geragogy and especially the impact of the aging processes on old people’s learning abilities and life quality, the psychological processes and scientific meth- ods for their measuring, values system development. Important methods for healthy life style were presented by the lecturers and by the participants.
Main conclusion: do not leave your spirit inactive, do not stay alone, move and communicate!
Group B. The content was a lecture on the legislation of finding, preserving and popularizing the archaeological findings in Bulgaria and on the liaison between the archaeological findings and the current customs and traditions.
The participants presented customs, unique national costumes created 200 years ago.
The “Academic Day” was an application of the concept created by the University of Rousse. The announcements were made on various oc- casions by Prof. DSc. H.Beloev, Rector of RU,
by Prof. N.Mihailov, the Coordinator of the project in Rousse and Vice Rector of RU and by Eng. Y.Kazakov, President of the Union of Pensioners’2004–Rousse (UP).
Also presented by seniors and by students from the club “Keep Bulgarian Identity were tradi- tional foods and other things of interest.
Main conclusion: in order to be preserved, the customs have to be popularized by older people among the younger ones, because losing them would mean losing our Bulgarian identity.
Group C had young and old participants. There was a lecture on the historical roots of the re- lationships between the different generations, scientific research on age and its physical and psychological characteristics. Young members of BRC showed life-saving methods for seniors.
Main conclusion: both young and old people have something to learn and to help each other.
Group D. The trainers were students – future teachers in mathematics and informatics and pensioners from Rousse.
Conclusion
Generally, the participants were satisfied by the activities of the Academic Day. The University of Rousse and the UP supports the ideas of the DASUN project and joins the conclusion that continuing education of seniors is necessary.
