The Project

Danube Seniors’ Universities – DASUN

All European societies are affected by the demographic change and the rapid changes of economy, science and technology. A necessary precondition for social participation in a society based on democratic values is that citizens are informed about the principles and consequences of the change processes. Only then can they position themselves and become actively involved in society. Lifelong learning (LLL) of people of every age group, also older adults, is therefore not a luxury, but a social necessity. It is thus the responsibility of universities to attend to their mission of education also in the area of general continuing education.

On this background, The DANET Project aimed to develop in cooperation with four universities and NGOs from 3 Danube countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and Germany) concepts for academic continuing education program for older adults as a bridge between science and citizens, designed to fit to the local frame conditions. The concepts that have already been practiced by the Zentrum für Allgemeine Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung (ZAWiW) der Universität Ulm in Germany were individually adapted to the circumstances of each partner and subsequently implemented and evaluated, in order to develop sustainable concepts and educational praxis.

The project DASUN contributed to the building of bridges between universities and NGOs in three Danube countries and fosters the idea of LLL and active ageing for older adults in the Danube region.

Aims in detail:

  • Developing university based education programmes for the target group “older adults” and making it accessible to the public in co-operation amongst education and culture associations.
  • Defining and implementing conditions that foster quality- lifelong learning education for older adults in the partner universities in the Danube region.
  • Giving older adults the opportunity to continue educating themselves, to deepen their competences and implement them in new, meaningful tasks.
  • Initiating and documenting the exchange of good practice among institutions of seniors’ education
  • Building a basis for future cooperation and a networking of educational institutions and NGOs in the Danube Region.