Heriot-Watt University has been granted Age-Friendly University status, joining an international network of 140 research institutions seeking to involve older people more fully in higher education. The recognition comes with a three-year action plan intended to shape the university’s teaching, research and wider strategy around the experiences and priorities of older people.
A wider role for universities
The initiative is designed to extend participation beyond traditional university-age students. Heriot-Watt said it would develop opportunities for lifelong learning, flexible study, skills development and involvement in university and community activities. It also plans to make intergenerational learning a more visible feature across its global campus.
The action plan was developed with contributions from staff, people with lived experience and community partners. That approach is intended to ensure that decisions are informed not only by institutional priorities, but also by the needs of the communities the university serves. For older learners, the emphasis on flexibility and continuing skills development could provide routes into study or engagement at different stages of life, although the university has not set out in the announcement how many people are expected to take part.
| Measure | Details |
|---|---|
| New status | Age-Friendly University accreditation |
| International network | 140 research institutions |
| Implementation | Three-year action plan |
| Planned activity | Seminars, flexible study and expanded community participation |
Students and older people brought together
A new seminar series will bring students and older people together, with the subjects selected by both groups. The programme will run alongside the university’s Healthy Ageing Showcase, which is held every two years. The arrangement gives older participants a role in determining discussion topics, rather than positioning them solely as recipients of university research or services.
The university also intends to broaden its Citizen’s Advisory Network. The group currently consists of community members who contribute to the development of health and care research. Under the planned expansion, members from every campus will be included, creating a wider structure for community input into the institution’s work.
Research and partnerships
Professor Alan Gow, Professor in Psychology and Healthy Ageing and co-lead at Heriot-Watt’s Global Research Institute in Health and Care Technologies, co-chaired the working group that prepared the application. He said the status reflected a commitment to enabling people of all ages to contribute to, as well as benefit from, university life.
“Through our research, education and partnerships, we are working to create solutions that support healthier, more independent lives while ensuring older people play an active role in shaping that work.”
Heriot-Watt said the accreditation would also strengthen its partnership with Age Scotland. It plans to develop similar relationships in Dubai and Malaysia, extending the work to the communities connected to its international operations. The university described the recognition as part of its broader commitment to inclusion, lifelong learning and healthy ageing.
- Older people will contribute to the university’s teaching, research and strategic development.
- Students and older community members will jointly help choose subjects for a new seminar series.
- The Citizen’s Advisory Network will be expanded to include representatives from every campus.
The announcement places intergenerational education alongside research and community partnership as a continuing responsibility for the university. Its three-year plan will now provide the framework for turning the accreditation into programmes and participation opportunities, while the planned seminars and advisory network are intended to give older people a direct voice in how that work develops.
