Prof. Louis Bourgeois, president of the International Association of the Universities for the Third Age, has praised China for its methods of granting life-long schooling for the aged people.
What China has done is very professional and features the country's long history and profound culture, he said, adding that the country's education for the aged could reach the world-level in the future.
The expert made the remarks Tuesday when delivering a speech titled "The Present and Future of the International Education for the Aged" at Beijing Aged University.
He has been on a study tour on China's education for the aged at the invitation of the China Association for the Aged and the China Association of Universities for the Aged.
He showed great interest in the courses on calligraphy, painting and history given by the Beijing University for the aged, saying that China's efforts to educate the aged have fully met the aged people's demands and accorded with the country's realities.
The expert pointed out that China has attached great importance to its aged population, resulting in a boom of universities for the aged throughout the country.
In 1983, China opened its first university for the aged. By now, the number of this kind of schools has totaled 15,000.
Over the past two decades, China has fostered a group of excellent experts of its own and introduced advanced management methods on the education system for the aged through international exchanges.
In his speech, the French educator borrowed a famous saying by Zhang Wenfan, president of the China Association for the Aged,
"The education for the aged should create a golden dusk for the aged people."
The expert cited the United States as a good example for adopting advanced ways of teaching the aged. The United States has introduced hi-tech means and special courses on Internet and telecommunications for the aged students, in order to help them refresh their knowledge in an information era.
He also suggested that China should speed up the development of community-based universities for the aged. According to the expert, in Lyon alone, France, there are over 60 universities of the kind, each providing courses at the requests of the local aged population.
In 1973, France founded its first university for the aged, namely, the University for the Third Age. The International Association of Universities for the Third Age was founded in 1975, with members including the China Association of Universities for the Aged.
(People's Daily 04/04/2001)
