Minister of Family and Social Services Derya YANIK: “As of 2021, 6 Refreshment Universities provide education to a total of 5,665 elderly people. We have reached the protocol stage with 8 more universities for the 2021-2022 academic year. Introducing this unique education model implemented in our country and raising awareness on this issue is of great importance in the perspective of our vision of active and healthy aging.”

Derya YANIK, Minister of Family and Social Services stating that the ratio of the population over the age of 65 to the total population has increased visibly in our country as in the whole world, said: “Our population aged 65 and over, which was 8 percent in 2014, increased to 9.1 percent in 2020. As of the end of 2020, we have nearly 8 million citizens aged 65 and over. According to population estimates, our elderly population ratio is expected to be 11 percent in 2025 and 12.9 percent in 2030. This picture strikingly explains why we need to have a vision with effective policies on aging.”

“We aim to define our population as a dynamic population”

Minister YANIK emphasizing that they aim to define the population as a "dynamic population" rather than categorizing it as young or old, said: “For this reason, we find active and healthy ageing important, and we shape our work in this direction. We develop policies to enable our elders to live their lives by actively participating in social life without compromising their social, cultural and economic rights.”

“Internationally it is known as the third age university”

Derya YANIK, Minister of Family and Social Services, reminding that the higher education programs for the elderly, known as the third age university in the international area within the framework of active ageing and lifelong learning, were put into practice under the leadership of Antalya Akdeniz University in 2016 under the name of 60+ Refreshment University Project, and the education program rights of the project were determined by the cooperation protocol signed on May 25, 2021 and  she stated that it was transferred to the Ministry of Family and Social Services.

“5,665 elderly people are trained in 6 Refreshment Universities”

Minister YANIK, stating that the dissemination process of the 60+ Refreshment University Project continues, said:

“Within the scope of the project, as of 2021, 5,665 elderly people are given education in 6 universities, namely Akdeniz University, Ege University, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Anadolu University, Cyprus University of Kyrenia. Recently, we signed a protocol with Malatya Turgut Özal University, Sivas Cumhuriyet University and Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University as part of the expansion process of the 60+ Refreshment University Project. For the 2021-2022 academic year, we have reached the protocol stage with 8 more universities within the scope of the 60+ Refreshment University Project.

Hopefully, we will expand Refreshment Universities in all our universities. Introducing this unique education model implemented in our country and raising awareness on this issue is of great importance in the perspective of our vision of active and healthy ageing. Because we believe that learning, teaching and keeping this curiosity alive is actually a necessity of every age. It is also among the objectives of the education to increase intergenerational solidarity by meeting young generations studying on university campuses in the same environment with older individuals studying at 60+ Refreshment University, and enabling them to benefit from their knowledge and experience.”

What is Refreshment University?

60+ Refreshment Universities is a 4-year adult education model consisting of theoretical and applied courses, laboratory studies, seminars and workshops within the framework determined by the campuses. Although the age group is flexible, in general, every individual over the age of 60 can apply to the Refreshment University. Refreshment Universities, which were initiated as a social responsibility project on a voluntary basis, provide service free of charge. With the Refreshment Universities, it is aimed to prepare the elderly individuals for the biological, sociological and psychological situations that this period will bring.