Shanghai University for the Senior kicked off its spring semester on March 3, welcoming a record number of over 25,000 students to more than 720 classes spread across the university's campuses. In response to the increasing thirst for knowledge among the city's senior population, the university has recently undergone a significant expansion of its infrastructure.

Peng Haihong, the executive vice-president of the university, revealed that for the new semester, the institution has unveiled 13 additional district-level branch campuses and four new teaching points across the city. This expansion has bolstered the university's network, now comprising one main campus, 41 branch campuses, and 12 teaching points, allowing for the accommodation of thousands more students compared to the previous year.

The university's expansion reflects a larger commitment to fostering a society of lifelong learners in China. The country's educational agenda prioritizes enhancing public services for lifelong learning, with Shanghai's educational conference emphasizing the importance of promoting quality lifelong education and facilitating resource-sharing initiatives.

Shanghai, China's first city classified as an aging society, has witnessed a significant demographic shift. By the end of 2023, the Shanghai municipal government reported that individuals aged 60 or above accounted for 37.4 percent of the registered population, underscoring the pressing need for educational services tailored to the senior demographic.

The majority of classes offered at the university focus on training, skills coaching, and cultural education, which have consistently been in high demand over the years. Transitioning from on-site to online registration in recent years has expedited the enrollment process significantly, with classes often filling up within seconds, according to Fang Yi, a music instructor at the university.

The university's recent expansion forms part of a broader strategy to establish a four-tier system of educational institutions for the elderly, spanning city, district, subdistrict-town, and community-village levels. This initiative aims to enhance accessibility to quality education resources for senior residents within their local communities, Peng said.

Established in 1985, the university offers a diverse array of classes such as calligraphy, painting, foreign languages, piano, computer training, literature, and international culture.

In response to evolving needs, the university has introduced innovative courses such as "The Beauty of Coffee" and "Scientific Infant Care", which have garnered substantial interest among elderly learners. Liu Qingyuan, the instructor for Scientific Infant Care at the university's Songjiang district branch, highlighted the incorporation of practical demonstrations and immersive learning experiences to effectively impart advanced child-rearing concepts.

Furthermore, the university has embraced digital technology to empower seniors, focusing on areas such as artificial intelligence, digital literacy, and senior health management.

"We have established an e-Learning center for the elderly, which has been very popular," Peng said.

Luo Bin contributed to this story.