AFU-H at the GSA Conference

As part of the Age-Friendly University initiative, our team from the Center of Research and Study of Aging — Prof. Anna Zisberg, Dr. Sigal Naim and doctoral student Malca Doron — had the honor of presenting at two symposiums during the GSA24 Conference.

In the first symposium, “Assessing Age Inclusivity Using the Age-Friendly Inventory and Campus Climate Survey”, we shared our experience translating and implementing the ICCS tool at the University Of Haifa. This tool assesses age-friendliness by capturing perceptions of students, staff, and faculty and aligning them with measurable age-inclusive practices. Our insights highlighted the process of identifying strengths, addressing gaps, and tailoring age-inclusive strategies to meet our institution’s needs.

In the second symposium, “Exploring a Range of Roadmaps Leading to the Age-Friendly University Designation and Beyond”, Dr. Sigal Naim & Doctoral student Malca Doron presented our institution’s journey to becoming the first Age-Friendly University in the Middle East. This journey was anchored in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and relied heavily on community partnerships and a strategic vision for promoting age inclusivity in academic settings.

Beyond presenting, our participation established numerous potential collaborations with AFU universities in the US and Canada, further enhancing our global connections and opening pathways for joint research, lifelong learning, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of age-friendly principles worldwide. These engagements continue to position the University Of Haifa as a leader in age inclusive education and advocacy.