The RCE Graz-Styria together with the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Graz offers an intergenerational university course on ‘Methods for Sustainable Change Processes in Region and Business’. The participants consist of students as well as employed or retired people interested in sustainable development. Topics lectured range from raising awareness of sustainability, change processes and its characteristics, to applying creative tools and methods for development processes. Sharing and exchanging knowledge, experiences and perspectives in both an intergenerational as well as interdisciplinary way lead to the generation of new ideas among the participants. Learning, discussing and working with each other develops a win-win-situation – whereas students benefit from the experiences of life of the adults and vice versa the elder people profit by the student’s vitality, engagement and their knowledge regarding sustainability.
Albert Einstein once said: ‘We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.’ This citation refers to the importance of the involvement of different disciplines, different stakeholders and different points of view to respond to today’s challenges. To achieve towards sustainable development innovation, creativity, respect for each other and for the environment, as well as the willingness, openness and courage for changes are crucial. Thereby education and learning play an important role. So the idea came up to establish a new kind of university course that is linked with continuing education. Both students as well as employed and retired people should be involved in commonly work on solutions towards a sustainable development. To ensure the demand and especially the great potential of intergenerational learning the Center for Continuing Education and RCE Graz-Styria at the University of Graz joined forces to bring together their experience from Life Long Learning programs as well as from education for sustainable development. In the course of the Grundtvig project "ADD-LIFE – ADDing quality to LIFE through intergenerational learning via universities“ the course was first held at the University of Graz in November 2007; and has taken place every winter term since. Content-wise, these courses deal with sustainable development processes in regions and business, with change management as well as creative methods for sustainability processes.
Raising awareness among the participants for the respect and esteem of other generations by sharing knowledge and perspectives. Students benefit from the everyday life experiences of the elderly people and vice versa elderly people benefit from the visions and spirit of young people.
Mutual learning and the generation of new knowledge and ideas due to intergenerational and interdisciplinary discussions and working.
Imparting knowledge on sustainable development as well as methods on how to take action and personally initiate change processes towards sustainability.
'Methods for Sustainable Change Processes in Region and Business' presents an intergenerational course held at the University of Graz. It results from a cooperation by the RCE Graz-Styria and the Center for Continuing Education, both institutions situated at the University of Graz. The maximum number of participants is 30, whereas half of the participants are students who study the master programs of Environmental System Sciences or Geography and Regional Sciences. The other half are adults of all ages who are interested in sustainability as well as discussing relevant societal issues with young people. They come from quite different professional backgrounds - some are regional actors from business or public institutions, some work as teachers, some are self-employed, some present NGOs or citizen's groups, and some are retired. This course aims at bringing these people from different generations together, so that they commonly learn about methods for sustainable change processes as well as benefit from their different backgrounds and points of view. Students primarily learn from the work and life experience of middle-aged or elder people, while vice versa elderly get infected by the spirit and motivation of young people. The course contents focus on sustainable development and change processes. Participants get to know case studies of development processes in regions and business, as well as analysis methods and approaches of systems, networks and regional processes. The question of what drives people to start sustainable change processes and get involved with socially relevant actions is also addressed. Further on, the participants will be able to apply certain methods in their own fields of business and daily life. The course is characterized by short input statements that are followed by discussions and practical oriented workshop sessions. A public plenary session with experts and entrepreneurs in the field of sustainable development processes completes the course.
Past courses were affected by active participation and lively discussions where creative ideas and new approaches came up and resulted in collaborative learning. The intergenerational aspect turned out to be an added value for all participants. As a result it can be proclaimed that learning between science based expertise at universities and experience based expertise of employees and retired people highlights the importance of creating more opportunities of intergenerational, inter- and transdisciplinary courses. Participants realize their responsibility for their own generation as well as for future generations – a vital aspect of sustainable development, which is also part of the Brundtland definition. Lecturers, students as well as employed and retired people who participated in the courses became aware of the huge potential that practical oriented interdisciplinary and intergenerational processes entail; how valuable everybody’s contribution to the overall process can be and how much people can learn from each other.
Linking a university course with continuing education and lifelong learning presents an innovation in higher education curricula. Students have the opportunity to scientifically discuss with employed and retired people, integrate different knowledge and experiences, learn and apply various methods for change processes on everyday life situations. On the other hand this leads to inter- and transdisciplinary working approaches. The intergenerational aspect enables the participants to exchange experiences and learn to appreciate the value of the knowledge and opinions of other generations.
guninetwork.org | Ph: +34 93 401 70 08 | Fx: +34 93 401 08 55 | C. Jordi Girona, 31. Edifici TG(S1). E-08755 Barcelona
