The McMaster Institute for Research on Aging (MIRA) joined other members of the international Age-Friendly University (AFU) network last week at the second international age-friendly universities conference in Dublin, Ireland.

The two-day conference, which was hosted by Dublin City University (DCU), saw higher education institutes, policymakers, government and civic society come together at the Croke Park Conference Centre to discuss research, policy and practice around aging and accessibility.

Conference speakers and attendees spanned Europe, North America, Canada and South Korea, and included members of prominent organizations such as the World Health Organization.

“The ‘Engaging Aging’ conference provided a forum for us to sit alongside other members of the AFU network and share ideas, challenges and opportunities around research, education, community engagement and age-friendly environments,” said Laura Harrington, Managing Director of MIRA and its Labarge Centre for Mobility in Aging.

Harrington delivered a presentation showcasing the ways user-centred design can support intergenerational initiatives.

“The learnings and connections we made in Ireland will allow MIRA and McMaster to continue building capacity as an age-friendly university in the years to come,” said Harrington.

Dr. PJ White, Research Leader at DesignCORE within the Institute of Technology in Carlow, Ireland, also presented work about the partnership between MIRA and IT Carlow. His presentation covered the importance of interdisciplinary research in aging and provided strategies for bridging the gap between disciplines to build a more inclusive, interdisciplinary research culture.

The AFU network was launched in 2012 by Dublin City University as a way to address the challenges and opportunities associated with the world’s aging population. It is made up of colleges and universities from around the world that are committed to being more accessible to people of all ages.

In 2017, McMaster became the second post-secondary institution in Canada to join the international Age-Friendly University (AFU) network.

Read more about McMaster’s membership with the AFU network and the 10 guiding principles of an age-friendly university.