Mission
The mission of Renewal University is to lay the foundation for quality and successful aging by ensuring the preservation of knowledge, skills, and abilities in old age and the acquisition of new ones.
Vision
The University of Renewal aims to create a new perception of aging in Türkiye and to develop a unique Turkish model of a university for the elderly that will serve as an example worldwide.
Principles
-Respect for fundamental rights and freedoms -Sense of social responsibility -Belief in lifelong learning -Integration of research and education -Internationalism -Sustainability -Reliability
History
The Renewal University is a social responsibility project developed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. İsmail Tufan, Head of the Gerontology Department at Akdeniz University. The project is structured based on data obtained from the Turkey Gerontology Atlas (GeroAtlas) research, which has been conducted by Prof. Dr. Tufan since 2000.
With the increase in average life expectancy in the world and in Türkiye, the elderly population is also increasing. The GeroAtlas research is conducted to determine the measures that should be taken to increase the number of people who age successfully and healthily in society. The founding philosophy of the Renewal University is based on the knowledge and experience obtained from the results of this research.
The Renewal University, which started education within Akdeniz University in Antalya in 2016, reached 350 students in its first registration period. With the interest it received throughout Turkey, it quickly began to spread.
There are 24 Renewal Universities in cooperation with the Ministry of Family and Social Services, 16 of which are actively providing education, and 8 are continuing their preparations to start education in the coming periods. To date, 6,320 people have received education at Renewal Universities. This number is increasing with newly opened programs.
At Renewal University campuses, lifelong learning is facilitated through theoretical courses, while practical courses allow students to discover their talents. One of the educational goals is for younger generations studying at the campuses to meet with Renewal University students in the same environment and benefit from their knowledge and experience.
