Empirical research of university programs for older people in Europe: a systematic review

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe university programs designed for older people (UPOP) is an important educational resource and it is essential to study them to identify their characteristics, the key aspects of their effects, and the possible additional benefits of participation in formal educational activities for its students. This systematic review aimed to examine the current state of empirical research focusing on UPOP in the European context. We performed a systematic search of scientific literature between 1980 and May 2017 in various databases (ProQuest Psychology Journal, ERIC, Sociological s and Social Science Citation Index) from which 1663 works were extracted. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the selected articles were reduced to 23. Analyzing the articles and their main themes, we identified a specific profile of UPOP students, their reasons for attending, the perceived benefits of attending UPOP and several factors could be optimized in research of these areas of formal education, especially the methodological aspects. Empirical research focusing on UPOP in Europe is currently at an early stage and needs further development.