This chapter provides an in-depth institutional case study of the Guangdong University for the Elderly (GUE), a.k.a. Guangdong Seniors University (GSU), a pivotal entity operating within the School of Continuing Education at Guangdong Open University (GDOU). Situated in the rapidly aging and economically dynamic Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, GUE exemplifies the microlevel implementation of China’s national policies on digital empowerment and lifelong learning for older adults. The chapter analyzes GUE’s genesis as a strategic response to demographic and educational inequities, outlining its innovative operational model. This model is characterized by a threefold integration: institutional (through a five-tier provincial network), pedagogical (guided by a “teaching, learning, doing, and enjoying” philosophy), and digital (via a hybrid delivery system). The analysis extends to GUE’s role as an active “living lab,” where digital platform development, resource curation, and empirical research on its online learning community converge to iteratively refine practice. By examining GUE’s recognized outcomes, its synergistic role within a broader gerontological ecosystem at GDOU, and its persistent challenges, this chapter positions the institution as a scalable prototype. It offers critical, evidence-based insights for developing digitally empowered, inclusive, and sustainable elderly education systems in China and other aging societies worldwide.

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Guangdong Seniors University (GDOU School of Continuing Education)

  • Siwei Wang,
  • Sheying Chen

摘要

This chapter provides an in-depth institutional case study of the Guangdong University for the Elderly (GUE), a.k.a. Guangdong Seniors University (GSU), a pivotal entity operating within the School of Continuing Education at Guangdong Open University (GDOU). Situated in the rapidly aging and economically dynamic Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, GUE exemplifies the microlevel implementation of China’s national policies on digital empowerment and lifelong learning for older adults. The chapter analyzes GUE’s genesis as a strategic response to demographic and educational inequities, outlining its innovative operational model. This model is characterized by a threefold integration: institutional (through a five-tier provincial network), pedagogical (guided by a “teaching, learning, doing, and enjoying” philosophy), and digital (via a hybrid delivery system). The analysis extends to GUE’s role as an active “living lab,” where digital platform development, resource curation, and empirical research on its online learning community converge to iteratively refine practice. By examining GUE’s recognized outcomes, its synergistic role within a broader gerontological ecosystem at GDOU, and its persistent challenges, this chapter positions the institution as a scalable prototype. It offers critical, evidence-based insights for developing digitally empowered, inclusive, and sustainable elderly education systems in China and other aging societies worldwide.