今日上海
创新课程丰富上海老年人的生活 - 2026年03月10日
Innovative courses enrich seniors' lives in Shanghai
Shanghai University for The Senior officially launches its 2026 spring semester on March 9, 2026.
Shanghai University for The Senior officially launched its 2026 spring semester on Monday with a vibrant opening ceremony, featuring a live online broadcast, choir performances of the school anthem, and the handover of class monitor duties.
A range of demand-oriented innovative courses, upgraded school networks and optimized teaching staffs have infused new vitality into senior education across Shanghai.
This semester, the university will offer over 28,000 enrollment slots citywide, with nearly 40 new centers operating primarily in suburban areas to bring diverse learning opportunities to seniors' doorsteps. More than 300 courses will be offered across 10 categories, balancing traditional and contemporary disciplines. Cutting-edge courses like AI applications, drone operation, and hand-brewed coffee making have become hugely popular, resulting in competitive registration due to high demand.
The university also introduced two practical digital courses specifically designed for senior learners, addressing the evolving digital needs of the silver-haired demographic.
"The self-media account incubation course guides seniors through the entire process of short video creation, from shooting and editing to planning and publishing, allowing beginners to easily acquire self-media skills. Meanwhile, the practical course for senior hosts' livestreaming sales emphasizes product selection, livestreaming techniques and safety compliance, offering hands-on training in a professional studio with guidance from senior media professionals to facilitate practical application," explained Zheng Yueqi, assistant to the president of Shanghai Oriental-pearl Intelligent Shopping Co, Ltd.
Meanwhile, the university's inaugural smart cordless guitar course has become a resounding success.
"This innovative course utilizes AI technology to tackle common challenges faced by senior learners, such as finger pain from pressing strings, difficulties in getting started, and complex music notation," remarked Geng Siyu, deputy general manager of Best Friend Culture. "It enables seniors to play music effortlessly as soon as they pick up the instrument. It's a course genuinely designed with seniors' needs in mind."
Other popular courses, such as jewelry makeup, fashion design and material identification, have also received widespread acclaim. The life education course, which encourages seniors to approach life and death with a positive mindset, has resonated deeply with elderly learners, leading to overwhelming registration numbers, according to Lu Yi, dean of Songjiang Community College of Shanghai.
Jiang Xianghong, a 70-year-old student enrolled in the AI smart application course, commented, "Learning brings fulfillment and joy to the elderly. Studying here fills me with immense happiness."
To enhance teaching quality, the university has infused youthful energy into its faculty by recruiting young teachers and launching a "Talented Teachers" program. This initiative welcomes enterprise leaders, industry experts and university scholars, regardless of age or occupation.
"Songjiang district has established a teaching resource pool for senior education, with half of the recruits being young individuals. The youngest part-time teacher is just 23, and the faculty boasts a high proportion of highly educated talents. Courses tailored by young teachers are particularly popular among senior students," noted Lu.
Starting in April, the university will enhance the distribution of educational resources by launching a program targeting nine suburban and rural areas, including Jinshan, Jiading and Qingpu districts. By 2027, the program aims to provide over 5,000 enrollment slots and more than 200 classes annually, ensuring that seniors in both urban and rural areas have equal access to high-quality educational resources.
Source:China Daily
