Future leaders in ageing and digitalizing societies

forthcoming

The digitalisation of ageing societies is restructuring Europe, raising concerns about social inclusion. Recognizing the gravity of this shift, the EU declared the 2020s 'Europe’s Digital Decade', while the WHO declared it the 'Decade of Healthy Ageing'. Researchers and practitioners typically view digitalisation and societal ageing as separate shifts. Digi4Age breaks with this tradition. Drawing on its members’ recent research, it posits that both are intertwined. They are jointly experienced and integrated into the social fabric – and they need to be jointly addressed. Digi4Age trains 14 doctoral researchers as future leaders with scientific expertise in both digitalising and ageing societies, who can creatively steer academia, the public sector, private sector, and civil society towards solutions benefitting older individuals, European societies, and businesses. To do so, it launches an interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international doctoral research and training programme for excellence in evidence-based leadership in digitalising and ageing societies. The programme explores how digital technologies can (1) support health in old age without compromising identities and self-images; (2) accommodate older individuals’ long-standing habits and preferences in workplaces and consumer markets; and (3) complement social innovation to ensure equality and social inclusion in ageing societies. Digi4Age assembles some of Europe’s foremost researchers in this area as beneficiaries (LUT, OUNL, LSMC, TUDO, OSLOMET, URJC, KLPU) and influential researchers and widely recognized stakeholders from civil society, policymaking, and businesses as associated partners (LRS, VILANS, UH, VICESSE, AGE, vdSHOP, HZG, OEI, VTT, TUWIEN, NIPH, SENIORWORLD, EUROCARERS) across 9 countries. It addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals 'No poverty', 'Good health and well-being', 'Gender equality', 'Decent work and economic growth', and 'Reduced inequalities'.