UC Berkeley has officially been named an Age-Friendly University (AFU), joining a global network of colleges and universities dedicated to opening their doors wider to learners of all ages. The recognition highlights something that has long been true at Berkeley where learning across generations is part of the campus DNA.
The AFU Global Network, launched by Dublin City University in collaboration with the World Health Organization, includes more than 100 institutions worldwide committed to expanding lifelong learning, supporting older adults on campus, and fostering research and programs that improve the lives of an aging population.
A Natural Fit for Berkeley
A Words Over Time intergenerational dialogue between OLLI members and Berkeley undergraduates in 2025
Berkeley’s designation reflects a campus culture already rich with intergenerational energy. Programs like OLLI’s Words Over Time — a collaboration between older OLLI members and UC Berkeley undergraduates — show how powerful these exchanges can be. Participants come together to talk about some of the most pressing issues of our time, finding connection and understanding across age, experience, and perspective.
“Berkeley has always been a place where people come to expand their minds — no matter their age, background, or stage of life,” said OLLI Director Susan Hoffman, Assistant Dean of Extended Education. “This recognition affirms that lifelong learning isn’t on the margins here. It’s central to who we are. At OLLI, we get to see how transformative it can be when generations learn with and from each other.”
In addition to Hoffman, the AFU-GN Berkeley team includes:
- Angie Perone, Center for Research and Education on Aging (CREA)
- William H Dow, Center on the Economics and Demography of Aging (CEDA)
- Anna M Hilke, Re-entry Student Program
- Lorraine Midanik, Emerita Dean of the School of Social Welfare
- Cary Sweeney, Director of the UC Berkeley Retirement Center
- Cheryl Brewster, faculty-facilitator for Berkeley’s AFU-GN
More Than a Designation—A Deepening Commitment
As an Age-Friendly University, Berkeley will continue to champion:
- Learning at every age, from traditional degree programs to OLLI courses to public lectures and workshops.
- Intergenerational dialogue, through initiatives like Words Over Time and new partnerships connecting students, retirees, faculty and community members.
- Research that improves lives, especially in fields like social welfare, public health, neuroscience, longevity science, and technology for aging.
- Stronger campus–community ties, in alignment with the City of Berkeley’s Age-Friendly Action Plan.
In many ways, the AFU designation doesn’t introduce something new — it simply brings global recognition to work already thriving on campus and in the community, while opening new opportunities to collaborate with universities worldwide on the challenges and possibilities of an aging society.
As Hoffman puts it: “Since its founding almost twenty years ago, OLLI’s mission has been to create and facilitate a public space for the community and campus to experience the joys and benefits of lifelong learning. The AFU designation helps to shine a light on the work that happens here every day.”