Population aging is a global trend, especially in East Asia. Population aged 65 and over will reach 20% of the total population in 2025 in Taiwan. Though the total number of aged population is relatively small compared to developed countries, the speed of population aging is one of the fastest in the world, thus leaving Taiwan less time to prepare policies and re-construct an aged society. Aging related social policies are major challenges for many countries. This course will introduce various policy areas among different countries. For example, health and mental health, social care, economic security, life long learning, senior employment, voluntary services, age-friendly community development, social sustainability and SDGs, etc. Teaching methods include lectures, invited speakers, field visits, group discussions and independent learning. This course will also aim to engage students in active participation. Students are free to share their life experiences and policy opinions in class, so to facilitate mutual learning.

a. The students will understand population ageing in East and Southeast Asian countries and globally. b. The students will develop capacity to do ageing social policy analysis and policy practice. c. The students will have field experiences and know how ageing social policies are done and materialized in Taiwan. d. The course will facilitate students from various countries to interact with each other and share their own experiences and ideas related to ageing societies.

a. participate in class and filed visits (10%) b. complete reading assignments and be responsible for at least one briefing in class (20%) c. complete one field visit report (20%) d. individual oral and written final report (50%)

1. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects 2022. https://population.un.org/wpp/ 2. Danely, J. (2017). Aging and Subjectivity: Ethnography, Experience and Cultural Context. In: Samanta T. (eds) Cross-Cultural and Cross-Disciplinary Perspectives in Social Gerontology. Springer, Singapore. 3. Chen, S. & Powell, J. L.(2012). Aging in China: Implications to Social Policy of a Changing Economic State. International Perspectives on Aging 2, Boston, MA: Springer.

1. Devasahayam, T. W. (2014). Gender and Ageing: Southeast Asian Perspectives. Ed. Singapore: ISEAS Publishing. 2. Hooyman, N. R., & Kiyak, H. A. (2011). Social Gerontology. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. 3. Suzuku, T. (2013). Low Fertility and Population Aging in Japan and East Asia. Tokyo: Springer. 4. Andreoni, G., & Membretti, C. (2021). Digital Health Technology for Better Aging: A Multidisciplinary Approach. Cham : Springer International Publishing AG