China seniors pursue overseas education after retirement to realise unfulfilled dreams
Increasing demand from retirees leaves country facing challenge of finding ‘deeper’ learning strategies, not just ‘hobby’ courses
As retired people in China pursue the dream of studying overseas, the country’s education system is facing the challenge of catering for the demands of an ageing population.
Qiu Lianru, 66, became a student of a short-term programme at the Arts University Bournemouth in England last year.
Rejecting a traditional restful retirement, Qiu studies fashion design, printmaking, jewellery making and photography and stays in a student dormitory.
She says it provides her with inner fulfilment.
“I want myself to keep shining from the inside out after retirement,” Qiu said.
The woman from Beijing was a university student in 1978, which was extremely rare at the time. She worked as a railway engineer and retired in 2014.