ABSTRACT
Institutions of higher education in the United States are key components of American culture and dominant features in hundreds of towns and cities across the country. Because early founders of higher education institutions believed that quiet, rural settings distant from city life were the only proper environments for learning, institutions of higher education are often located in small, rural towns. The Age-Friendly University Global Network is a recent international effort, pioneered by an interdisciplinary team through Dublin City University and dedicated to embracing the role higher education can play in serving the aging populations. Institutions of higher education extend benefits to older adults living in their communities in other ways as well. For example, by attracting relatively youthful, diverse populations to the community, they may enhance the lives of older residents by fostering intergenerational connections. Institutions of higher education can also serve as important partners to organizations that support older adults in their communities.
