Designing Life for 100 Years: From Taiwan’s Active Aging Learning Initiatives to an Action Blueprint for a Longevity Society

Background: The Turning Point of an Aging Society Has Arrived   Taiwan is entering a super-aged society at an unprecedented pace. According to data from the National Development Council, by 2025, people aged 65 and over will account for more than 20% of Taiwan's total population. In the future, Taiwan’s rate of population aging is projected to surpass Japan’s starting in 2047 and, by 2070, be only slightly behind South Korea’s—ranking among the highest globally. This is no longer a future scenario—it is already happening. Many individuals are unprepared mentally, and both social systems and personal planning are struggling to keep up. While past aging policies have focused largely on care and medical support, the emergence of a decades-long elderly stage of life calls for a new paradigm. Shouldn’t we reimagine this challenge through the lens of education? How can we help people proactively plan, engage, and live meaningfully in the second half of life? Fig. 1. 臺中市樂齡學習示範中心   A Global First: Taiwan’s “Senior Learning Policy” as a Model for Educational Prevention and Proactive Aging Since 2008, my team and I have implemented a “Active Aging Learning Initiative,” which became the world’s first government-led, systemically implemented educational policy for older adults1. Unlike the international norm that prioritizes the “right to be cared for,” we advocate for a different concept: the “responsibility to design one’s later life through learning before entering old age.” Senior learning is not just about course delivery—it is a pathway to social participation and self-actualization. Over 18 years, more than 372 senior learning centers have been established across Taiwan. A community-based, intergenerational, and action-oriented model has emerged, deepening education’s role in building a longevity society2. Fig. 2. from 劉文端   The “1-2-3 Instructional Model": A New Pedagogical Paradigm for Adult Learning To overcome the passivity of traditional learning, we developed the “1-2-3 Instructional Model” tailored for older and adult learners. It emphasizes three core components3: l 1 Learning Focus: Center on a clear learning objective. l 2 Learning Activities:Combine conceptual understanding with hands-on experiences to boost motivation and contextual awareness. l 3 Applications: Transform learning into practical actions—whether personal, social, or purposeful. This model is now part of Taiwan’s Professional Training and Certification in Active Aging Education, with over 8,000 certified instructors actively teaching in Active Aging Learning Centers and community programs, becoming catalysts of educational transformation in the age of longevity. Fig. 3. 高雄市樂齡學習示範中心   The Third Life University: A New Lifelong Learning Blueprint for the 55+ Generation In 2024, commissioned by the Ministry of Education, we developed the framework and pilot for the “Third Life University” targeting adults aged 55 and above. Key features include: l Core literacy curriculum modules for a 100-year life l Ministry-accredited credit and certification systems l A hybrid learning model linking university resources with communities. l Program designs to support career transitions, meaningful engagement, and dream realization The Third Life University is not just a place for learning—it is a platform for new social roles and personal value in a long-lived society. From Anxiety to Action: Life Design Modules for a 100-Year Life Our research shows that many individuals face two tensions in later life: anxiety over identity shifts and lack of clear goals, alongside uncertainty about what they truly want. To address this, we created a “Designing Life for 100 Years” learning module, incorporating self-directed learning, narrative inquiry, and action planning to support: l Life review and future exploration l Values clarification and goal setting l Micro-practices and reflective action This module now serves as the foundation for the “Life Design for 100” Facilitator Certification, aimed at training professionals equipped to guide and inspire others45.   Beyond Academia: Social Advocacy for Designing Life After 50 As a scholar, I’ve realized that research without real-world application cannot address society’s urgent needs. Since 2012, we have translated academic insights into public initiatives and publications, including:  l Practical books such as Design Your Second Half: A Happiness Guide for Active Aging and Designing a Life That Moves You l Certified Life Design Facilitator l Public education campaigns, social innovation projects, and experimental courses for longevity living Through interdisciplinary collaboration and community co-creation, we aim to inject hope and agency into the rapidly aging society6.   A Sincere Invitation to Like-Minded Changemakers If you resonate with any of the following: l You wish to explore cutting-edge theories and practices in elder education l You hope to become a “100-Year Life” facilitator and support others in their later-life transitions l You aim to design learning programs or action plans for the 55+ generation l You want to contribute to policies or fieldwork for a longevity society We warmly invite you to join the Learning & Action Movement of Designing Life for 100 Years7. Because now is the best time to redesign the future. Fig. 5. National Chung Cheng University Aging & Education Research Center   1 Findsen, B., Wei, H.-C., & Li, A.-T. (Eds.). (2022). Taiwan's Senior Learning Movement: Perspectives from the outside in and from the inside out (Lifelong Learning Series 28). Springer. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-93567-2 2 Findsen, B., & Wei, H.-C. (2023). Senior Learning in Taiwan: Achievements and Challenges. Adult Education Discourses, 24, 103-119. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34768/dma.vi24.685 3 Wei, H.-C., & Li, A.-T. (in press). Taiwan's active aging learning practice through the 1-2-3 Instructional Model: Facilitating learning among individuals 55 years old and above. In Qiu Wang & Guofang Wan (edit.). Life-long Learning: The Education of the Aging Population (pp. xx–xx). Chinese American Educational Research and Development Association Book Series, Information Age Publishing. https://tinyurl.com/4p7427rr 4 Liao, F.-M., Chen, G.-L., Hsu, C.-T., Liu, Y.-H., Cheng, L.-L., Chan, X.-C., & Wei, H.-C.* (2023). Validation of the self-directed learning scale for middle-aged and older adults. Educational Gerontology 50(4), 304-319. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2023.2270874 5 Liao, F.-M., Chen, G.-L., Hsu, C.-T., & Wei, H.-C.* (2024). Assessing the ability of self-directed learning as a prerequisite for active aging among middle-aged and older adult learners: cross-sectional study. Educational Gerontology, 51(3), 313-329. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2024.2391164 6 Wei, H.-C., Lin, Y.-H., & Chang, L.-H. (2023). The Effectiveness of a Blended Learning‐Based Life Design Course: Implications of Instruction and Application of Technology. SN Computer Science, 4, Article 360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-023-01730-3 7 Wei, H.-C. (2022, July). My Personal and Professional Growth in the Second Half of Life: The Impact of My Active Aging Learning Experiences. PIMA Bulletin, 43, 25-28. Special Issue on Later Life Learning, guest editors Brian Findsen and Diana Amundsen. https://vn.seameocelll.org/wpcontent/uploads/2023/12/PIMA-Bulletin-No.43-Jul-2022.pdf