The Human Experience of Aging - Summer 2026

Course Dates

May 24, 2026
May 31, 2026
June 13, 2026
June 14, 2026

Who Can Register?

Adult learners (aged 18+) of all backgrounds and experience levels

Certificate

All students will receive a Certificate of Completion from NYU Shanghai after the conclusion of the course [Course Number:20260203]

Instructor

Qingwen Xu, Professor of Social Work and Coordinator of Global MSW Program, NYU Silver; Affiliated Professor, NYU Shanghai

Language of Instruction

Chinese, with AI-powered real-time captioning and English translation support

NYU Shanghai is delighted to offer a lifelong learning course open to the general public in Summer 2026 taught in-person by Professor Qingwen Xu, Affiliated Professor of Social Work at NYU Shanghai and Professor and Coordinator of the Global MSW Program at the NYU Silver School of Social Work. Professor Xu researches policies related to aging, community care, and social welfare. She has also developed and led training programs in palliative care and end-of-life care.

This course - The Human Experience of Aging: Health, Identity, Relationships, and Care Across a Lifetime - is an accessible, practical seminar for anyone who wants to understand what it means to grow older—and how to navigate that journey with clarity, confidence, and compassion. Taking a life-course view, we will explore aging’s effect on the body and mind, alongside the roles of relationships, culture, and environment. We’ll challenge common myths, rethink “healthy aging” beyond avoiding illness, and learn how lifestyle and social connection shape well-being. We’ll also examine identity, purpose, resilience through life transitions, family roles and caregiving, and the ethical questions that often arise in later life.

This course features 21 hours of instruction with time and a supportive space included for deep reflection and discussion. No specialized background is required. Additional guest faculty will include:

• Dr. Yixin Huang, Chief Physician and Deputy Director of the Department of General Practice at Huadong Hospital affiliated to Fudan University.
• Dr. Yujie Sui, Associate Professor, former Director of the Department of Social Work, and PhD supervisor at the School of Sociology and Population Studies, Renmin University of China.

Course Dates

• May 24, Sunday at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• May 31, Sunday at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• June 13, Saturday at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
• June 14, Sunday at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Course Description About the Professor About Guest Faculty

Course Fees and Registration Deadlines

• Early bird: 4,500 CNY. Register and pay by April 26 following the process below.
• NYU alumni: 4,500 CNY. Email shanghai.opencourses@nyu.edu with your alumni information and pay by May 10.
• Groups of 3 or more: 4,500 CNY. Email shanghai.opencourses@nyu.edu with your group information and pay by May 10.
• Regular: 5,500 CNY. Register and pay by May 10 following the process below.