Reimagining the academic environment: applying the Age Inclusivity Domains of Higher Education (AIDHE) model

Population aging is reshaping higher education as students, faculty, and staff become increasingly more age diverse. Moreover, traditional assumptions of higher education as a one-time, early-life endeavor are giving way to a lifespan, multigenerational view that recognizes lifelong professional and personal development. In response, more age-inclusive approaches to higher education offer substantial benefits, including enhanced learning outcomes through intergenerational exchange, improved well-being and economic stability for learners across adulthood, and strengthened innovation and institutional strength for faculty and staff. In addition, demographic and economic pressures, including declining numbers of younger students and an aging academic workforce, underscore the need for approaches that advance sustainability while supporting campus members across life stages. The Age Inclusivity Domains of Higher Education (AIDHE) model provides a comprehensive framework for guiding such efforts. Organized around core institutional domains, AIDHE promotes age-inclusive practices that integrate teaching and learning, student affairs, personnel policies, services, community outreach, the physical environment, and research. Campus case examples illustrate the model's application, cross-domain integration, and cross-cultural relevance. By embedding age inclusivity across institutional structures and aligning it with broader diversity efforts, the AIDHE framework can play a pivotal role in addressing demographic change, combating ageism, and fostering inclusive, sustainable academic communities.