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UGU-LIFE: Research project on learning later in life

Within this interdisciplinary research programme, researchers work to improve the conditions for lifelong learning. It studies learning in older adults in the light of their childhood experiences and their genetic predispositions. The goal is to find ways to make it easier for individuals who struggle with learning later in life. The project is a collaboration between researchers in education, psychology and medicine.

Short description

Evaluation Through Follow-up (UGU) is a Swedish longitudinal database that started in 1961. Since then, researchers have conducted regular surveys and followed up students through the school system. The database contains, among other things, school results and results from cognitive tests from thousands of school children. UGU-LIFE is an extension of the UGU project with a focus on lifelong learning and the learning ability of older people. Read more about the UGU database here.

Information about the project

Have you been invited to participate in UGU-LIFE?

If you have any questions, please contact: ugu-life@.gu.se, 031 786 16 08

The DNA kits are being sent out!

Just before the holiday came the delivery with a whopping 1000 (!!) DNA kits as part of our first work package: Lifespan survey study. In combination with the answers from the questionnaires that the participants have been asked to fill out, the results from the DNA kits contribute to an overall picture of the person's learning ability over time.

In the UGU group, we have now assembled envelopes containing the DNA kit, information-and instruction sheets, return envelopes and a referral where participants give their consent to participate.

So far, about 2000 participants, from our sample of 8000 people, have agreed to combine their survey responses with these DNA samples. We are grateful for your contribution to the research and will continue to investigate our learning ability based on individual and societal prerequisites!

Bakground and purpose

People need good learning skills throughout their lives. At the same time as the population is ageing, there are high demands on lifelong learning skills, not least because of new technology. However, older people may face a range of learning challenges linked to changes in health, cognitive function and motivation, among other things.

The UGU-LIFE research programme strives to find ways to improve learning in old age. The goal is to develop effective interventions that can facilitate learning for older people, such as new skills they need to maintain social inclusion, independence, empowerment and health.

Learning during childhood prepares for later learning. In order to design effective interventions for older people who struggle with learning, better knowledge is needed about what learning for the elderly looks like. This includes the reasons behind a good retention of learning ability and individual variations in the ability to practice one's learning at an older age. To find solutions to this, the researchers will, among other things, identify factors in childhood that predict lifelong learning ability and map what challenges older people actually face.

How will the studies be conducted?

People born in 1948 and 1953, who participated in studies when they were 13 years old, will be invited to participate in studies again. The study is unique in that it follows the same individuals over time, from school age up to older ages, and collects and analyzes information from different scientific perspectives to better understand lifelong learning. The assessment will involve questionnaires, cognitive tests, learning tests, and saliva sampling to identify risks for various diseases. Together with complementing information from national registers, our study will generate new knowledge about cognitive predispositions, psychological traits, genetic predispositions, life experiences, and its combined impact on learning. Later studies will use this knowledge to devise and evaluate interventions aimed at improving learning at a later age.