On the evening of 28th November , the HOPE Parents Online Salon invited Daniel Zheng, MD of Hope, Nancy Wang, the former principal of an international school in Shanghai, and Julie Zhou, Hope’s Project Manager of Study Tour, to discuss a trendy topic “study abroad for 50+, the 3rd age”! This online session, not only broke the boundaries of traditional retirement planning but also sketched a vibrant picture of a second chapter in life.
The livestream opened with Daniel Zheng, MD of HOPE, sharing the unique origins of the ‘50+ Project.’ The birth of this initiative stemmed from a profound insight: a growing number of professionals continue to maintain a strong thirst for knowledge and a spirit of exploration after retirement. They are no longer satisfied with traditional leisure-based retirement lifestyles; instead, they yearn to continue growing, connecting with the world, and realizing their self-worth.
"We heard many voices saying, 'My career has ended, but my learning journey is just beginning,'" Daniel stated. "These highly educated individuals have accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience. Now, they need a platform to deeply connect their internalized wisdom with the external world."
The broadcasting disclosed preliminary market research findings targeting this demographic. The data revealed that most of the retired individuals with higher education expressed a desire to continue systematic learning after retirement, while also aspired to integrate deep cultural experiences and educational elements into their travels."This data confirms our judgment," shared Julie Zhou, HOPE’s project manager for the 50+ programme. "Today's retirees are not 'withdrawing from society' but rather 'changing tracks.' They seek experiential learning that offers depth, connection, and growth."
One of the highlights of the broadcasting was the exploring visit to Arts University Bournemouth shared by Nancy Wang. She used to be a principal of a leading international school in Shanghai. Through her narration, the audience felt as if they were strolling along the beautiful beaches of Bournemouth, basking in the warmth of the sunshine.
Daniel then shared his rich experiences from his recent European tour, from Paris to Nice, from Berlin to Reykjavik, explaining how these cultural landmarks can be transformed into learning environments as well as new business for Hope. During the tour, Daniel visited universities and colleges in France and Iceland which can offer bespoke programme for 50+. And in Berlin, he attended the annual ICEF conference where he had 35 “speed dating” over two days to explore new institutional partners and new business.
A core philosophy ran throughout the livestream: to find joy in learning and encounter brilliance through study abroad while journeying with like-minded friends.
"The most precious part of this project is not the destination itself, but the people you travel with," emphasized Daniel. "We gather people with similar backgrounds, interests, and aspirations. The sparks generated from these cross-disciplinary exchanges often become the most memorable part of the journey."
The broadcasting concluded by future plans. HOPE is actively developing more in-depth tour routes, with projects in France and Italy already in the preparation stage. Furthermore, routes such as a Nordic journey and a US journey are also in the planning stages, aiming to build a lifelong learning network covering major cultural regions globally.
This special broadcasting event ultimately pointed to a more profound theme: in an era of increasing lifespan and continuously improving health, retirement is no longer the finale of life but rather the beginning of another wonderful journey."Learning has no retirement age, and exploration has no final station," the livestream concluded with these words. "We are the new 50+ youth!" commented by one of the parents attending the event.
While the young students’ passion for studying overseas is declining, the third age can probably be the target of overseas institutions in China market.
