JSPS London-funded Seminar & Community Think-in Event

Together with Trinity College Dublin’s School of Social Work and Social Policy and Chiba University (CU)’s Graduate School of Nursing and the Geary Institute for Public Policy, our School organised a one-day seminar and a think-in event (‘Caring Communities in Japan and Ireland’) against the background of our ten-year long research collaborations between UCD and CU. Since 2016, scholars in the two universities have been engaged in cross-disciplinary and international collaboration in ageing-related research projects in a variety of forms.

This time, we had this vision that academics and practitioners need to work much more closely, and ‘practitioners’ should involve community leaders as well, based on the PPI (public-patient involvement) model. The focus was also placed upon training and cross-cultural experience for early-career researchers, since they will continue to develop and nurture the framework for cross-country research and international collaboration, be it in policymaking or in practice.

The interdisciplinary seminar (Day 1) addressed the question of how older people’s stay in their homes and communities (ageing in place) can be supported by community engagement (collaboration among municipalities, academic and older people) and integrated sheltered housing concepts (such as multi-generation-housing, ageing-friendly community approaches). The think-in community engagement event (Day 2) shed light on our long-term commitment and strong track record of successful partnerships, working across universities (UCD, TCD, Maynooth, Chiba and Gunma) and reaching out to the Community Centre in Co. Wicklow, thanks to Dr. Catherine Elliott O’Dare (TCD).

Prof. Michelle Norris (Director, Geary Institute) opened the seminar, followed by four Japanese delegates. From the School, Assoc. Prof. Sarah Donnelly and Dr Nat O’Connor gave a talk. The event was funded through  the JSPS London Seminar and Symposium Scheme 2025/26 (PI: Assoc. Prof. Nao Kodate).