Populations globally are ageing rapidly. Consistently lower birth rates and higher levels of life expectancy are transforming population structures, and the...

Populations globally are ageing rapidly. Consistently lower birth rates and higher levels of life expectancy are transforming population structures, and the proportion of older people has surpassed that of younger people in many countries. Advances in life expectancy are a testament to human achievement, and growing numbers of older people are a cause for celebration. However, continued squeezing of dependency ratios, with fewer people of working age available to support younger and older people, presents a challenge to decision-makers in (re)developing social policies that transform traditional notions of ageing and older age across a range of policy areas. This module will critically explore the challenges of population ageing from a number of standpoints, and will encourage students to consider the extent to which policy-makers are also responding to the opportunities that increasing numbers of older people in society can bring.

This module aims to provide a competent reading knowledge of Czech and basic communicative skills in the language. Students who complete the module...

This module aims to provide a competent reading knowledge of Czech and basic communicative skills in the language. Students who complete the module successfully will be able to assure both potential employers and academic supervisors that they possess the necessary foundation-level Czech language skills to work with original Czech texts and to enable them to undertake study and/or research in Czech. The module provides an intensive introduction to Czech grammar, a knowledge of basic vocabulary, practice in the skills of oral communication in Czech in straightforward situations, translation and information retrieval skills, using Czech texts in Czech and international cultural, political, and social themes. The module is designed for beginners. It requires intensive study including learning and practising independently beyond the contact hours.