Photo (L-R): Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Dr.h.c. Harald Kainz (Rector of the TU Graz), Univ.-Prof. Dr. Christa Lohrmann (Med Uni Graz), Assoz.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Ulla Kriebernegg (Uni Graz), Univ.-Prof. Dipl. Ing. Andreas Lichtblau (TU Graz), Univ.Prof. Mag.art. Werner Strenger (KUG)
The University of Graz, represented by the Executive Rector Mag. Dr. Peter Riedler, the Medical University of Graz, represented by Rector Univ.-Prof. Dr. Hellmut Samonigg and the Vice Rector for Research and International Affairs Mag. Caroline Schober, Graz University of Technology, represented by Rector Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Dr. h.c. Harald Kainz and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, represented by Rector Ao.Univ.Prof. Mag. Dr. Georg Schulz, MSc, have signed the joint Memorandum of Understanding of the Age and Care Research Group Graz.
In the Memorandum of Understanding, the values, tasks and goals of the ACRGG were jointly defined.
The following are the preamble and the goals of the network.
Preamble
The Age and Care Research Group Graz is dedicated to future-oriented aging and care research and deals with questions relating to demographic change, health opportunities in old age and the "good life" up to the end of life on the basis of inter- and transdisciplinary, interfaculty, and interuniversity cooperation. Researchers and teachers from all four Graz universities and national and international cooperation units work together to analyze current problems and design viable solutions in order to better meet current and future challenges (so-called "grand challenges") and counteract social divisions.
Goals of the network
1) The network makes an important, international and sustainable contribution in a critical, multi-perspective debate and deals with questions of aging and the interactive, social and organizational processes of care (care structures and cultures) in postmodern societies.
2) The network is an open, well-functioning link between science, art, society, and politics.
3) The network aims to carry out joint research and increase it in the long term. This enables a more comprehensive understanding of the interrelationships in questions of the heterogeneity of aging, individual experiences of aging, the institutionalization of the end of life, but also topics such as digitization, technology and robotics, intergenerationality, gender, intersectionality and migration as well as dementia/multimorbidity, self-care/care (independence), Medical/Health Humanities and Narrative Medicine/Healthcare. Central concerns are networking and exchange between the participating researchers and the corresponding international scientific institutions and universities.
4) The network ensures that issues relating to the development needs of health systems, solidarity and care networks in old age and at the end of life are adequately taken into account in economic, social and political decision-making processes. The signing institutions support the goals of the network and endeavor to do their best to achieve them.