In our March SICSA Education seminar, Dr Dharini Balasubramaniam will be speaking on the subject of Digital Inclusion in Later Life.

Digital inclusion in later life is a global challenge. As public services and resources become increasingly digitalised, many older adults struggle to adapt to this digital-by-default world. Population ageing, fast-changing technologies and a lack of systematic and age-appropriate support exacerbate this problem. This talk will discuss ongoing research in the School of Computer Science at the University of St Andrews in understanding the barriers and enablers to digital technology adoption by older adults. We will explore the nature of the digital divide, the initiatives by governments and NGOs to tackle the challenge, open issues, insights from the research already conducted, and avenues for future work, with a particular focus on improving the digital literacy and confidence of older adults. We will also briefly consider the implications of the findings for Universities, particularly in supporting adult returners and lifelong learners.

Dharini is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of St Andrews. Her research interests are broadly in the area of software engineering, including software architecture, uncertainty in software systems, software ethics, digital inclusion in later life, and computer science education. Dharini is currently the Director of Admissions, Recruitment and Outreach for the School of Computer Science.

SICSA Education Seminars are free and open to staff and students at any Scottish University. Please register with your institutional email address.

The event will be hybrid with a Teams link available for online viewers.