Abstract
This paper outlines how the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) is addressing the question: How to identify, harness, transform and realize the productive capital of an aging population to enhance the viability prospects of the University and the regional community in which they are located through engagement processes that are, innovative, enterprising and mutually rewarding? The Sunshine Coast region of South East Queensland is characterised by: rapid population growth, part fuelled by in-migration of lifestyle-seeking seniors; a relatively low socio-economic performance that reflects the aging end of the demographic structure; and a high level of social capital inherent in the educational and professional attainments and experience of the seniors in the population. Seniors include a significant proportion of people categorized as the productive aging in that they are over 50 years of age and who may seek to maintain and enhance their self-worth through contributing to their communities through their creative and enterprising capital. Collectively these characteristics provide a challenge and an opportunity for the USC and other organizations to enhance the productivity of the region by innovatively engaging the creative and enterprising capacities of the productive aging through educational, research training, research and associated spin-off initiatives and enterprises. The question is being addressed by USC researchers at practical and theoretical levels. At the practical level it is being addressed through programmatic, organizational, strategic, and leadership initiatives across a range of areas important for regional and university viability. The theoretical level entails testing existing theories relating to regional and community engagement processes.