Prof Gail Mountain Returns from Mumbai

Professor Gail Mountain

Professor Gail Mountain has now returned from the Indo-UK ageing workshop held on 16^th and 17^th January in Mumbai.

The workshop was organised by representatives from the Deputy High Commission for India and hosted by the Tata Institute for Social Sciences in Mumbai.  There were seven other UK delegates including Professor Alan Walker from the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Sheffield.  Indian delegates were from the Tata Institute, other research organisations including Institutes for population change and social and economic change, from the Indian Government, RCUK (India) and from services for older people in India including the charitable sector.

 The first part of the workshop was focused on information exchange; Gail

Official photograph

heard many new facts about this vast country and it’s ageing population which is the second largest globally.  The second day involved three break out sessions to explore specific priority topics; ‘research and training collaboration’, ‘low cost technologies – strategies and way forward’ and ‘approaches to enhancing quality of services’.  Gail participated in the technology session where a clear plan emerged for mapping what is happening and options for going forward.   There was interest in identifying funding to take this and plans out of the other two break out sessions forward and the value of the collaborations being forged through the workshop was universally acknowledged.  Gail really appreciated being involved in this significant event and looks forward to being involved in further developments.