IJGG

We are now starting one of the most meaningful parts of the scientific program, a session strongly supported by the organizing committee: the round table on the role of emeritus professors in different universities, not only European. In fact, we are also joined by colleagues from overseas.

Let me explain right away: we truly believe this round table does not have any ulterior motives. We are not here to make requests, nor to request any academic roles. We do not want to interfere with active university staff, full professors, associate professors, researchers, or Ph.D. students.

We know that there are many different situations in the world. In some universities, emeritus professors continue to teach and do research, but in other places this is not the case. So, the goal of this session is to analyze and compare these different situations in Italy and abroad, and to share experiences. But we want to be very clear: Emeritus professors are not seeking for privileges or roles of power. Instead we believe we can still help the academic community thanks to our wisdom, experience and balance. We don’t have any career ambitions, but we feel we can still contribute to universities, to younger generations, to science and society.

The role of professor’s emeriti in their universities has been continually investigated and debated at the European Association of Professors Emeriti. Over the years the idea was nurtured that they, if in good health, should be allowed to continue to be archive part of their academic community [1-10].

Initially retired professor in USA appeared luckier than European [11] since in that country the age-based rule for retirement was abolished and retirement turned into a personal decision [12, 13]. However, recently has become evident that there is a need to reinvent retirement even in Canada and in USA [14, 15].

A final consideration. Worldwide, retirement has been used at a way to make place for the new generations. This has been thought a valid approach at every workplace. However, in the day this material is emailed to the publisher of  the International Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics serious doubts are cast on its validity in the academy. In Nature January 27 forced retirement reduced enrolment of younger academicians [16].

I take the pride of the contents in the first report from the 2025 EAPE Pozzuoli Conference and thank all those who convened to Naples in that occasion.

References

1. DeSanto NG, Altucci P, Heidland A, Stein G, Cameron JS, et al. (2014) The role of emeriti and retired professors in medicine. QJM: monthly journal of the Association of Physicians 107: 406-407,
2. Cokkinos DV, Spinellis D, Vasilikiotis G, Bonavita V, Santini L, Ehrich J, De Santo NG (2017) The Birth of the Europen Association of Professors Emeriti. Arch Hell Med, 34: 8-9.
3. De Santo NG, Santini L, Bonavita V, Galasso G (2017) Il capitale Umano dell’Età. La saggezza della Vita. Napoli, Guida Editore.
4. Bonavita V. Chieffi G, Cokkinos DV, De Santo NG, Ehrich J, et al.(2017) The Human capital of Age.Naples: Italian Institute for Philosophical Studies an Metis: La scuola di Pitagora Editrice,1-138.
5. Ehrich J, Nwaneri N, De Santo NG (2016) The role of Retired Pediatric Professors in European Child Health Care Services. J Pediatr.181:332-333.
6. De Santo NG (2017) Creatività di artisti e scienziati dopo i 65 anni, Rendiconti ed Atti dell’Accademia di Scienze Mediche e Chirurgiche della Società Nazionale di Scienze Lettere ed Arti Lettere in Napoli, CLXX: 229-245.
7. Bonavita V. Chieffi G, Cokkinos DV, De Santo NG, Ehrich J, et al. (2017) The Human capital of Age. Naples: Italian Institute for Philosophical Studies and Metis: La scuola di Pitagora Editrice,1-138.
8. De Santo NG (2017) The Human Capital of Age J. Gerontology Geriatrics 65: 311-317.
9. Ehrich J, Nwaneri, De Santo NG (2017) Falling back to experience: retired pediatric professors as a solution to Europe’s child heathe care crisis?. J Gerontology Geriatrics, 65: 3128-324.
10. De Santo NG (2017) The Human Capital of Age J. Gerontology Geriatrics 65: 311-317.
11. Nussbaum MC, Levmore S (2017) Aging Thoughtfully: Conversations about Retirement, Romance, Wrinkles, and Regret. New York: Oxford University Press 11: 251.
12. Eknoyan G (2017) Ageing and Academic Tenure in the USA. What happened? In Bonavita V, Chieffi G, Cokkinos DV. De Santo NG, Eh- 15. Baldwin RG Edito (2018) r, Reinventing Academic Retirement. New rich J, Eknoyan G. et al. Eds, The Human Capital of Health. La Scuola direction for Higher Education, 103, Summer. di Pitagora editrice, Naples. 47-62.
13. Eknoyan G (2017) Invecchiamento e titolarità a vita del ruolo accademico negli Stati Uniti d’America. In De Santo NG, Santini L, De Santo NG. Il Capitale Umano dell’Età. Naples: Guida, 103-111
14. Hall JG (2021) The Challenge of Developing and Evolving Career Pathways for Senior Academicians. Bull Eur Assoc Profs Emer 2: 120- 121.
15. Baldwin RG Edito (2018) r, Reinventing Academic Retirement. New direction for Higher Education, 103, Summer.
16. Naddaf M (2026) Should professors be forced to retire? Nature. Jan 27. Doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00055-4. Online ahead of print