The University of Montpellier inaugurates the new School of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Faculty of Medicine, an event accompanied by the opening of the exhibition "Vieux et Beaux" (Old and Beautiful).
The School of Geriatrics and Gerontology at the Faculty of Medicine will welcome students to its 19 programs starting in the fall of 2022. To mark the official launch of this new school, an inauguration evening accompanied by the opening of the "Vieux et Beaux" exhibition will be held in the Historic Building of the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier-Nîmes on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, in the presence of Isabelle Laffont, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Montpellier-Nîmes, and Claude Jeandel, Director of the School of Geriatrics and Gerontology.
So what exactly is the School of Geriatrics and Gerontology?
As part of the IDEFI-TIL program (Initiatives d'Excellence en Formations innovantes – Trans Innov Longévité) launched in 2014 at the Faculty, the gerontology courses offered by the Faculty of Medicine have already enabled many professionals in the medical and paramedical fields to specialize in this sector. In particular, nearly 450 students have graduated since 2006 with master's degrees in gerontology.
The School currently offers 19 courses, including 2 master's degrees, 9 university diplomas, and 8 short courses, delivered through a hybrid teaching approach.
In order to offer a cross-disciplinary and holistic approach to issues related to old age, the School draws on innovative teaching methods in various fields, such as medicine, epidemiology, psychology, and law.
The teaching center, which currently centralizes all of these training programs, will subsequently be supplemented by three other centers: a new teaching center for doctors and medical students, a center for "caregivers" aimed at relatives of elderly people who are losing their independence, and finally, a "Therapeutic Education" center for patients.
An exhibition accompanying the inauguration
In the heart of the historic Faculty of Medicine building, the inauguration of the School of Geriatrics and Gerontology will be accompanied by the opening of the exhibition "Vieux et Beaux" (Old and Beautiful). The choice of this exhibition is particularly fitting, as it was coordinated by Elsa Hersog, director of the Protestant Retirement Home, a partner of the Master's program in Gerontology.
Originally comprising 84 photographic portraits of nursing home residents, the Cour d'honneur will host more than 50 of them, selected exclusively for the occasion. Created and photographed by William Moureaux, this project "was an opportunity to showcase faces that have a story to tell and that retrace an entire life."
Focus on the artist:
A professional for nearly 15 years, William Moureaux has developed a passion for photography. He chose to train with the best internationally recognized photographers specializing in portraiture. To date, he is the only Frenchman to have obtained the two highest European photographic distinctions: European Master of Photography in 2017 and Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2019.
Practical information:
Inauguration date: Wednesday, June 1, 2022, at 6:30 p.m.
Old and Beautiful Exhibition: Open to the public from June 2 to July 1, 2022
Location: Historic Building of the Faculty of Medicine, 2 rue de l’École de médecine, Montpellier