Aging from an interdisciplinary perspective
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This is a specialised course. This means that 80% of the seats are reserved to PhD students enrolled at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at UCPH and 20% of the seats are reserved to PhD students from other Danish Universities/faculties (except CBS).
The course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD Students from NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. This also applies to PhD students from NorDoc member faculties. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. Understand and explain how ageing is conceptualised and studied across different scientific disciplines
2. Be introduced to and compare differences in theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and evidentiary standards used in ageing research across disciplines
3. Assess and reflect on the strengths and limitations of disciplinary perspectives on ageing and their implications for research and translation
4. Demonstrate the ability to communicate and collaborate across disciplinary boundaries in structured interdisciplinary settings.
5. Apply interdisciplinary thinking to formulate an outline for an interdisciplinary research or grant proposal on ageing
Content
This course provides an introduction to ageing from an explicitly interdisciplinary perspective. Through a series of invited lectures by researchers representing diverse disciplines, participants will be introduced to how ageing is defined, conceptualised, and studied within different research traditions. The course will highlight differences in theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, terminology, and criteria for evidence across disciplines. In addition to lectures, the course includes facilitated interdisciplinary group work. Students from different academic backgrounds will work together to formulate an outline for an interdisciplinary research or grant proposal on an ageing-related topic. This exercise is designed to train participants in interdisciplinary communication, joint problem definition, and negotiation of disciplinary perspectives, while gaining practical insight into the challenges and opportunities of interdisciplinary ageing research.
Participants
The PhD course is intended for students who has an age focus in their PhD project or has an interest in the field.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
All graduate programmes
Language
English
Form
The course is conducted fully online and combines lectures, moderated discussions, and collaborative group work to ensure active participation and interaction among students and lecturers. Participants will hand in a short grant application showcasing collaboration between different scientific disciplines
Course director
Claus Desler, associate professor, BMI, cdesler@sund.ku.dk
Teachers
Claus Desler, associate professor, BMI
Helena Borland Madsen, Post Doc, BMI
Dates
11 - 13 May 2026 (three days)
Course location
Online
Registration
Please register before 15 of April 2026
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor