In September 2020, the Faculty of Health Care of the Catholic University of Ružomberok, in cooperation with the Department of Music at the Faculty of Education of the KU, became part of the international project Active Seniors Educations withouth Barriers (ASEB), whose main researcher is the Ostrava’s University in Ostrava. Other partners are two Portuguese institutions - Senior University in Ferreira do Zêzere (Universidade Sénior de Ferreira do Zêzere) and the Association Network of Third Age Universities (RUTIS – Associação Rede de Universidades da Terceira Idade) based in Porto. The project involves managers, economists, technicians, music experts and cultural heritage experts from all four institutions, who work under the supervision of the project manager and chief project coordinator Ing. Zdeňka Telnarová, Ph.D. from university of Ostrava. The participants in the project on behalf of the Slovak side are doc. PhDr. Mgr. Helena Kadučáková, PhD., Ing. Jana Husarčíková, PhDr. Marcela Ižová, PhD., doc. PaedDr. Janka Bednáriková, PhD., doc. PaedDr. Mgr. art. Zuzana Zahradníková, PhD., PaedDr. Martina Krušinská, PhD., Mgr. art. Janka Klimeková, PhD. and prof. ThDr. Lic. Rastislav Adamko, PhD. The aim of the project is to create a system of inclusive education of seniors using information technology and non-verbal communication through music.

 On November 23-24, 2021, a planned working meeting of managers, lectors, and music experts from all partner countries took place in the Organ Hall of the Dean's Office of the FZ KU, in which the fulfilled tasks of the project were evaluated and the implementation of other outputs was specified.The fulfillment of tasks by the Slovak partner so far was evaluated very positively, while the exemplary adherence to the set deadlines was especially emphasized.The realized outputs include the creation of a common internet platform for information sharing and mutual communication, elaboration of a common methodological procedure for senior churches in two versions: creation of e-learning courses on the cultural heritage of each partner country in three language versions and preparation of an original international songbook for joint education. In the next year of the solution, piloting will take place, i. j. implementation of prepared documents into practice in the senior environment and preparation of selected seniors from all partner countries for the final output in September 2022 in the form of an international concert. At the end of the meeting, all participating experts stated that the project was being handled very well, despite the ongoing pandemic situation, and appreciate the benefits of mutual international cooperation to date.

Janka Bednáriková