Fatima Salomoni, Grantee of Young Researcher and Innovator Conference Grant in Grant Period 3
Bio:
I am a Marie Skłodowska-Curie doctoral researcher within the HOMeAGE Doctoral Network, affiliated with the University of Galway and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland. My doctoral research focuses on the inclusion of older adults in ageing-in-place and urban social policy development, with particular attention to how diverse older adults’ voices and experiences are represented in age-friendly policies and initiatives.
Grant supported actions and initiatives:
At the 23rd IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2026 in Amsterdam, I presented my paper, “Inclusive Aging in Place: A Comparative Analysis of Multi-Actor Perspectives in Shaping Age-Friendly Urban Policies and Initiatives,” as part of the symposium “Social Exclusion of Older People in the Constitution of Place-Based Processes: International Perspectives.”
Drawing on my doctoral research, the presentation compared age-friendly policy development in Dublin and Copenhagen and explored how different institutional and governance contexts shape opportunities for participation in age-friendly policymaking. In particular, I discussed how different policy actors influence participatory processes and how the voices of diverse and underrepresented older adults are recognised and translated into policy and practice.
Testimonial:
Participating in the IAGG World Congress was an extremely valuable opportunity to share my doctoral research with an international audience and to engage with researchers and practitioners working across social gerontology, ageing in place, age-friendly environments, participation and public policy. Presenting within the symposium on social exclusion and place-based processes generated valuable discussion and feedback that encouraged me to reflect further on the comparative, methodological and policy dimensions of my research.
Beyond my presentation, I was invited to participate in the Global Social Issues on Ageing Planning Meeting, where early-career researchers, senior scholars and representatives of international organisations discussed future research priorities and ways of strengthening international collaboration in social gerontology. This was particularly meaningful for me as an early-career researcher and gave me the opportunity to contribute to discussions around people, place and policy while developing new international connections.
Overall, the conference strengthened the visibility of my doctoral work, broadened my international academic network and opened possibilities for future knowledge exchange, comparative research and collaboration. I returned from Amsterdam with new ideas, valuable feedback and connections that I hope to carry forward into the next stages of my research career. I am very grateful to PAAR-net for supporting my participation and enabling me to share my work at such an important international conference.