What is the purpose and philosophy of the IRP?
In 1962 the IRP was founded at The New School as the first campus-based program for older students. Recognizing the potential of older adults to be both students and teachers, the IRP created a unique educational program based on the concept of peer learning. In essence, members of the IRP develop study groups that are led by the students themselves. New School instructors may lend their expertise to help develop curricula for study groups but they do not teach at the IRP. The peer learning approach has been so successful that it is now broadly known as the “Institute for Learning in Retirement” (ILR) or simply the “Institute” model.