Wang Minghua, 80, has been attending a senior university for a decade, studying cooking and dessert making, exploring travel, and focusing on health and wellness at Shanghai University for the Senior. In the upcoming semester, she will venture into a new realm: mastering professional pet care.

New to the 2025 fall curriculum at Shanghai University for Senior, the course highlights key aspects of scientific pet care and community civility. Over the academic year, it will cover dog and cat care essentials from pet selection to daily care and behavioral training, and even delve into the care of exotic pets, such as birds, rodents and tropical fish.

"I want to understand the scientific approach to caring for my dog and how to engage with it," says Wang, who has a five-year-old poodle. "I'm familiar with pet care basics but wish to master ways of training its behaviors. I simply enjoy continuous learning and staying active."

Huang Jia, the promoter of the course from Shanghai Minyuan Vocational College, says: "While young people nowadays may have a growing interest in owning pets, it's important to recognize that seniors can also benefit from pet companionship. We aim to equip older individuals with the knowledge and skills to scientifically nurture pets."

The pet course is just one of numerous new offerings at Shanghai University for the Senior this fall. The university recently hosted a campus open day at the end of June, enabling prospective students to explore courses and preregister.

Executive vice-president Peng Haihong reveals that in 2025, the university will provide 27,000 seats in over 800 classes, marking an increase of over 100 classes and 2,000 seats compared to last year.