SHANGHAI, May 6 (Xinhua) -- For 58-year-old Zhang Shaomei, retirement has never meant quiet days at home, as just three days after wrapping up her career, she flew to Malta, where she spent the next three months switching seamlessly between textbook lessons and global adventures.
With her Schengen visa, Zhang visited eight European countries during her stay. For her, studying and traveling abroad is not merely about improving language skills; far more meaningful is the deep cultural immersion it offers and the opportunity to continue creating value along the way.
"Retirement should not be a pause for the mind. We should keep learning, keep engaging with the world, and never stop absorbing and reflecting," said Zhang, who had worked in a financial institution in south China's Guangdong Province.
China has the world's largest elderly population. By the end of 2025, more than 320 million people were aged 60 or above, accounting for 23 percent of the country's total population. The China Population and Development Research Center projected that the figure would rise to approximately 390 million by 2030.
As those born in the 1960s and 1970s -- better educated, more financially secure and with far broader global outlooks -- enter retirement in growing numbers, China's silver economy is swiftly shifting its focus away from elderly care and support alone. Instead, it is expanding into richer, more fulfilling lifestyles centered on education, travel, social engagement and personal growth.
"Now, with solid financial means and ample leisure time at their disposal, many of today's senior Chinese naturally choose to invest in life experiences and self-improvement," said Zhang Yanping, Country Product Manager for China at the international education provider EF Education First.
Statistics from the company showed that for the overseas study projects in China, the proportion of customers above 46 years old has grown from 6 percent in 2019 to 28 percent last year.
Having previously served as a senior corporate executive, Xu Xiaorong, a 62-year-old Shanghai resident, has embarked on numerous overseas study tours across the UK and Singapore within just two years of her retirement.
Her first overseas journey was riddled with unexpected hardships. "No one was at the airport to pick me up and the school's phone went unanswered," Xu recalled. She had to drag her luggage and find her own way to the school's designated check-in point.
In the following days, she handled every detail alone, from enrollment procedures to settling into her accommodation. "Simple things we take for granted back home become real challenges when you're abroad," she said.
During this process, however, she discovered a renewed zest for life. With a map in her bag, she ventured to the residences of renowned British writers like Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, and explored the landscapes immortalized in their literary masterpieces.
Xu soon realized that her horizons had expanded and her language proficiency had improved. She began sharing videos documenting her overseas study journey on social media, quickly drawing a large following. "Seeing your vibrant life, I no longer fear growing old," one comment read.
As study tours for senior citizens emerge as a new market trend, a growing number of institutions have begun to offer related services.
After her retirement at the end of 2024, Zi Wenli noticed that courses at some traditional senior universities in China lacked depth, failing to meet the older generation's appetite for professional knowledge and more in-depth learning.
Drawing on her experience in international education and overseas travel, she established a study-abroad club specifically for retirees, connecting them with short-term overseas study programs.
To date, she has partnered with 17 international institutions around the world, taking groups of silver-haired students abroad to study art, design and language.
"They are paying for a new way of life," Zi said, adding that this lifestyle blends learning, travel, cultural immersion and self-renewal.
In August 2025, New Oriental Education and Technology Group, one of China's largest English-language training providers by market share, launched the overseas short-term study program "Tulip Program," targeting the untapped demand from China's aging population.
Yao Xiaoqiong, supervisor of the group's global campus center, told Xinhua that unlike younger people who primarily aim to earn degrees, senior clients prioritize experiential learning and cultural immersion in their studies.
Catering to the demand, the institution has rolled out plans including an art-themed tour in the UK, a culinary program in France, and a language and culture program in New Zealand. Future plans include expanding into wellness, music, dance and other areas, according to Yao.
She explained that these short-term overseas study programs for Chinese seniors generally last two to four weeks. Some participants even map out year-round learning itineraries spanning Australia, Europe and Canada, tailoring their schedules to the seasons.
Such rising demand for senior overseas education reflects broader national efforts to unlock the potential of China's silver economy. The sector is currently estimated to be worth about 7 trillion yuan (about 1 trillion U.S. dollars) and is projected to reach 30 trillion yuan by 2035, accounting for roughly 10 percent of the country's GDP.
Fueled by this huge market scale and growth potential, policymakers are stepping up efforts to develop the silver economy. According to China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), measures will be taken to expand elderly-oriented consumption, grow the silver economy and improve the consumption environment.
Corazon Recto, senior director of studies at EF Education First, has met many Chinese seniors taking up overseas study. For them, he noted, the central aim is to keep their minds sharp and stay attuned to a changing world.
"It has completely reshaped my long-held perception of older Chinese people," he said. ■
