The school adheres to the people-oriented principle and aims to improve the quality of life of the elderly in an all-round way, and clearly puts forward the following school-running objectives: strive to make the school a comprehensive university for the elderly with satisfactory elderly people, distinctive school-running characteristics and certain influence at home and abroad. Adhere to the road of coordinated development of "three classrooms", actively advocate the concept of independent education, and constantly explore and deepen the reform of education and teaching; Adhere to the "combination of teaching and scientific research" and actively carry out theoretical research on elderly education; Attach importance to expanding school functions, take the lead in developing distance education for the elderly, and currently undertake the tasks of curriculum development, textbook compilation and editing room of Shanghai Distance University for the Elderly. Attach importance to exchanges at home and abroad and absorb advanced experience in running schools at home and abroad. Since its establishment, more than 400 foreign guests from more than 20 countries have visited the school, leaving a good impression on them and praising our school as "a magical school!"

Since its establishment, Shanghai University for the Aged has been awarded the title of "Shanghai Advanced Collective for Pioneering the Cause of the Aged" for six times in a row and the honorary title of Shanghai Advanced Collective for the Aged Education for two times. In 2009, it was also awarded the title of advanced unit of the national university for the aged, and was awarded a district-level civilized unit by Luwan District where it is located.