WHAT IS U3A?

 

                                                         PURPOSE                                                        

                                                         Universities of the Third Age are voluntary self-help organisations. Their principal aim is to provide                                                          intellectual stimulation for retired and semi-retired people.

 

                                                         There is, amongst retired people a reservoir of knowledge, skills and experience; this is put to use                                                          for the benefit of others.

                                                         In a U3A a tutor one day is a student the next. U3A members carry out all teaching, planning,   

                                                         administration. The Course Co-ordinator plans the class programme, taking into consideration

                                                         the wishes and aspirations of the members and of course the availability of tutors. The committee

                                                        also has input into the proposed classes.

                                                        

                                                         HISTORY 

                                                        The first U3A was formed in Toulouse, France in 1972 to improve the quality of life for older people  

                                                         through contact with academic programs run by the university. The idea spread rapidly through

                                                         Europe, and the nomenclature of the 'Third Age' as the age of 'active retirement' following the first

                                                         two ages (youth and work/homemaking) became accepted.  Established by1975, an International

                                                        Association of U3As, gained recognition from the UN and UNESCO. The first British U3A

                                                        (Cambridge 1981) began life as a self-help organisation - an intellectual democracy making no

                                                        distinction between teachers and pupils. This is the model that is followed in Australia.

 

                                                        WORLDWIDE 

                                                        Other countries have similar organisations offering learning for older people.  Two major ones, with

                                                        very large memberships, are the "Seniors' Universities" in China and the network of "Institutes for

                                                        Learning in Retirement" in the USA.

                            

                                                        Across Australia there are more than 200 individual U3As, with membership exceeding 60,000.

 

                                                      MORE INFORMATION

                                                       To find out more you can click onto the website of U3A Network - Victoria home.vicnet.net.au/~u3avic

                                                       Plenty of information there concerning the U3A movement in Australia and abroad.