The U3A Movement
U3A stands for the University of the Third Age. A U3A is a university in the truest sense of the word: a community of individuals dedicated to learning. We are a volunteer cooperative of retired and semi-retired people who offer a variety of educational, creative, and leisure opportunities. Although it is referred to as a "university," being in your Third Age (the age of active retirement) is the sole qualification needed to participate U3A.
The U3A's Origins
The University of the Third Age (U3A) is an international movement whose aims are the education and stimulation of mainly retired community members —those in their third 'age' of life. The 'third age' is defined by a time in one's life (not necessarily chronological) when one has the opportunity to undertake learning for its own sake.
The University of the Third Age (U3A) was started in France at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Toulouse in 1973 by Prof. Pierre Vellas. In France, the Third Age University is mostly associated with a local University.
By the early 1980s, the scheme reached the United Kingdom, where its nature was radically changed to become more of a self-help organisation. This model is also used in Australia, Cyprus, Dominica, New Zealand, and South Africa, where it was recognised that most people of retirement age have something to contribute. The emphasis has been on sharing without formal educational links.
Many English-speaking countries have followed this model, whereas continental European countries have mostly followed the French model. For historical reasons, the term "lifelong learning institute" is used in the United States for organisations and similar groups. There is no universally accepted model for the U3A.
The first Australian U3A opened in Melbourne in 1984, and many others rapidly opened across the country. There are now about 300 U3As in Australia, with about 100,000 members. The Australian model establishes U3As as autonomous groups, with their own administration and curriculum according to each group's needs and interests.