What is U3A?
U3A stands for University of the Third Age. Here ‘university’ is used in the sense of a group of people interested in learning, exchanging ideas and participating in joint activities.
What is the Third Age?
The Third Age refers to the period of life after the First Age of childhood dependence and the Second Age of full-time employment.
When did U3A start?
It began in France in 1972 and spread to the UK in 1982. By 2008 there were over 600 U3As in the UK with over 200,000 individual members, and the movement is still growing. There are now U3As in many parts of the world.
How does U3A work?
A local U3A is a gathering of like-minded people keen on learning for the enjoyment it brings, and on joining wider group activities. Members learn by sharing their knowledge, skills and experience and by exploring together subjects and activities of interest.
Each U3A is an independent organisation financed by its members’ subscriptions and managed by a committee elected annually. No member gets paid; everyone is a volunteer!