The University of the Third Age and Active Ageing: European and Asian-Pacific Perspectives (International Perspectives on Aging Book 23)

This comparative resource charts the interface between the University of the Third Age (U3A) movement and active ageing, and in doing so, offers a comprehensive and thorough understanding of what U3A means in different geographical and sociocultural contexts. After first providing introductory chapters to introduce the U3A movement and active ageing in global perspective and tracing the origins of U3As in France, the book sets off charting the international development of U3As in both European and Asian-Pacific contexts. Deliberately, the book moves away from the dominant Anglo-centric US- and UK-rooted analyses of U3As to account for contexts of different political ideology, sociocultural values, geography, and degrees of urbanisation and industrialisation. Lastly, it thematises foreseeable issues, concerns, and predicaments that the global U3A movement faces while meeting the challenges and seizing the opportunities presented by active ageing. The chapters’ comparative perspectives encompass: * Origins and development: The Francophone model of U3As * The development and characteristics of U3As in European and Asian-Pacific geographies * From social welfare to educational gerontology: U3As in China, Russia, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea * U3As in Italy, Spain and Sweden: A dynamic, flexible, and accessible learning model * Late-life learning for social inclusion: U3As in Poland, Iceland, United Kingdom, and Malta * The U3A movement in Australia: From statewide networking to community engagement * Cross-cultural perspectives on U3As: The case of Thailand __The University of the Third Age and Active Ageing__ boasts welcome contributions to the scholarship on the different histories, structures, and challenges posed by national U3As. Readers from a variety of backgrounds and research interests including gerontology, geriatrics, active ageing, older adult learning, comparative education and educational technology will find this a necessary and valuable resource in better understanding a globalised U3A world. __"The University of the Third Age and Active Ageing: European and Asian-Pacific Perspectives__ contributes to the deep well of histories, experiences, structures, accomplishments and problems of national U3As. It emerges as a tapestry of extraordinary research that offers to guide the U3A movement as it soon enters its fiftieth year of existence." - Prof. Stephen Katz. Trent University Front Matter ....Pages i-xxi Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Active Ageing Through Lifelong Learning: The University of the Third Age (Marvin Formosa)....Pages 3-18 Origins and Development: The Francophone Model of Universities of the Third Age (François Vellas)....Pages 19-30 Front Matter ....Pages 31-31 “An Alternative Ageing Experience”: An Account and Assessment of the University of the Third Age in the United Kingdom (Keith Percy)....Pages 33-43 Be Active Through Lifelong Learning! The University of the Third Age in Iceland (Hans Kristján Guðmundsson)....Pages 45-55 The University of the Third Age in Italy: A Dynamic, Flexible, and Accessible Learning Model (Barbara Baschiera)....Pages 57-67 Subsisting Within Public Universities: Universities of the Third Age in Germany (Bernhard Schmidt-Hertha)....Pages 69-79 Third Age Learning for Active Ageing in Malta: Successes and Limitations (Marvin Formosa)....Pages 81-93 Late-Life Learning for Social Inclusion: Universities of the Third Age in Poland (Jolanta Maćkowicz, Joanna Wnęk-Gozdek)....Pages 95-105 Universities of the Third Age: Learning Opportunities in the Russian Federation (Gulnara Minnigaleeva)....Pages 107-118 From University Extension Classrooms to Universities of Experience: The University of the Third Age in Spain (Feliciano Villar)....Pages 119-129 Sweden’s Senior University: Bildung and Fellowship (Cecilia Bjursell)....Pages 131-142 Front Matter ....Pages 143-143 The University of the Third Age Movement in Australia: From Statewide Networking to Community Engagement (Ainslie Lamb)....Pages 145-155 The Development and Characteristics of Universities of the Third Age in Mainland China (Xinyi Zhao, Ernest Chui)....Pages 157-168 Third Age Learning in Hong Kong: The Elder Academy Experience (Maureen Tam)....Pages 169-179 The University of the Third Age in Lebanon: Challenges, Opportunities and Prospects (Maya Abi Chahine, Abla Mehio Sibai)....Pages 181-193 Moving the Needle on the University of Third Age in Malaysia: Recent Developments and Prospects (Tengku Aizan Hamid, Noor Syamilah Zakaria, Nur Aira Abd Rahim, Sen Tyng Chai, Siti Aisyah Nor Akahbar)....Pages 195-206 Universities of the Third Age in Aotearoa New Zealand (Brian Findsen)....Pages 207-217 Third Age Education and the Senior University Movement in South Korea (Soo-Koung Jun, Karen Evans)....Pages 219-231 From Social Welfare to Educational Gerontology: The Universities of the Third Age in Taiwan (Shu-Hsin Kuo, Chin-Shan Huang)....Pages 233-246 ‘Lifelong Education’ Versus ‘Learning in Later Life’: A University of the Third Age Formula for the Thailand Context? (Cameron Richards, Jittra Makaphol, Thomas Kuan)....Pages 247-256 Front Matter ....Pages 257-257 Concluding Remarks and Reflections (Marvin Formosa)....Pages 259-272 Back Matter ....Pages 273-274 Foreword -- Part I: The Background Context -- Chapter 1: Active Ageing through Lifelong Learning: The University of the Third Age -- Chapter 2: Origins and development: The Francophone Model of Universities of the Third Age -- Part II: European Perspectives -- Chapter 3: "An Alternative Ageing Experience": An Account and Assessment of the University of the Third Age in the United Kingdom -- Chapter 4: Be Active through Lifelong Learning! The University of the Third Age in Iceland -- Chapter 5: The University of the Third Age in Italy: A Dynamic, Flexible, and Accessible Learning Model -- Chapter 6: Subsisting within Public Universities: Universities of the Third Age in Germany -- Chapter 7: Third Age Learning for Active Ageing in Malta: Possibilities and Limitations -- Chapter 8: Late-life Learning for Social Inclusion: Universities of the Third Age in Poland -- Chapter 9: Universities of the Third Age: Learning Opportunities in the Russia Federation -- Chapter 10: From University Extension Classrooms to Universities of Experience: The University of the Third Age in Spain -- Chapter 11: Sweden's Senior University: Bildung and Fellowship -- Part III: Asian-Pacific Perspectives -- Chapter 12: The University of the Third Age Movement in Australia: From Statewide Networking to Community Engagement -- Chapter 13: The Development and Characteristics of Universities of the Third Age in Mainland China -- Chapter 14: Third Age Learning in Hong Kong: The Elder Academy Experience -- Chapter 15: The University of the Third Age in Lebanon: Challenges, Opportunities and Prospects -- Chapter 16: Moving the Needle on the University of the Third Age in Malaysia: Recent Developments and Prospects -- Chapter 17: Universities of the Third Age in Aotearoa New Zealand -- Chapter 18: Third Age Education and the Senior University Movement in South Korea -- Chapter 19: From Social Welfare to Educational Gerontology: The Universities of the Third Age in Taiwan -- Chapter 20: 'Lifelong Education' versus 'Learning in Later Life': A University of the Third Age Formula for the Thailand Context? -- Part IV: Coda -- Chapter 21: Concluding Remarks and Reflections This comparative resource charts the interface between the University of the Third Age (U3A) movement and active ageing, and in doing so, offers a comprehensive and thorough understanding of what U3A means in different geographical and sociocultural contexts. After first providing introductory chapters to introduce the U3A movement and active ageing in global perspective and tracing the origins of U3As in France, the book sets off charting the international development of U3As in both European and Asian-Pacific contexts. Deliberately, the book moves away from the dominant Anglo-centric US- and UK-rooted analyses of U3As to account for different contexts, and thematises foreseeable issues, concerns, and predicaments that the global U3A movement faces while meeting the challenges and seizing the opportunities presented by active ageing. The chapters' comparative perspectives encompass: Origins and development: The Francophone model of U3As From social welfare to educational gerontology: U3As in China, Russia, and South Korea U3As in Italy, Spain and Sweden: A dynamic, flexible, and accessible learning model Late-life learning for social inclusion: U3As in Poland, Iceland, United Kingdom, and Malta The U3A movement in Australia: From statewide networking to community engagement The University of the Third Age and Active Ageing boasts welcome contributions to the scholarship on the different histories, structures, and challenges posed by national U3As. Readers from a variety of research interests including gerontology, geriatrics, active ageing, older adult learning, comparative education and educational technology will find this a necessary and valuable resource in better understanding a globalised U3A world. " This book contributes to the deep well of histories, experiences, structures, accomplishments and problems of national U3As. It emerges as a tapestry of extraordinary research that offers to guide the U3A movement as it soon enters its fiftieth year of existence." - Prof. Stephen Katz. Trent University