COOPERATION, NEED FOR COMMUNICATION
AND RESUMPTION OF DIALOGUE IN RELATION TO AGE-GROUPS
2nd International Conference, Częstochowa, 26th-28th June 2013
University of the Third Age –
my experience
PhDr. Soňa Pokorná
Contents
 Introduction
 The second life programme
 University of the Third Age
 U3A at Comenius University
 U3A – my experience
 U3A Club
 Photo Gallery
 Literature
Introduction
 The present-day changes of the society bring about new tasks to cope with
by the aging population upon its retirement. The contemporary society
forces also an older man to adapt to the new conditions as well as to
shape his personality, to develop intellectually.
 One of the most progressive ways to cope with the task is represented by
the programmes of the further education.
 Within the framework of Europe and Slovakia we distinguish several types
of educational programmes and projects for older people based on
specific conditions and possibilities of individual areas, regions and
countries.
The second life programme
 The second life programme for an aging population leaving active working
life
 Institutions of leisure education - progressive forms of lifelong education
designed for seniors:
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Universities of the third age
Free time universities (France)
Universities for all (France)
Senior academies (the Netherlands, Germany)
Academies of the third age (France)
University of the Third Age (U3A)
The first University of the Third Age - prof. Pierre Vellas,Toulouse1973.
The main aim of the U3A is:
 to offer programme of activities responding to the conditions, needs and aspirations
of older people
 to provide for older people the right to education and participation in culture
through the school policy oriented in that way
 to organize congresses, symposia, workshops, realize researches, issue leaflets and
information materials with the purpose to develop education of seniors
University of the Third Age (U3A)
Decisive factors for study at U3A
 Motivation; interest in the study; previous experience with the level of past
knowledge, self-realization and level of aspiration
Motivation incentives:
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an interest to improve one’s knowledge in a new branch
a need to spend one’s free time more usefully
a desire to study at a higher education institution
a need of social contact
a necessity to broaden one’s knowledge needed at work
 an effort to get equal to the surrounding community
Mission of the U3A
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to realize special-interest education of
seniors in HEIs
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to contribute to securing the right of
older people to education
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to gain the highest possible number of
those interested in education from
among the older people
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to contribute by their programme and
concept to a high-quality use of the
seniors’ free time
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to create a new high-value
programme of the seniors
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to help the pensioners at their transit
to retirement and integrate them into
the society
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to contribute to broadening of one’s
horizons, knowledge, clarification of facts
still unknown to them, and to improve
their cognitive functions
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to
contribute
to
psychophysical
conditions of the seniors
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to take part in the care for the older
generation who deserve attention for
their lifelong results
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to
slacken
conservativism
and
dogmatism, to avoid desperation of the
old men, solitude and fear of death
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to contribute to improvement of
interhuman relations and to foster
positive self-evaluation and self-esteem
life
Functions of U3A
 Social - for benefit of the society
 Educational - acquiring knowledge
 Health - improving health state
 Psychological - no depressions
 Research - subject of research
 Working - U3A as a new lifestyle
 Philosophical - new view of the world, new opinions on doings around
them
 Economic - saving finances of the health sector for treatments
CU University of the Third Age (CU U3A)
The first U3A in Slovakia - founded at the Comenius University (CU) in
Bratislava, 1990, under the auspices of the Centre for Continuing Education
In the pilot year - 235 students, today 1834 students attending 32 study
courses in 13 CU faculties. The most popular is Faculty of Arts that offers
most attractive study courses – the humanities, social and natural sciences.
The study takes as a rule three years –
the first year is general to be followed by
2 years of specialised courses. After
the three-year study the U3A offers
the extension course to be open to all
those interested in continuing the study.
The study programme includes14 lectures
held twice a month for two hours.
CU University of the Third Age
Model of study at U3A
1st year - generally aimed study (including subjects of general background)
2nd and 3rd year of study – specialised courses
extension lectures –
offered to all those interested
in study after the 3-year study
 U3A Club
Each year is completed by tests
CU University of the Third Age
Admission requirements:
 no entrance examinations - secondary education completed with secondary
school-leaving examination - the age of 50 and over
The admission is conditional on submitting the filled-out application form; an
evidence of the previous education – a secondary school-leaving certificate
or diploma; an evidence of tuition fee payment.
The academic year starts with immatriculation of the newly-enrolled students
and is concluded by completing the 3-year study with a solemn graduation
ceremony.
The academic year consists of winter and summer term at the end of which the
students take tests or write a thesis (depending on the course studied). The
mark (passed or failed) is entered in the student‘s record book.
The lecturers are teachers and research workers of higher education institution,
Slovak Academy of Sciences and highly qualified experts from practice
(ca 300 teachers).
CU University of the Third Age
Forms of education in the study programmes
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lectures
discussions
seminars
excursions
brainstorming
round table
self-learning
individual consultations
exercises
research projects
others
Study courses for academic year 2013/2014 at CU U3A
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Archeology II, III (incl. new students)
Astronomy I
Man and Nature III (incl. new students)
History and Monuments of Bratislava I, II, III
History of Christianity II
History of Literature I
History of Slovakia I
General History II
History of Performing Arts II, III
History of Performing Arts I, II, III
Theatre and Music I, II, III
Empathic Assertiveness I, II
Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology II, III
Expressive Therapies I
Philosophy III
History and Culture of Austria II
 Gerontology I
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Yoga I, II
Balneology II
Latin and Culture of Antique Rome III
Medicaments and Health I, II, III
Museology and Cultural Heritage I, II
Computers and Informatization I, II, III
Law II
 Psychology I, II, III
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Life and Culture of Italy II
Regeneration of Psychophysical
Strengths I, II
Social work I
World of Opera II, III
Topography of Antique World III
UNESCO I
Gardening II (incl. new students)
Journalism II (incl. new students)
U3A - my experience
Motivation
a necessity to make more efficient use of my free time
a need to develop my knowledge in different branches
a desire to make friends and new relations
the study programme Gerontology offered a good chance to learn more
about my body and advice how to avoid age-related health problems
the chance to participate in interesting events and excursions organized by
the U3A and its Club
the study programme of Psychology offers a good chance to learn also
one‘s psychical disorders, besides physical problems learnt in Gerontology,
and how to avoid them
U3A - my experience
GERONTOLOGY I
 Biological consequences of interaction of physical factors and biological
systems
 Starting points of clinical gerontology
 Gerontology in the light of the world-wide community concern
 Physical movement and rehabilitation of people in older age
 Laws of relations: Medicine-patient
 Psychical hygiene
 Psychical changes and diseases in older age
 The most remarkable dermatological illnesses
 Diseases of motor apparatus in older age
 Changes in eye conditioned by age
 Functions and diseases of gastrointestinal tract
 Illnesses of respiratory system
 Cardiovascular diseases in older age
 Climacterium and senium of woman and views of gynecology
U3A - my experience
PSYCHOLOGY II
 Counselling in Humanistic Psychology (+ seminar)
 Personality from the view of S.Freud’s Classic Psychoanalysis
(+seminar)
 Lifestyle, Family Constellations according to Individual Psychology of
A.Adler (+ seminar)
 Role of Mother and Father in the Present-day Family (+ seminar)
 Sexuality with seniors
 Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias,
 Care for Disabled Person in Family
 Ethology of Animals and Psychology of Man Behaviour and Communication
Disorders in line with Evolution
 How to Hold Effective a Counselling Conversation with Client
 Treatise
U3A - my experience
CU U3A also offers further possibilities of spending
free time - special-interest activities
The educational process at CU U3A is supplemented by various other
educational and social events. Besides the lectures and seminars
the students are engaged in:
 project activities, excursions, visits
 language courses (English, German)
 physical training, tours, walks
(yoga, tourism)
 summer courses (Modra)
 social events (theatre, concerts,etc.)
U3A - my experience
 After finishing the first year of the study in 2009 I made use of a recreational
summer course in the beautiful surroundings of the Small Carpathians
where a group of 70 seniors of various courses spent a nice week in the
study centre of the CU Center of Continuing Education in Modra, 40 km
from Bratislava. The morning lectures on healthy lifestyle, such as yoga
exercises, eye yoga or foodstuff effects on a man‘s health included both –
theory and practice. The afternoon swimming course was held by a coach.
 The instructional part of the day was enriched by trips to a nearby castle
Smolenice and a tour to DRINY, the well-known cave. Still more amusing
and memorable was the last day of our stay in the Centre – the camp fire
evening when we baked sausages, sang popular songs, talked stories,
made new friends and wished the nice evening never ended.
U3A Club
The U3A Club was founded at the Comenius University in 1999 on the ocassion of
International Year of Older Persons. It organizes educational, cognitive and social
events throughout the year and I became its member in 2010.
The U3A Club‘s activities are organized as follows:
January - Annual meetings
February - Shrovetide evening
March – Visit of a celebrity, lecture/chatting
April – Meeting a celebrity
May – Meeting at the end of academic year
June – Trip to nature
October – New Academic Year – a walk
November – Meeting a celebrity
December – X-mas meeting
Educational, cognitive, cultural and social events, meetings of celebrities, Mayor of the City, President
of the Slovak League against Cancer, visit of Vienna (City), Kittsee (Hauswirth Chocolate Factory),
Hainburg (Kulturfabrik-exhibition), walks, sightseeing of the City, tours, excursions, trips, etc.
Photo Gallery
Literature
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Baláž, V.: Ako sa dožiť vysokého veku. Osveta. Martin 1983.
Cirbes, M.: Didaktika dospelých.Obzor, Bratislava 1989.
Hegyi, L.: Príprava na starnutie.In: Obohacovane života ľudí.1993.
Hegyi, L., Krajčík, Š.: Sociálna gerontológia, Herba, 2010.
Hrapková, N.: Štúdium na univerzitách tretieho veku (Study at
Universities of the Third Age) – podpora kvality života. www.cdvuk.sk
Thank you for your attention!