Polskie Uniwersytety Trzeciego Wieku w Europejskim Roku Aktywności Osób Starszych i Solidarności Międzypokoleniowej

Polish universities of the third age in the European year of old people activity and intergenerational solidarity

Education of the XXI century ought to be perceived as a lifelong process. Life­long learning has become the foundation of human knowledge, performance, ability to exist in the society as well as creation of one’s ego and one’s existence. Awareness of the aging European population gave rise to discussions con­cerning the issue of education and activity of elderly people. The European Committee has declared 2012 the European Year for Active Ageing and Solida­rity between Generations. Consequently, it values the potential of mature and elderly people as well as opens up to their needs. The Senate of the Republic of Poland highlighted the importance of senior education for the country and 2012 was proclaimed the Year of University of the Third Age.

Plenty of UTA students, rich and varied offer of educational – activating classes as well as launched initiatives prove that late maturity might be a period of active lifestyle serving as a springboard for high quality of life and preven­ting exclusion from the society.