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can surf the Internet. 4 This is a phenomenon of
social exclusion and denying a large part of the
society access to electronic services, including distance
learning, which is gaining in popularity.
Undoubtedly, creating new, easily accessed
and increasingly attractive education environments
poses a challenge. Material welfare is not
the only indicator of the quality of elderly people’s
life. Good mental and physical condition of people
at all ages is affected by possible fulfilment
of the need of active attendance in social life,
learning, finding out about new things, and easy
communication with people, including family and
friends abroad, as well as gaining access to online
services. Right now, Universities of the Third
Age are the most popular institutions educating
senior citizens. The first University was established
in France in 1973. Its creator, a social scientist,
Professor Pierre Vellas, assumed that the Universities
of the Third Age should make it possible to
learn at old age, to ensure social dignity to elderly
people, prepare professionals to work with senior
citizens and conduct surveys of the medical, legal,
psychological and social issues of old age. The institution
established by Pierre Vellas triggered off
a rapid growth of Universities of the Third Age
in many countries world-wide. In the mid-1990s,
U3A were established in Poland, Spain, Belgium,
Canada, Brazil and Italy.
In Poland, the first U3A was established in
Warsaw in 1975. At present, a network of these
4 Cf. Batorski, D. Uwarunkowania i konsekwencje
korzystania z technologii informacyjno-komunikacyjnych
[The conditioning and consequences of employing
information and communication technologies] in:
Czapiński, J. Panek. T. (eds.). Diagnoza społeczna 2007,
Rada Monitoringu Społecznego [Social Diagnosis 2007,
Social Monitoring Council], Warsaw, 2007, p. 280.
institutions covers the whole country, constantly
extending and thickening. The majority of U3As
are registered as associations, operating within
and under the patronage of a university or are
established by associations or other institutions
involved in popular science. The fundamental
objectives of Universities of the Third Age include
propagating educational initiatives, intellectual,
psychological, social and physical stimulation,
enriching senior citizens’ knowledge and skills;
facilitating contacts with healthcare institutions,
cultural centres, rehabilitation centres and other
community hubs. Their role includes involving
students in activity for the benefit of their
environment as well as maintaining social relations
and communication among senior citizens. The
content of educational offers is tailored to the
intellectual needs of the participants, and this
defines the level of the courses, lectures and other
educational projects. The curricula include liberal
arts, sociology, biology and mathematics, as well
as foreign languages.
On top of the Universities of the Third Age,
educational needs of the elderly are also satisfied
by other institutions and organisations operating
in cities and villages. It is impossible to name all of
them, as the growing demand for senior citizens’
education has been accompanied by an increasing
number of offers made by Seniors’ Clubs, women’s
organisations and, more and more frequently,
museums, libraries, theatres and other cultural
and educational institutions. They are in charge of
satisfying various cognitive, cultural, educational
and social needs of the elderly.
Changes in the global demographic structure
topped with ageing societies have triggered off a
growth in educational institutions, or those offer-
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