Those in the ACE sector know that learning is a lifelong journey with research consistently showing that keeping the mind active through learning not only supports memory and cognitive health but also strengthens social connections and emotional wellbeing. For many older adults, continued education can be the antidote to the loneliness epidemic. Learning fosters purpose, curiosity, and belonging.
One of the movements supporting lifelong education for older people is U3A – the University of the Third Age. Founded in France in the 1970s, U3A began with the goal of creating opportunities for retirees and semi-retirees to continue learning, sharing knowledge, and staying engaged with their communities. Unlike traditional universities, U3A is peer-led with members teaching and learning from each other. There are no exams or degrees, just shared curiosity and mutual encouragement.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, U3A groups have flourished since the 1980s, adapting the original model to suit local communities. Each group operates independently, offering a mix of lectures, study circles, and discussion groups shaped by members’ interests. Members meet in libraries, community halls, or homes, in spaces where learning is both social and stimulating. The focus is not only on acquiring knowledge but on staying connected, building friendships, and keeping the mind vibrant.
In Taradale, Hawke’s Bay, the spirit of learning and connection is thriving. Among the members of the local U3A is Keith Rowe, a former Methodist minister who spent many years in parish ministry and theological education. Keith first encountered U3A when invited to speak to the Remuera branch on interfaith understanding, a topic close to his heart. When he and his wife later moved to the Hawke’s Bay in 2016, he decided to join U3A Taradale.
Keith says that this was when he truly realised he had “become one of the elderly.” That awareness deepened during the isolating times of COVID-19 and Cyclone Gabrielle, when people checked in to make sure he and his wife were safe and didn’t need help with shopping. “It changed my sense of status,” he reflects. “I recognised I was now part of that community of older people and U3A became a natural place to belong.”
Today, U3A Taradale has around 300 members and offers a range of study and activity groups, from French, te reo Māori, geography and history to cycling, book discussions, and a luncheon group that researches the cultural background of local restaurants before visiting them. The underlying principle is simple: no one should be lonely, everyone has wisdom and experience to share.
Keith belongs to two groups, the Contentious Issues Group and the History Group, both are strong examples of U3A’s model of engaged learning. The Contentious Issues Group, he explains, “deals with the topics that divide the Christmas dinner table.” Around 12 members meet regularly, selecting subjects at the start of the year from gang culture and climate change to economic systems or international conflict. One person researches the topic and presents their findings, after which everyone has a turn to respond, with no one able to speak twice until everyone has had a turn to speak. “It’s a very democratic process,” Keith says. “We’re not trying to reach consensus, just to understand how others think and to develop our own views.”
While the topics can sometimes be sobering, Keith says the discussions create a sense of purpose and intellectual energy. “It’s often hard to find the grounds of hope at our age, but being with others who are thinking deeply about the world helps you feel that you’re still contributing.” Recently, the group hosted a session for a wider U3A audience of about 60 people, exploring the hotly debated topic of Māori wards. Instead of a lecture, they placed cards with “for” and “against” statements on each table, prompting everyone to respond to their card before joining an open discussion. “It was lively, respectful, and a great learning experience,” says Keith. “People really talked and no one took offence.”
Keith’s History Group takes a similar peer-learning approach. Each member presents on a topic of personal interest with one recent session exploring a member’s family migration journey from Germany to South Africa. Last year, Keith co-led a short course on the Treaty of Waitangi, bringing together 23 members over three sessions. He contributed academically gained historical context, while a local kaumātua shared stories and wisdom from a Māori perspective. Together, they explored the Treaty documents, the Declaration of Independence, contemporary Māori thinking and key Waitangi Tribunal findings.
For Keith, U3A represents the best kind of education, engaged learning. “We need to value the wisdom seniors can offer, the richness of reflected on experience we bring to society,” he says. “U3A gives us that chance to keep learning, keep thinking, and keep connecting.”
As Napier and other cities plan for more age-friendly communities, Keith believes U3A has an important role to play — keeping older people mentally active, socially connected, and contributing meaningfully to society.
Probus, another well-known organisation for retirees, also offers seniors a structured opportunity for learning and engagement albeit through a more passive model of learning. As Keith says both passive and engaged learning models are extremely valid but use different educational techniques.
Probus groups tend to centre around guest speakers, social gatherings, and outings. Their format provides valuable companionship and recreation, particularly for those who prefer to listen and observe rather than actively participate. While both Probus and U3A serve vital roles, they cater to different styles: Probus offers community through learning from an informed speaker, while U3A creates community through shared inquiry. Both organisations show that learning in later life isn’t just about knowledge — it’s about connection, purpose, and the joy of discovery.