- Academic,
The University of the Third Age celebrates its 50th anniversary at Toulouse Capitole University
from May 28, 2024 to May 29, 2024
Since 1973, when the world's first University of the Third Age was founded at Toulouse Capitole University, millions of senior students in over 80 countries have been exchanging ideas at conferences and university activities. Toulouse Capitole University, the cradle of this dynamic movement, will be hosting the 50th anniversary celebrations of the International Association of Universities of the Third Age (IAUTA) in May.
From 27 to 29 May 2024, delegates from the Universities of the Third Age from five continents will be meeting in Toulouse to commemorate the 50th anniversary of their foundation at the Université Toulouse Capitole and to take part in international exchanges on the occasion of the 112th meeting of the IAUTA Board of Directors.
The programme on 28 May at Toulouse Capitole University will include presentations from senior citizens' universities in China, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Brazil, Senegal, Turkey, Spain, Slovakia and elsewhere. There will also be a seminar on 29 May, as the 10 million senior students around the world take an active part in conferences and research programmes.
As soon as the first lectures and physical activities began, the classrooms were quickly filled. As well as the benefits of intellectual and physical culture, the elderly were ready for the social and intergenerational fulfilment that comes from meeting others on university premises.
The University of the Third Age in Toulouse
- + 650 senior students
- Lectures every week on all the subjects offered by Toulouse's universities
- Learning groups for foreign languages and new technologies
- Physical activity programmes supervised by academics
Universities of the Third Age for 50 years
The first University of the Third Age was founded in Toulouse during the 1973/74 academic year, at the Université des Sciences Sociales (later the Toulouse Capitole University) under the leadership of Pierre Vellas, Professor of Law and Science.
This first initiative was quickly followed by many other universities, such as Toulouse, which set up programmes aimed at the elderly, along with Paris, Lyon, Nice, Bordeaux, Nantes, Strasbourg, Reims, etc. Then very quickly the movement went international and has continued to grow over the years with Belgium, Spain, Switzerland, Poland, Portugal, Canada, Sweden, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany... followed by Latin America, Asia (notably China), Africa and Oceania (Australia and New Zealand).
These senior students exchange ideas at conferences and university activities. They also take part in international scientific programmes in the medical and health fields, in the cultural field and in the legal field with a research programme on the protection of the rights of the elderly.
For more information : the complete programme.