Abstract
Universities of the Third Age (U3As) provide older adults with opportunities to engage in lifelong learning, stay current with digital innovations, and adapt to social change. Rooted in a community-centred, peer-led approach, U3As foster personal growth, social connection, and active participation in society through collaborative, meaningful, and accessible learning experiences.
Keywords: older learners; Universities of the Third Age (U3A); artificial intelligence (AI); conversational learning
Adult Learning and Education (ALE) for Older Adults:
U3A Models in East Asia
In the 1970s, when the average life expectancy was around 70 years, adult learning and education (ALE) for older persons focused on helping learners manage the emotional, social, and cognitive changes that accompany ageing. Today, with people living well into their 80s and beyond, the paradigm of learning has shifted. The goals of ageing now encompass not only personal development but also the need to address broader societal issues such as financial security, digital inclusion, and meaningful community engagement.
In East Asia, countries with super-ageing populations—including China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore—have been developing national strategies to support older adult learning. Yet despite growing recognition of the value of lifelong learning, only a few27countries explicitly prioritise older learners in their ALE frameworks. According to the Third Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE III, 2017), only 13 countries—five of which are in Asia—identified senior citizens as one of the top five priority groups in their national ALE policies (Kuan, 2019).
U3As in East Asia: A Model for Older Learners?
The growing need for lifelong learning has led to the rise of various models of later-life education across East Asia, many inspired by the University of the Third Age (U3A) concept. Originally developed in France in the 1970s and further adapted in the UK during the 1980s, the U3A model has become a global movement, with Asia creating its own culturally contextualised versions.
In Japan, senior colleges offer a diverse range of educational and community-based activities specifically designed for older adults. In Hong Kong, the Elder Academies have become dynamic platforms for learning and social engagement. Nepal and India operate senior centres and informal U3A-style programmes to promote community participation. Thailand has several active U3A initiatives, such as Chula U3A, Silapakorn U3A, and U3A-Nakorn Chiangrai (which is supported by the municipal council), to encourage active ageing.
In South Korea, these institutions are known as ‘Senior Universities’ (SUs), offering both formal and informal learning. China has developed the most extensive network of all: U3As known as Senior Citizens Universities (SCUs), with more than 76,000 campuses and over 14 million registered learners nationwide. By 2025, China aims to have at least one SCU in every county and district, demonstrating a strong public policy commitment to lifelong learning.
Other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia and Indonesia, have also adopted community-based adult education models inspired by U3A principles, contributing to a growing ecosystem of later-life learning.
Singapore’s Approach: Integrating Lifelong Learning with National Policy
Singapore, where one in four residents is projected to be aged 60 or older by 2030, embeds lifelong learning for seniors within the broader SkillsFuture movement. This national initiative offers credit-based learning opportunities to all citizens aged 25 and above, supporting upskilling and reskilling across all life stages—from early careers to post-retirement pursuits.
In 2021, Singapore introduced the Singapore Standard SS 698: Geragogy Guidelines on Training Senior Learners, developed by the Council for Third Age (C3A) and the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), and formally launched in 2023. These guidelines offer practical approaches for engaging older learners, taking into account their cognitive andmotivational characteristics (www.c3a.org.sg/geragogy-guidelines). The national policy helps tosupport older adults in their learning endeavours (Ma & Kuan, 2025). At the community level, organisations also play a vital role in providing learning opportunities for older learners to take up third-age careers.
Older Adults and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has presented both challenges and opportunities for later-life learning. Initially, older adults may find themselves overwhelmed by AI tools such as chatbots, virtual assistants, and online platforms, especially considering concerns about scams, digital misinformation, and a general lack of confidence in navigating the digital landscape. Yet AI also holds great promise. Technologies such as generative AI, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) offer personalised, immersive learning experiences tailored to individual needs.29Some older adults are already using AI to explore new knowledge areas, co-create content, and make better decisions in their daily lives.
AI can also support reflective thinking, encouraging learners to make sense of past experiences and transitions. However, to truly empower seniors, the digital divide must be addressed. Inclusive policies and targeted digital literacy programmes are essential to ensure that all older adults can benefit from AI-enhanced learning environments.
Conversational Learning and Social Connection
Among the engaging modes of learning for older adults is conversational learning. Grounded in the U3A ethos of ‘the teacher is the learner, and the learner is the teacher’, this approach fosters respectful, cross-generational dialogue. These conversations—whether online or in person—become spaces for intellectual exchange, shared values, and mutual encouragement.
In Singapore, U 3rd Age’s Seniors-Meet-Seniors (SMS) platform
(www.u3rdagesingapore.org, www.facebook.com/u3rdage) has offered monthly communitytalks and conversations since 2017. Held in accessible venues like libraries and museums, these gatherings encourage storytelling, reminiscence, and knowledge co-production. Through such engagement, participants form strong social bonds and contribute to collective wisdom and emotional well-being. Conversation, in this context, becomes not only a method of learning (Kuan, 2023) but also a celebration of life.
Conclusion: U3A as a Pathway to Meaningful Ageing
As East Asia faces the demographic challenge of an ageing population, the Universities of the Third Age offer a suitable, culturally responsive, and highly effective model for older adults. U3As are not defined by rigid academic structures, but by their emphasis on community, creativity, and peer-to-peer knowledge exchange. These models reveal that older adults are eager to learn, as a means to enrich their lives, support their communities, and embrace the creative possibilities of later life.
As Katz (2019) noted, the U3A network may now be the largest university in the world. Its flexibility allows for the integration of modern technologies like AI, while preserving the rich traditions of community learning, creativity and collaboration. The development of an ‘optimal’ model of later-life learning showcases local community efforts of collaborative peer-learning interests (Richards, et al., 2019). As the older population continues to grow, U3As offer a scalable, inclusive, and culturally grounded approach to adult learning. They are inexpensive, locally organised, and socially impactful, serving as platforms for older adults to lead meaningful lives.
Author Bio
Thomas Kuan is the Founder of U 3rd Age, Singapore (www.u3rdagesingapore.org) andHonorary President of the East Asia Federation for Adult Education (EAFAE). He is a member of PIMA (Friends of PASCAL International Association), a Fellow of the Phi Beta Society (USA), and a Certified Qigong Trainer (Taiwan). He has authored several papers on adult learning and education (ALE) in East Asia, with works translated into Thai and Chinese. An active advocate of the University of the Third Age (U3A) movement, he has supported its development in Thailand and Singapore and helps organise U3A conferences across East Asia.
Email: [email protected]
References
Katz, S. (2019). Forward: The largest university in the world. In M. Formosa (Ed.), The University of the Third Age and active ageing – European and Asian-Pacific perspectives(p. vii). Springer.
Kuan T. (2019). The growing importance of non-formal and informal Third Age Education.DVV International 2019. www.dvvinternational.de/fileadmin/files/Inhalte_Bilder_und_Dokumente/Materialien/IPE/IPE77_ EN_web.pdf
Kuan, T. (2023). ‘Conversation-making’ – an East Asian perspective on older adults learning. International Journal of Education and Ageing, 5(3), 169 174.https://www.britishgerontology.org/content/32675/Live/IJEAJournalVol5number323.pdf
Ma, C., & Kuan, T. (2025). Senior learner as the Lifelong Learning Policy in Singapore. In M. K. Shankardass (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of contemporary ageing issues. Global and country narratives (forthcoming). Routledge.
Richards, C, Makaphol, J., & Kuan, T. (2019). ‘Lifelong Education’ versus ‘Learning in Later Life’: A University of the Third Age formula for the Thailand context? In M. Formosa (Ed.), The University of the Third Age and active ageing – European and Asian-Pacific perspectives (p. 247-256). Springer.
