What is the
University of the Third Age  (U3A) ?

U3As are non-profit, self-help organisations for seniors. 
The first University of the Third Age was established at the University of Toulouse, France in 1972. The aim was to improve the quality of life for older people, by keeping them in touch with an ever-changing world, through bringing them into contact with academic programs run by local universities.

The idea was so successful that it spread to many countries throughout the world, and by 1975 the International Association of U3A branches had been formed.

In 1981, U3A was introduced to Britain through a group based at Cambridge University. The French model was modified - rather than using pre-existing university courses, a mutual-aid and self-help organization evolved.

Australia's first U3A commenced in Melbourne in 1984. Today, there are 19,000 U3A members in Victoria. There are 98 known U3A campuses throughout Australia with a membership of 23,600. The U3A movement is well established in the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe. 
While there are state umbrella organisations, each U3A is self-sufficient and self-responsible.  Size of Victorian U3As ranges between 60 and 2000.