EDUCATING AN AGING SOCIETY: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE IN FINLAND

Finland has responded to the educational needs of its aging population with the development of its version of the University of the Third Age. This article traces the creation of the University of the Third Age in Finland from seeds sown in France and England during the 1970s. The unique features of Finland's cultural hybrid University of the Third Age (U3A) are described from existing literature and field research data collected for this study. In addition, the educational interests and activities of a sample of older learners from five University of the Third Age campuses in Finland are described. Emerging organizational issues associated with growth in student populations and credentialing concerns are noted and briefly discussed.