Guadalajara is preparing to open its first University of the Third Age (U3A), providing educational opportunities for retired or semi-retired members of the community.
The project will be designed and administered by the Universidad de Guadalajara (UdG) and is set to start in August.
The idea came from a group of retired UdG professors, who were keen to stay active and continue to pass on their knowledge to the community.
The U3A will offer “formal” courses leading to recognized qualifications, such as bachelor and post-graduate degrees, as well as “informal” classes for those “only interested in the pleasure of learning,” said Manuel Moreno, director of the university’s Virtual Campus, who is part of the committee in charge of the project.
According to Moreno, the U3A will offer a broad curriculum and hold classes – probably on weekends – in UdG facilities throughout the state of Jalisco. The cost of the courses will be minimal, and may even be free of charge, he noted.