Over 80 seniors from the north and south of the country will have access to studies at the University of the Third Age (U3A), a newly inaugurated program at "Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu" State University in Cahul and "Alecu Russo" State University in Bălți.

At the University of the Third Age in Cahul, 21 seniors have been admitted, while 62 seniors have enrolled at U3A in Bălți, out of a total of 117 applications from those eager for new knowledge.

At U3A in the north and south of the country, seniors aged 60 and over will begin with one core course “Development of Digital Skills” and one elective from the five available courses for each semester tailored to the specific needs and interests of seniors:

• Legal Education
• Our History in the 20th Century
• Healthy Longevity
• English for Seniors
• Well-being and Intergenerational Communication

Seniors from the north and south of the country received the news of U3A's opening in their region with great joy and anticipation. They were particularly excited about studying the digital skills development course.

"You know, what attracted me the most to this university is that we will study the course on developing digital skills. Knowing how to use a smartphone and computer is essential today, as so much emphasis is placed on the internet. That's why I wanted to perfect my digital skills," emphasized 76-year-old Maria Barbă, a former educator from Cahul.

Vitalie Bejenaru, 73, a former physics and mathematics teacher from Cahul, highlighted the role of continuous education in maintaining an active mind. "Seniors need communication and constant interaction with people to keep their brains active. And the saying goes, 'whoever controls information controls the world,' which is why I came to continue learning."

At U3A in the north, seniors applied from seven regions including Bălți, Fălești, Sângerei, Râșcani, Drochia, Glodeni, and Ungheni. "I learned about U3A from last year at Moldova State University, I read a lot about it, and I was delighted to find out that this university would be opened in Bălți. I want to learn as much as possible, socialize, and keep up with the young people," said 73-year-old Alexei Cozma, a former teacher from Bălți.

66-year-old Alexandra Guleac, a building administrator from Bălți, expressed the need to improve digital skills for her professional activities: "I came to enhance my knowledge related to the internet and digital fields because in my daily work, I need to be familiar with many new programs, and currently, I am struggling with them."

Among the seniors in Bălți are individuals with hearing and speech impairments, for whom U3A offers a chance to learn and communicate more easily with the help of technology. Additionally, there is Andrei Vloh, a 61-year-old refugee from Ukraine, who chose to enroll at U3A to better adapt to social life in Moldova. "I found out about this opportunity online, and then my friend and I decided to apply because we want to learn something new, develop, and most importantly, socialize and integrate into the new society," said Andrei Vloh.

During the launch events of U3A in Cahul and Bălți, senior students received high-performance mobile phones with included internet subscriptions from the project partner, Moldcell Foundation, which seniors will use in the "Development of Digital Skills" courses. This initiative not only supports digital learning but also contributes to integrating seniors into the modern technology era.

So far, the University of the Third Age has over 240 senior students enrolled at the universities in Chișinău, Cahul, and Bălți.

The expansion of the University of the Third Age to the north and south is part of one of the 44 actions of the National Program for Active and Healthy Aging 2023-2027, developed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection in partnership with UNFPA Moldova. U3A continues to provide seniors across the country with opportunities for education and personal development, supporting them to remain active and engaged in society.

About the University of the Third Age (U3A)

U3A is an innovative initiative dedicated to seniors in Moldova, offering opportunities for continuous education and socialization for older individuals. The "University of the Third Age" project is developed at the initiative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA Moldova), the Ministry of Education and Research, Moldova State University, "Bogdan Petriceicu Hajdeu" State University in Cahul, "Alecu Russo" State University in Bălți, and the Moldcell Foundation, with financial support from the Czech Development Agency. In Moldova, the first cohort of the University of the Third Age was launched on October 1, 2023, following the U3A model from the Czech Republic. At the end of the first year of studies, 57 senior students aged 60 and over successfully completed U3A courses and received graduation diplomas. For the first time this academic year, U3A was expanded to "Alecu Russo" State University in Bălți and "Bogdan Petriceicu Hajdeu" State University in Cahul.