From Social Welfare to Educational Gerontology: The Universities of the Third Age in Taiwan

Abstract

This chapter traces the development of the Universities of the Third Age (U3As) in Taiwan as characterised by a specific sociocultural background and which can be divided into two stages, from 1978 to 2008 and from 2008 onwards. Indeed, Taiwan’s U3As have been transferred from the Ministry of the Interior’s social welfare approach to the Ministry of Education’s educational gerontology approach. In terms of the institutes and courses, they have also moved from Chang Ching Shyue Yuan in the social welfare system to the Active Ageing Learning Centre in the educational gerontology system. The Active Ageing Learning Centre’s course design focuses on the active ageing theory and McClusky’s Margin Theory of Needs, while encouraging clubs to provide voluntary service through programmes of social service. In future, U3A in Taiwan should encourage and support the convening of relevant academic conferences, such as international conferences or seminars, to facilitate exchanges between—and visits to—educational institutes in Taiwan and abroad. Moreover, Taiwan’s U3A should aim for a ‘joint learning of all people’ to promote an educational space where people of all genders are willing to take part. This chapter concludes that U3As should also encourage older adults to deliver and give full play of their ‘silver’ strength through learning across generations and service courses so that Taiwan—a country marching into the super-aged society—may offer a friendlier and more appropriate living and learning environment without age discrimination.