Abstract
This chapter documents how there is an established tradition of non-formal community education for older persons in Thailand whose population, similar to other countries, is ageing rapidly. However, there has been some resistance to earlier efforts to promote the University of Third Age (U3A) in this country. At face value therefore, one might expect Thailand to be particularly receptive to the U3A concept. But a previous study has shown that there was some general resistance to this movement, especially by people without formal education who tended to associate the term with higher education institutions, and who resultantly felt intimidated by this association. Indeed, a previous study on the U3A movement in Thailand located some degree of resistance towards the term ‘university’ in its title. This chapter explores the development and implementation of an alternative strategy by a traditional university wishing to create a new U3A centre and a local model which overlaps with both the Francophone and Anglophone U3A models—that is, a community-based learning group supported by both a traditional university and the municipal resources. It outlines and discusses an emerging partnership model between a particular university (Silpakorn) and the local elder community. In terms of possible wider implications, this model may also be relevant in other Thai geographical regions, as it might be successful in overcoming any resistance on behalf of older persons and at the same time change local Thai perceptions about older adult education and learning.
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Richards, C., Makaphol, J., Kuan, T. (2019). ‘Lifelong Education’ Versus ‘Learning in Later Life’: A University of the Third Age Formula for the Thailand Context?. In: Formosa, M. (eds) The University of the Third Age and Active Ageing. International Perspectives on Aging, vol 23. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21515-6_20
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