University of the Third Age

Our University of the Third Age is open to all citizens from the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County over the age of 55, with prior secondary or tertiary education. As organized by the University of Rijeka, its educational programs offer an informal approach to learning that opens older generations to fresh insights and relates all new information to their rich personal experience. Founded in 2009 in cooperation with the City of Rijeka and the City of Opatija, the University of the Third Age aims to cultivate social inclusion, improve general levels of motivation and mental health, and foster the wellbeing of older generations. The University of Rijeka wants to take care of its citizens and make them feel included in the academic community.

Since 2009 till 2024 the University of Rijeka has realized 87 programs, comprised of ten, twenty one or thirty four 45-minute classes each, in the areas of horticulture, health studies, nutrition, physics, neuroscience, personal finance, psychology, emotional health, sculpting, drawing, painting, graphics, religion, creative writing, Rijeka’s history, Rijeka and the Northern Adriatic area’s cultural legacy, art history, ethics, cultural studies, and biotechnology. When analyzing the data on the attendance of lectures and workshops, the program was attended by more than 1100 participants (average 75 per year) over the age of 55, an average of 85% of participants were women and 15% of participants were men. All courses are held in two cycles, a spring and a fall semester. On top of these two semesters, the University of Rijeka arranges individual thematic lectures throughout the year. We have, till 2024 organized 135 such classes, which have welcomed a total of 3000 participants over 55 years of age.