Should a person after 50 think only about peaceful old age and slippers? How can people at an advanced age contribute to the society? To what extent does the University of the Third Age satisfy the needs of elderly people? These and other questions are answered by professor Andrzej Koziarski, the director of the University of the Third Age at the Technical University of Łódź.

What was the idea lying behind the foundation of the University of the Third Age at the Technical University of Łódź? What are your goals and what have you achieved so far?

The University was founded in June 2006 by the resolution of the Technical University’s Senate. We started recruitment last September to admit over 400 students. At the moment we have 500 students in Łódź and around 100 in Konstantynów, where we have a kind of branch. There are a number of reasons why the institution was founded. First of all, such is the mission of the Technical University – to provide education - so why should this mission be confined to young people? Besides, the majority of large world universities have been carrying out this sort of activity for a dozen, perhaps even several dozen years. The whole thing started in France and has spread all over the world. Today such universities are run in most European countries, also in America, Canada and Japan. This is the official background, and what is the real one? The main reason to found the university was to give people beyond retirement age a possibility to do something more than just sit in front of a TV or lost in gloomy thoughts. I want to point out that most of our students are over fifty years of age, but we have younger ones too because we are open not only to retirees, but also to those who get all kinds of disability pensions.
   
What goals, looking from the perspective of more than 12 months’ work, have been successfully achieved, and what have you failed to achieve? What challenges are the university decision-makers going to face in the future?

At the beginning we saw the university as a two-plane activity: the lectures (there are 15, 16 in a semester, depending on its length), plus optional classes in several subjects: three conference languages, information science, physical exercise. Naturally, we don’t train Olympic athletes, we just want to allow the people, under the supervision of well-qualified instructors, to stretch their muscles a little. Our students are also interested in cultural issues. The art classes launched last year were entirely their initiative. We teach drawing and painting. Again, we don’t plan to raise a new Matejko, but to teach them the basics of perspective and colour. We also launched  classes in photography. Do we plan to add anything? Yes, we want to start teaching Italian soon, and to start classes in the history of art, beginning the next semester. There is great interest in these subjects among our students. Why? There are two reasons. Firstly, most of our students worked hard all their lives. They usually didn’t have time to develop and satisfy their passions. For example, a lady who worked as an accountant, had one job in her company, another job at home, since she usually is a wife and a mother. And we all know how much time that all takes. Now, that she has far fewer duties, she can finally afford pursuing her interest in art. The other reason is that the lectures so far have been really exciting, so they have attracted people. The lectures don’t only teach students about what is in the paining, but they provide historical and ideological background, things that ‘rookie’ students couldn’t figure out by themselves, accurately at least. The same refers to the history of music classes, taught by an expert who can afford furnishing the students with really broad knowledge.     

What, in your opinion, is the role of elderly people in the society? Are they active or do they need additional stimulation? Does the university wish to stimulate them?

It is quite a difficult question because the answer is not simple: we are all active or we are all inactive. As is known, there are such people and such people. Many people are the most successful at an older age. We can find many such examples in the past. There are also others who, at some age, put on slippers, sit in front of a TV and this is the end of their active life. There are fewer of them, but they do exist. The role of universities of the third age, among other things, is to show those people that they are needed, that something of interest is still awaiting them. Besides, the university gives them the opportunity of meeting other people, they are not isolated, closed within four walls. They are socializing, their further existence suddenly makes sense again. I think that it would be a mistake to give up on them and say that a person who turned 50 is no longer necessary. 

Having worked at the Technical University of Łódź for many years you have had contacts with young people too. What differences are there between the students of the Technical University and those of the University of the Third Age? Do their expectations differ? Who are easier to work with?

I have had over fifty years’ practical teaching experience. I’ve met very young people and those of more advanced age. So again, it is very difficult to answer this question unequivocally. Generally speaking, the interest in and the attitudes to studying of “real” students and the students of the University of the Third Age differ a little. The former are aware of the fact that they are acquiring qualifications and this is what their future depends on. I regret to say that not all of them think that way, to some it’s all the same whether they get a satisfactory or a good mark in their diploma. However, academic achievements are increasingly important to employers, so young students realize that mediocrity won’t do. Whereas the students of the University of the Third Age aren’t pressed by results because they don’t take exams and their achievements are not evaluated. Nevertheless, I have a very high opinion of them and their engagement. Besides, you attended the lectures yourself so you saw their enthusiasm, their curiosity and the eagerness to learn. And if a lecture could last 30 minutes longer, they would be happy to stay, because they are learning something new. So I think that maybe it is this lack of control that makes them so interested.   

To what extend does the University of the Third Age incorporates culture in its activity? We have already mentioned the history of art classes and the music classes; I also know that visits to theatres, to the opera and music-halls are organized. Are these activities important to you? Does the University satisfy certain needs which, in the era of ‘teenage’ culture, are hard to satisfy?

Indeed, we organize cultural events for our students, e.g. going out to the theatre, to a museum or to a concert. Unfortunately, this involves additional fees, but we always try to get discounts. When I was buying the first tickets for an opera performance, there were about 15 people interested. Now I have a list of over 70 people waiting for new cultural events. It means that the interest has increased a lot. To my mind however, we still need to do something about literature. Some timid attempts will be made at the end of this year. We will provide a lecture on Tuwim’s paths in Łódź. We hope it’s only the beginning of a new strand of our work. Perhaps it will be possible to find people interested in literature and launch new optional classes.  
 
Lets go back to contemporary culture. How efficiently, from your point of view, do you manage to get it through to elderly people? Isn’t it too one-sidedly aimed at young people, not only in its aspects, but also in the ways it is distributed?

It’s a very good question. We can say that there is a great number of events, but aimed mainly at young people. Of course, there are others, but the prices of tickets are prohibitive for the elderly. Even some working people cannot afford paying around 25 Euro. We try to select cultural events, also guided by our own taste. Obviously, our choices are subjective in a way, but I hope they more or less meet our students’ expectations. I agree with the opinion that the older generation may find contemporary culture difficult sometimes. As it seems, the mass media should become aware that a group of elderly people constitute an increasingly larger part of our society. I think that this is where we come in as a university. 

Finally, I would like to raise a very important problem that concerns all the universities of the third age. Do all of them maintain a high level and how is the name the University of the Third Age legally protected?

This is a very important issue. Formally, such universities can be founded by just anyone. But the name ‘university’ does put some obligations on the institution, doesn’t it? Nobody can open a regular university, i.e. an institution that offers bachelor and master courses, without relevant permits or well-qualified staff. In this case however, there are no such requirements. Nothing protects the name which is overused by many people, by those who found such institutions to make profit. The level of some of them is very low, so the idea of the University of the Third Age  gets depreciated.

I would like to wish you and your colleagues further successes and the realization of your plans.

Thank you very much, but I must say that the main initiator of this institution was Professor Jan Krysiński, the Rector of the Technical University of Łódź. Without his personal involvement it would have had no chance. The Rector is now represented by the Vice-Rector, Professor Ireneusz Zbiciński, and I get a lot of support from them both. The atmosphere is very favourable, we get positive response from all the Institutes and faculty. People treat this work as socially minded and as a kind of mission because the lecture rates are quite moderate. I’m grateful to them for that because otherwise nothing could be achieved.

Thank you very much.