Lifelong education for older adults in Malta: Current trends and future visions

Abstract

With European demographic developments causing a decline of the available workforce in the foreseeable future and the unsustainability of dominant pay-as-you-go pension systems (where contributions from the current workforce sustain pensioners), governments need to come up with strategies to deal with this upcoming challenge and to adjust their policies. Based on a study carried out between September 2009 and May 2010, this article evaluates the policies guiding late-life education in Malta, as well as the local plethora of learning opportunities for older adult education, and participation rates. The Maltese government is committed to supporting the inclusion of older persons (aged 60?) in lifelong education policies and programmes, to the extent that local studies have uncovered a recent rise in the overall participation of older adults in formal, non-formal and informal areas of learning. While the present and future prospects for late-life education in Malta seem promising, a critical scrutiny of present ideologies and trends finds the field to be no more than seductive rhetoric. Though the coordination of late-life education in Malta does result in various social benefits to older learners and Maltese society in general, it also occurs within five intersecting lines of inequality -namely an economic rationale, elitism, gender bias, the urban-rural divide and third ageism. This article ends by proposing policy recommendations for the future of late-life education.

Exploring social inclusivity within the University of the Third Age (U3A): a model of collaborative research

“…Most participants highlighted difficulties discerning what the name meant and expressed that this alone did not encourage them to seek more information, affirming the view that ‘U3A’ is an ‘ill-advised label which requires elaborate explanation’ (Midwinter 1984: 5). In line with the findings of Swindell (1993), Formosa (2000, 2012 a ) and Findsen (2005), some participants felt that the term ‘university’ inferred well-educated middle-class individuals: U3A I thought was for really clever people, like university people, the middle class … I thought they'd be too clever. (Monica, 64)…”

“… 1 The focus of this research was determined in light of longstanding U3A membership concerns. Existing research highlights certain features of the U3A formulate significant barriers to participation in the U3A, particularly the perception that it is a ‘middle-class’ organisation (Formosa 2000, 2012 b , 2014; Glendenning 2001; Jamieson, Miller and Stafford 1998; Swindell 1993). Despite this knowledge, there appears to be a distinct lack of British research into why this may be the case.…”

“…Despite this knowledge, there appears to be a distinct lack of British research into why this may be the case. Indeed, with a few notable exceptions (Glendenning 2001; Huang 2006), there is a paucity of UK literature detailing experiences of lifelong learning within the U3A in comparison to the volume of research originating from Australia (Hebestreit 2008; Swindell 1991, 1993, 1999; Whyte 1991; Williamson 1995: 36, 1997, 2000), Malta (Formosa 2000, 2009, 2012 b , 2014) and Poland (Ratman-Liwerska 1996; Wilinska 2012). To the best of our knowledge, no qualitative studies have been conducted in the UK exploring participation in the U3A, nor have any focused primarily on U3As in the North of England (although a survey of ten U3As in the North-East was conducted exploring U3A successes and future improvements – see O'Keefe, Atkinson and Pinkerton 2005).…”

“…The U3A was founded in France in 1972 with the aim of improving the quality of life of older adults (Glendenning 2001) and has since gained a positive reputation for ‘democratising lifelong learning’ through recognising the needs of a group usually ‘left out in the cold as far as learning is concerned’ (Formosa 2014: 45). Formosa (2012 a : 114) defines the U3A as ‘socio-cultural centres', allowing older individuals to gain new or validate existing knowledge by providing a platform for older individuals to engage in inexpensive non-formal learning through sharing knowledge among peers, for self-fulfilment not qualifications (Moody 2004). Thus, the term ‘university’ is not intended to be taken literally but as a reference to the medieval values of universities rooted in ‘the selfless pursuit of knowledge and truth for its own sake’ ( Midwinter 1984: 4).…”

Lifelong learning and library programming for third agers

“…Many topics for lifelong learning programs appeal mainly to the middle class and to women. For example, traditionally male interests such as astronomy, botany and zoology were found to be excluded (Formosa, 2012). Johnson (2014) also calls for an evaluation of programming for baby boomers who do not see themselves as being “old”.…”