Fondazione Università Adulti Anziani
Since 1981, Fondazione Università Adulti Anziani (the University for Senior People in Vicenza) has catered for the needs of retired people with a lot of free time. The university aims to combat social isolation and marginalisation by providing a supportive network for individuals who have left the workforce or experienced a decline in social interactions due to personal challenges.
It is a well-structured cultural project organised into 29 branches across the Vicenza province, with a total of 4,973 participants this year. Each branch offers a minimum of 200 hours of lectures tailored to participants’ interests. Last year, the total number of lecture hours across the entire university was 6,592, with 268 different classes and 229 different workshops. The total number of attendees was 289,352.
Studies about local territories and their history are key topics. However, the subject matter ranges from anthropology and social science to history and literature, and from scientific discovery to European Union studies, neighbouring countries, and world religions. Adult learners are encouraged to participate in seminars and workshops such as choirs, theatre and debate groups.
Every year, historical research is carried out across all the branches and everyone can contribute. By the end, all the information is gathered together and printed in the university newspaper. In addition, many meetings and a creative contest are organised throughout the year to promote social interaction. Computer science has proven to be a very popular subject among the university participants.
In recent years, computer literacy workshops have been promoted throughout the university, enabling interested participants to familiarise themselves with smartphones and tablets. The next step is to learn how to use these digital tools properly by studying the good practice of other countries.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.univia.it
Role in the Generation Infinity project
The Fondazione Università Adulti Anziani (FUA) acts as the consortium’s specialist in senior education. It is responsible for the empirical basis of Work Package 2, coordinating the Feasibility Report, the Gap Analysis and the Country Case Studies Booklet, which translate survey and focus group data into actionable national-level insights. The FUA also co-designs user requirements for the Generation Infinity Digital Platform, contributing to the iterative testing of its inclusive features alongside the technical lead. Finally, FUA strengthens project outreach by co-authoring newsletters, academic articles, and social media content. This ensures that evidence and resources reach educators, policymakers, and senior communities well beyond Italy.
Team Members
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