OBJECTS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE IN THE UK

The concept of the University of the Third Age (U3A) as an international movement, which aims to stimulate community members in the third age of life to the active life and self-fulfillment through the creation and functioning educational and recreational facilities of diverse type and the nature of the activity, is studied in the article. The authors determined the origin and history of the University of the Third Age in the UK, characterized the scope and main points of the activity of the National leading agency of Universities of the Third Age in the UK – Trust of the Third Age, which represents all the Universities of the Third Age in the UK nationally and internationally. The main aims of the Universities of the Third Age in the UK are defined that is to increase the knowledge of British society; to create institutions for promoting and facilitating training for older people for their own pleasure; to help elderly people in efficient use of time off and to develop effective methods to achieve self-realization; to provide older people with the resources necessary for development their intelligence, creativity and enhancement of their cultural and social life. The insight into basic principles of the University of the Third Age is provided: Peter Laslett's principles, the principle of the Third Age, the principle of self-education, mutual principle, the principle of personal choice of appropriate essence and mode of attendance.