PHOTO // About 145 people enrolled in just three weeks at University of Third Age

About 145 people submitted enrollment applications in just three weeks to the University of the Third Age (UV3), while 96 seniors were admitted to the program’s fourth cohort. In the new academic year, the program held at  Moldova State University (USM) is expanding to four groups, three taught in Romanian and one in Russian.

The four groups bring together 96 seniors, 84 of whom are women. Among the participants are six people over the age of 80, as well as one couple. According to the organizers, interest in the program has been growing from year to year, and the increase in the number of groups reflects this trend.

In the 2026–2027 academic year, seniors will be able to attend courses in digital skills for using mobile phones, computers and laptops, English, legal education, 20th-century history, healthy longevity and fitness for seniors. The program also includes the course “Well-Being and Intergenerational Communication.”

A new feature is the “Digital Seniors” course, dedicated to using computers and laptops. The program also includes an online course on well-being and intergenerational communication, structured into 10 online lessons and 10 video lessons.



Another component of the program consists of four blocks of “UV3 Dialogues” workshops dedicated to literature, technology, intergenerational dialogue and health.


“The University of the Third Age is a very good example of how we can transform aging into a stage of life in which people continue to learn, develop and remain involved in the community. The fact that more and more seniors choose to participate in this program each year shows us that there is both interest in and a need for lifelong learning opportunities,” said Minister of Labor and Social Protection Natalia Plugaru.




Ludmila Sîrbu, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in the Republic of Moldova, noted that the University of the Third Age also represents an investment in the human capital of older people.


“People are living longer, and the fact that we are living longer is good news. The question is how we can transform this longevity into an opportunity for people and society. For us, the University of the Third Age is more than an educational program; it is an investment in the human capital of older people and, at the same time, a contribution to the demographic resilience of the Republic of Moldova. We believe that seniors should not be viewed only through the lens of their needs, but also through what they can continue to bring to society: experience, knowledge, skills and the desire to remain active and involved in their communities,” said Ludmila Sîrbu.


This year, the University of the Third Age has reached its fourth cohort. Since the program was launched, approximately 550 seniors from the Republic of Moldova have graduated from UV3 programs. The initiative has also been expanded to other regions of the country, including Bălți and Cahul.

The University of the Third Age is an initiative of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, launched in 2023 and implemented in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, the Ministry of Education and Research, Moldova State University and Moldcell Foundation.