Through this book, the author takes us behind the scenes of AIUTA – the International Association of Universities of the Third Age, which he chairs and champions across the globe. Present in 86 countries on six continents and bringing together more than 12 million senior learners, AIUTA has become the largest university on the planet.A university without walls or borders, where knowledge is shared, generations connect, and older adults rediscover the joy of learning, teaching, and traveling.From Barcelona to Toronto, Dakar to Toowoomba, Osaka to Bogotá, the author recounts his encounters, his doubts, and his moments of wonder. He shares the birth of visionary projects such as "AIUTA CONNECT,” the app that links seniors around the world, and "Study Trips for Seniors,” which reinvent tourism by turning it into an intellectual and deeply human adventure.This book is far more than a memoir: it is a love letter to lifelong learning, a manifesto against ageism, and an invitation to see retirement as a golden age of freedom, knowledge, and meaningful connections.An inspiring, sometimes moving, often radiant work that restores seniors to the place they deserve—at the heart of society and at the heart of the future.
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Professor François Vellas is President of AIUTA, the International Association of Universities of the Third Age, and Honorary Scientific President of UCP3A (Université Culture et Partage du Troisième Âge) in Toulouse. Drawing on his international experience as an expert for the United Nations and the European Union, he has devoted his career to advancing the cause of current and future retirees by promoting lifelong learning through Universities of the Third Age.
