The u3a is a world-wide movement which started in France at the University of Toulouse. It became International by 1979 and introduced to the UK in Cambridge in 1981. The original French system was integrated with Universities which provided both tutors and venues. However, in the UK members organise and run their own activities.

The u3a movement is a non-religious and non-political organisation. It consists of a group of men and women, of any age, who are no longer in full-time employment and meet together to study a wide range of subjects. We are not a university in the modern sense of a body which awards degrees, but in the original sense of a community of people engaged in learning - by learning from each other - meeting others and having fun. Members promote the value of lifetime learning and the positive attributes of belonging to a u3a.

The key principles of the u3a can be summarized as follows:

• Open to all who have ceased full-time employment and appreciate the value of lifelong learning.
• Self- help learning, run by the membership for its own enjoyment, without fear or favour.
• Each u3a is a mutual aid, self funded, independent organisation within The Third Age Trust.
• See the Principles of the u3a page for a full statement.