With more than 1000 members, including retired and semi-retired people, U3A Dunedin is going from strength-to-strength as it gears up to offer six new courses in February and March.
The topics on offer include archaeology, sacred art and architecture, music and performing arts, religion, crime fiction, and the impact of artificial intelligence.
U3A Dunedin chairwoman Dr Elizabeth Wilson said the lecture series would be led by experts, with 80% of the speakers either current or retired staff of the University of Otago.
"We are very fortunate to have a close relationship with the university, and I really want to acknowledge their support," Dr Wilson said.
"And we have had very positive feedback from the lecturers, who have enjoyed their interactions with large and engaged U3A audiences."
Dr Wilson said many U3A Dunedin members had already expressed a great deal of interest in the topics on offer for the autumn series, and the large turnouts expected meant a new venue would be trialled this year, alongside Otago Golf Club and Leith Bowling Club — which both had a capacity of about 150.
The new additional venue would be the Naylor Love Lounge, upstairs at the Edgar Centre, which could hold up to 200 people and would be used for the artificial intelligence course.
Along with offering three series of courses in autumn, winter and spring, U3A Dunedin also runs a flourishing programme of interest groups for its members.
Dr Wilson said these interest groups, which covered a broad range of topics from wine appreciation to opera, each had their own convener and met in members’ homes.
"An important aspect of U3A events is that, along with education, they offer members opportunities for social connection, which is very important," Dr Wilson said.
U3A Dunedin also offers an annual lecture and one-off special lectures, which last year included presentations by Prof Jacinta Ruru on Te Tiriti o Waitangi; Prof Michael Baker on the aftermath of the pandemic; and Prof Robert Patman on the impact of veto powers in the UN Security Council.
"We are very pleased with the range of topics we are able to cover each year for our members," Dr Wilson said.
"And it is important to acknowledge the work of the volunteers who make U3A Dunedin what it is — the largest voluntary community education provider in Dunedin," Dr Wilson said.
Volunteers tackled many roles, from acting as board members, programme committee members and interest group conveners, to course assistants, AV assistants, and editors of U3A publications
• The U3A Dunedin 2026 Autumn courses will run from February 17 to March 27, and registrations close on January 29.
Information about the courses and the presenters is available on the U3A Dunedin website: https://u3adunedin.org.nz
Membership of U3A Dunedin is open to retired and semi-retired people, and new members are welcome — there is no waiting list. For information, visit the website, or email members@u3adunedin.org.nz
The annual subscription is $40 (unchanged for three years), and the course fee is $50 (unchanged for four years).
