After retirement, many people still feel anxious about acquiring new knowledge. Some have always had a passion for a specific subject or would have liked to access university studies, but were unable to. Some even attend university centers as listeners. After the working stage, it is a good time to continue learning, but without the pressure of passing any exams and simply for the pleasure of learning. This is demonstrated by projects such as the University Extension Classrooms for the Elderly at the University of Barcelona (AUGG BCN UB), which offer educational activities under the slogan “Stop learning is start to age”.
AUGG BCN is a non-profit organization that welcomes people over 55 with an interest in gaining new knowledge. With the collaboration of the University of Barcelona (UB), the association organizes training sessions in various centers of the city of Barcelona. The organization offers seminars on history, painting, poetry, literature and English that last the whole school year. There are also short seminars on music, film, mathematics, finance, chemistry and even quantum physics.
Classroom users can also sign up for cultural outings and trips to destinations inside and outside Europe are offered. Marianela Adolfo, administrative secretary of the entity, explains that “they have made trips to New Zealand, Africa, India, Australia and Iceland”, trips that “always have a cultural purpose” and in which the students often “accompanied by a teacher who guides them”.
Adolfo explains that the aim of the association is “to offer the opportunity to study to all people who have not had access to university studies”. After retirement, it’s a good time for seniors to do activities they’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done because of lack of time. “This generation is very active and has a lot of desire”, he says.
Àngel Serrano, student and member of AUGG BCN, is 81 years old and retired five years ago. Every Wednesday he goes to the chapel of the Faculty of Philology and Communication of the UB, where he attends two conferences given by university professors. Serrano explains that, in addition to “learning about many different topics” and attending seminars and conferences, it is also “a way to meet people and make friends”. “The classrooms are full of people,” he says. Between laughs, he assures that this shows that many older people “still want to learn!”
During the last years of his working life, Serrano devoted a lot of time to his job at a motorcycle importing company. When he retired, a void came: “I went from being very busy to staying at home staring at the ceiling. I didn’t want that.” So, he wanted to enroll to study Astronomy, but when he saw the academic curriculum he gave up. The Classrooms allow you to continue your education, but without the pressure of assignments and exams that university degrees involve. “Now I have a full schedule”, he admits with satisfaction.
One of the most celebrated activities is the intimate auditions. They get that name because, after a concert, members can talk to the musicians. Within the cultural field, the art history and opera seminars arouse interest.
Marianela Adolfo explains that AUGG is mostly supported by the work of around 50 volunteer members, who organize and supervise the activities. The schedule can be consulted on the association’s website: https://www.auggbcn-ub.org/. The annual fee per member is 96 euros per year.
