U3A BRISBANE

U3A is the University of the Third Age, which is the age of active retirement, coming after the age of youth and work and home making. University is a loose term - there are no academic requirements for membership and no exams.

U3A is a worldwide self-help organisation promoting learning for personal enjoyment and wellbeing. Keeping the brain active, doing interesting things and making new friends are essential for helping older people to maximise their chances of independence, and this is what U3A does very effectively. U3A is making a very substantial contribution to society by helping its members to remain healthy and active for longer.

U3A Brisbane is one of many similar U3A organisations in Australia. Formed in 1986, we are a totally volunteer organisation, and provide leisure and educational courses to local seniors. We have over 4000 members and offer more than 290 courses each term, all of these at a low cost.

Our City Campus classes are held at our own premises at 97 Creek Street Brisbane, and in leased rooms nearby at 232 Adelaide St Brisbane, just a short walk from bus, train or ferry. Other City Precinct classes are held at various locations in the CBD.

We also have classes in surrounding suburbs and districts - in Logan (our largest district outside the city), Southside, Northside, Westside and Wynnum.

See the Class Search page for information on all  current classes, and our How to Join page for information about joining U3A Brisbane.

TERM 2 CLASSES

Class Schedule for Term 2 2021 is now available and enrolments are open.  Term 1 finishes on Thursday 1st April and Term 2 commences on Monday 19th April.

To join a new class, enrol through the Class Search page by clicking on the Enrol button, or contact the tutor directly by email or phone. If you book online you may assume your enrolment is accepted unless the tutor advises otherwise.

If you are currently enrolled in a Term 1 class that you wish to continue attending in Term 2, you can use the Member Dashboard to re-enrol.

Search Classes and Enrol
Class Help Page Download PDF

Member Dashboard

SPECIAL EVENTS IN MAY

The following Online Presentations will be conducted via Zoom during May. Book for any of these presentations via the Book Now link below.

Wednesday 12th May 11.00am-12.30pm: Children of the Magenta Line - A Snapshot of Cockpit Automation.
Presenter:  Ric Raymond.
Ric Raymond is a highly experienced international airline captain (and now U3A member). Over his career he has experienced many changes in aircraft design and flight deck automation, from basic analogue instruments to today's highly automated and complex "glass cockpit". Modern commercial airliners are technology-rich environments, packed with avionics, sensors, computers and communications systems. Automation can help reduce pilot workload and improve safety, but automation complexity comes with unintended side effects. Ric will explain the basics of the modern cockpit and present his views on the positives and negatives of automation technology. So fasten your seatbelt and prepare for take-off!

Tuesday 18th May 10.00am-11.30am: Hydrogen as a Clean Energy Solution
Presenter:  Dr Daniel Roberts (CSIRO)
Hydrogen has long been touted as the solution to our clean energy needs. Recently it has re-emerged, but this time it's different: major global economies now have hydrogen as part of their energy strategies, we have seen technological improvements that support cost-competitiveness across a range of applications, and there is a strong shift in sentiment towards a decrease in carbon-intensive pathways for energy production. This talk will give an overview of the current situation regarding hydrogen energy systems, discuss the opportunities and challenges, and showcase some active projects in Australia and around the world that are leading the charge.

Tuesday 25th May 10.00am-11.30am: Estate planning in a time of COVID
Presenter:  Loan Chow (Solicitor)
In a global pandemic, wills and estates are front of mind. How do you ensure your loved ones are cared for? How do you ensure the right people make decisions for you if you lose capacity? How do you minimise the risk of your will being disputed? Even if you have all this in place, you may need to make changes under current circumstances. Loan Chow will share her experiences and insights about: wills gone wrong or no will at all; Testamentary Discretionary Trusts; tips and traps about Enduring Powers of Attorney; and the importance of Advanced Health Directives. She will highlight some key areas and practical pathways to help you make the right choices.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2021

The Annual General Meeting of U3A Brisbane was held on Wednesday 14th April 2021 at 10.00am as an online Zoom meeting, with 30 members attending. The new Management Committee elected for 2021/22 is as shown below. Please encourage the new Committee in their challenging deliberatations.

    President's Report to AGM

    Treasurer's Report to AGM

Management Committee 2021/22

COVID Safe Plans

U3A Brisbane is required to have COVID-19 Safe Plans in place for face-to-face classes and current plans are available below. Tutors must contact the relevant District Coordinator if you wish to conduct a face-to-face class and you must agree to abide by the relevant Plan.

REMOTE LEARNING

We are recommending Zoom videoconferencing to tutors who do not wish to conduct face-to-face classes. Many tutors are successfully running their classes online at present. This facility will not be appropriate to all classes but should suit those classes where presentations are typically made. It is very easy to use and we encourage all members to join these sessions online when invited by the tutor.
  Zoom - Student Instructions
  Zoom - Tutor Instructions

Email Discussion Groups
U3A Brisbane is also recommending that tutors consider setting up an Email Discussion Group. This enables class members to join the group for interactive discussion.
  Discussion Group Instructions (for tutors)

CORONAVIRUS PRECAUTIONS

Current advice can be summarised as:
Protect yourself and others by staying home. Stop the spread by practicing good hygiene and social distancing.

Please read these advisory documents for detailed advice:
Coronavirus (COVID-19), Qld Health

Coronavirus (COVID-19), Australian Government

Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Install the COVIDSafe app on your mobile phone

The ABC Coronavirus website is an excellent source of up-to-date information.
 

2021 Term dates: