Tomsk State University has become a member of the International Association of Universities of the Third Age (IAUTA). It is an authoritative organization, which includes the universities of Europe, Asia, and America. It was created in 1973 to promote knowledge-sharing, which achieves the older generation, for the benefit of the society. This is a vivid and convincing realization of the social role of the university in the modern world.
- Membership in this association gives us an access to the international level in the area of open and free education, - says Elena Novikova, Director of the TSU Centre Open University. - There will be an exchange of experience, the study of technologies of how working with people of this age. In fact, it's not easy. For example, we were the first in Tomsk who launched free English language courses for seniors, and the first year of work showed us that it is necessary to use a completely different, special techniques.
During the first half of 2016, Open University conducted 9 programmes, which were attended by more than 3, 300 people.
- At a certain point the president of IAUTA Professor François Vellas contacted with us and expressed a desire to come to Tomsk, - says Elena Novikova. - I think the leadership of the Association is interesting to see the different regions, to explore how this work is proceeding in different countries and universities around the world, because everywhere there are its own peculiarities. But there are common problems.
Open University is an educational centre focused on different social and age groups of the Tomsk Region. Many free lectures and other educational activities are organized in the framework of the Centre. Particular attention is paid to education the people of the third age and socially unprotected segments of the population of the city and the region.