Między inkluzją a społecznym zamknięciem: Nierówności dostępu do edukacji w Uniwersytetach Trzeciego Wieku
Between Inclusion and Social Closure: Inequalities in Access to Education in Universities of the Third Age

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to analyze inequalities in the participation of older adults in Universities of the Third Age (UTAs) and to identify mechanisms of exclusion that limit access to non-formal education in later life. The analysis focuses on structural, organizational, cultural, and symbolic barriers, examined in light of the diverse educational and biographical needs of older adults. The article is based on a critical review of national and international quantitative and qualitative studies on senior education. An intersectional perspective is applied, capturing differences related to gender, social class, health and functional ability, ethnic background, economic status, and digital competences. The analysis encompasses structural patterns of participation, constraints resulting from the quasi-academic organizational model of UTAs, health- and mobility-related barriers, social and ethnic inequalities, manifestations of ageism, and digital exclusion. The findings indicate that the dominant "active aging" ethos within UTAs promotes a "one-size-fits-all" model that privileges mobile, culturally competent, middle-class seniors while simultaneously marginalizing individuals experiencing cumulative inequalities. The results confirm that participation in UTAs is selective and reproduces earlier educational inequalities. Underrepresented groups include individuals with lower socioeconomic status, men, persons with disabilities, members of minority groups, and residents of rural areas. These disparities result from the interplay of structural, institutional, and cultural-symbolic barriers which, through the normative model of the "ideal participant," narrow the actual accessibility of UTAs. The final section presents directions for action conducive to more inclusive educational practices: redefining accessibility, strengthening senior participation in designing educational offerings, introducing diversified instructional models, and implementing systematic monitoring of participation equity. UTAs can become tools for redistributing educational opportunities if they shift from selective inclusion toward an approach grounded in human rights and the recognition of diversity.

• Details
• Contents