U3A Brisbane
OUR CLASS MIX
We currently have over 175 face-to-face classes in our City Campus and district venues. We also have many active classes employing various Remote Learning methods, e.g. email, discussion groups, including over 40 Online Classes using Zoom videoconferencing. Congratulations to both tutors and members who have embraced the new learning opportunities.
LATEST eNEWS June 2023
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 3000 members and offer more than 200 educational courses each term, all of these at 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. Our Site Map provides links to all pages on our website.
How we Operate
To attend our classes, you must first become a member. Membership is for a calendar year and costs $45 per annum. You can then enrol in classes via the Class Search page. District (suburban) classes are generally free of charge, but our City Campus classes require an upfront fee for the term. There are 4 terms per year based on Qld school terms. For more information see our How to Join page.
Special Online Presentation in June
Note: We have now enabled Closed Captions (live text transcript) as a user option for all U3A Brisbane Zoom presentations, which will be of interest to those who are hard of hearing. See our Zoom Instructions page for more information.
Degrees of Separation - Paul Granville
Wednesday 14 June, 11am to 12.30pm, online via Zoom
In the early 20th century, Brisbane was a small city and there were only a few degrees of separation between all its residents. This presentation follows a trail of relationships between a number of people who lived on the inner south side, all drawn into the vortex of the First World War and the highly divisive conscription issue. You will meet the sensitive poet shocked by his experience as a stretcher bearer who subsequently changed his changed his name twice, the rebel Anglican priest who founded his own religion, the stalwart peace campaigner attacked in a wild brawl at a public women’s hearing; and the communist couple who had lived in a failed utopian paradise and subsequently joined the fight against conscription.
Term 2 2023 Classes
Class Schedule for Term 2 2023 is now available and enrolments are open. Term 2 finishes on Friday 23rd June. Enrolments for Term 3 open on Sunday 11 June.
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
2023 Term dates:
| Term | From | To | Weeks |
| 1 | 23 January | 31 March | 10 |
| 2 | 17 April | 23 June | 10 |
| 3 | 10 July | 15 September | 10 |
| 4 | 3 October | 8 December | 10 |
QR Code Attendance System
U3A Brisbane uses our own internal QR Code system to record class attendances. See Using the QR System for more information.
Accessibility
U3A Brisbane endeavours to ensure that classes and information are provided in an accessible manner where possible. This includes the use of Closed Captions for online classes. See our Accessibility page for more information.
U3A Discussion Forum
U3A Brisbane now has a Discussion Forum, mainly intended for members to discuss class content with each other. In order to access the forum, members who have not otherwise registered a password as Tutor or staff Volunteer need to firstly:
Register a username and password via Website Registration. Make sure you respond to the security email otherwise the password won't be registered. If you ever forget your password, you can re-set it via the same process.
Once you have a username and password:
1. Login via the login window at top right of home page.
2. Go to Members menu that will then show on the right and select Discussion Forum.
Tutors may request a new forum category for their class. See Discussion Forum explanatory page for more information.
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.
COVID Safe Plan - City Campus 2023COVID Safe Plan - District Classes 2023
Remote Learning
U3A Brisbane recommends 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.Closed Captions are optionally available in Zoom sessions for those members who need them.
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)
Acknowledgement of Country
In the spirit of reconciliation, U3A Brisbane (the inner city area is traditionally known as Meanjin) would like to acknowledge the Turrbal and Yuggera peoples, the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connection to land, sea and community. U3A extends this acknowledgement to all Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
