Study Days & Short Courses
Study Days
Study Days provide all members with the opportunity to study a topic thought to be of general interest. In the past days have been arranged on Climate Change, Gardening for Wildlife and many other interesting topics.
Further study days will be listed below when they are arranged.
Study Day: Women – Their changing roles and status:
Thank you to all those members who have shown an interest in attending the study day we are planning, to explore and discuss our experiences of gender inequality. We are delighted to confirm that we have now finalised the arrangements for the day, which are as follows:
• Date: Friday 26 April 2024
• Time: 11.00 am – 4.00 pm
• Venue: Medway Hall, Angel Centre
Our intention is for the day to be a fully participatory study day during which members will work in small groups with a facilitator, each of whom is a member of Tonbridge u3a. The areas of focus will be:
• Our experiences of gender inequality from our youth and early adulthood. What were our expectations and what were society’s expectations at that time?
• What are the most pressing current issues? What changes have occurred up to the present day and what advances have been made?
• What changes need to occur in the future to realise true gender equality? How can we participate in achieving this?
We are expecting this to be a very interesting day during which we will all learn a lot.
The study day is open to all members and is free of charge. Tea and coffee will be provided but you will need to provide your own lunch. You can bring this with you or pop out during the lunch break to buy what you want.
Please reserve your place by sending an e-mail to:
Study Days by Local u3as
When we are aware of study days that local u3as have opened to our members they are listed here
Short Courses
Many short courses are arranged by the u3a Trust, their relationship with leading organisations, built up over many years, has meant they are in a position to offer selected national events online ensuring that learning is still available to our u3as and their members. This includes events with the National Gallery, Royal Institution, Guildhall Art Gallery, and the British Library (for which there may be a charge).
They are also offering a number of workshops, webinars and interactive sessions delivered by members for members, which are free to join. We will highlight some of these on the National Event page here. For full details of all National events click here.
Many online events are being delivered via the Zoom video conferencing/webinar platform. They have some ‘How to Guides‘ and are offering ‘Online Tutorials‘ for using Zoom that may assist you if you are not familiar with this tool.
Free Online Event
Wednesday, 27 March, 2 - 3:30pm
Secrets of the Human Brain: Talk Three: Brain & Behaviour
About the series: This is a series of seven interactive talks which cover many aspects of our amazing brains. The series starts with a simple description of the structure of the brain and subsequent talks include subjects like sleep, dreams, behaviour, pain, the spinal cord, brain scanning and more.
Talk 3: Brain & Behaviour (I think, therefore, I am !)
This talk explains that we have ‘’old’ and ‘new’ parts of our brain and both parts drive our behaviour. The ‘’old’’ parts drive our basic behaviour and emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, hunger, thirst and sex. The ‘new’ parts can modify these basic drives and they produce our most sophisticated thoughts and feelings.
This event is for u3a members only.
Free Online Event
Thursday 28 March, 2pm - June 27 · 3:30pm
Suffering and hope in Tolstoy's Anna Karenina
This is the first of a series of talks illustrating how the creative arts can enhance our wellbeing.
About the series: A series of four talks by Professor Christopher Dowrick, illustrating how the creative arts, including literature, poetry, classical music and contemporary folk/rock, can enhance our wellbeing.
Each talk is self-contained, but all four combined give the fullest expression to this theme.
All four of the principal characters in Tolstoy's epic novel – Kitty, Vronsky, Anna and Levin – face the question of whether or not they wish to stay alive.
In this talk I explore the circumstances that lead each of them to their dilemma, and the very different ways in which each responds with particular focus on the reasons that Tolstoy’s alter-ego Levin decides to stay alive.
This event is for u3a members only.
Free Online Event
Tuesday, 9 April · 2 - 3pm
Electing the President in 2024 - an Update
In November 2024 the US will elect its 47th President. u3a Subject Adviser for UK and US Politics Paul Carter provides an update for us.
Paul presented a 3-part series for u3a members in Autumn 2023 explaining the process of electing the US President. Now he is offering a session updating on where the contest has reached and the prospects for the candidates.
This talk is offered by Paul Carter, who is our u3a national subject adviser on UK and US politics.
This event is for u3a members only.
Free Online Event
Thursday, 11 April, 3:30 - 4:45pm
Artificial Intelligence News
Are you interested in learning about AI? Join other like minded members discovering the world of AI.
We will be reviewing recent news headlines about AI. A presentation or a guest panel will discuss a topic. There will be opportunity for members to ‘show and tell’ what they have been doing with AI, if they would like.
Members are invited to visit the AI for everyone online library of AI articles written by u3a members.
Free Online Event
The Climate Crisis - and some solutions
Friday, 19 Apr 2024 10:00 - 11:30
Brenda returns to deliver her popular talk on the science and solutions relating to the climate crisis. Using peer-reviewed research from institutions such as NASA, the Meteorological Office and various academic institutions, the presentation is up-to-date and draws on examples from both around the world and here in the UK. Brenda then goes on to address the all-important question of 'What can we do?' The talk concludes on an update on what is happening within the u3a to help members to learn about and react to this most pressing issue of our times. 2023 was, worldwide, the hottest year on record (Met.Office data). Many of you will remember the rain in December with storms Gerritt and Henk in close succession. Brenda will explain some of the links between rising temperatures and extreme weather events such as these.