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is one of a UK-wide collection of 1000+ locally-run interest groups that provide opportunities for those no longer in full-time work to come together and learn for fun. With 430,000 overall members, the u3a movement aims to enrich the lives of its members, to support them to continue their educational, social, and creative interests in a friendly and informal environment. 

Ameli Vidanearachchi, from the School of Architecture and member of the Healthy Lifespan Institute, received a prize for her dissertation titled "nurturing roots through intergenerational living" which detailed plans for social housing initiative for older adults in Neepsend, 91̽��.

The u3a dissertation prize for 2024 is an annual prize generously funded by regional partner 91̽�� u3a and is designed to encourage and celebrate undergraduate dissertations that focus on: 

• any aspect of ageing, including any work related to health and wellbeing across the lifespan that may have an eventual impact on ageing
• any of the various challenges or opportunities that ageing presents to society
• the various ways in which we can encourage these opportunities, and address or prevent these challenges

Moreover, the prize seeks to encourage intergenerational solidarity and an appreciation of the importance of active participation in later life.

“It was again a pleasure to welcome one of the Su3a/HELSI prizewinners Ameli, plus PhD student Haoyang, to speak at our Friday lecture in June.  It’s reassuring for us all that undergraduates are interested in the wellbeing of older members of the community and put such effort into their research” says Mo Cave, Chair of 91̽�� u3a.

Haoyang Liu, PhD student at the Healthy Lifespan Institute was also invited to present a talk about using remote monitoring technologies in mental health assessment. Speaking about her involvement in the lecture series, Haoyang Liu said:

“As a PhD student in the institute, my research looks at medical sociology, social work and smart healthcare. I have always been interested in how to improve people's medical experiences and provide better healthcare.”

“It was a great pleasure to present my research at the u3a event. During the event, I shared my recent ideas on how we can better use smart devices to monitor our mental health. Engaging in discussions with u3a members, I was impressed by how actively the participants shared their experience with smart devices and their views on the potential risks of these technologies. This interaction highlighted the meaningful connection between theoretical research and real-life applications, which was a privilege and provided me with valuable experience in sharing my research.”

“I believe that the collaboration between HELSI and u3a is of great significance. It will offer a broader platform for research on ageing and truly benefit the elderly, ensuring a healthy, happy ageing life.”