Learning doesn鈥檛 end when people graduate from high school or university, which is why for almost 25 years, Kwantlen Polytechnic University has run a special series of lectures and talks for seniors.

The courses, called Third Age Learning at Kwantlen (TALK), began in 1998, said TALK鈥檚 board chair Jane Diston.

鈥淜PU is an organization that鈥檚 interested in learning after retirement,鈥� Diston said.

And that learning can take many forms, exemplified by the variety on offer in the fall semester of 2023.

鈥淭here鈥檚 24 [talks] this semester,鈥� she said.

They cover a wide range of areas, from an Armchair Travel talk on the Costa Del Sola region of Spain, to Fun with Math, to a course on forensic anthropology focused on how human bones are identified. There is a field trip to a historic farm in Surrey, a course on the Group of Seven painters, and a session on the human rights of Indigenous communities around the world.

From beer brewing to exercise to stories of the paranormal, the topics run the gamut.

Each course is usually a one-night talk and seminar, followed by a question-and-answer session, Diston explained.

They鈥檙e hosted by university professors, authors, and subject matter experts from all walks of life. All of them are volunteers.

鈥淭he people who lead these subjects do it for the love of the subject,鈥� Diston noted.

And after this fall, the entire series will be replaced with new talks.

鈥淚t changes every semester, completely,鈥� she said. The goal is to keep the subjects relevant and current.

That means a lot of work for the volunteers who run the project through KPU.

The project came about because of a retiree from the university itself, back in 1999, when it was still Kwantlen University College.

A retiring faculty member, Joanne Cunningham, wanted to start more education for people who had left the workforce behind.

Cunningham got a big thumbs up from the college鈥檚 board, but not a lot of funding, hence the all-volunteer organization for TALK, Diston said.

Aside from the benefits of learning, the events are also an opportunity for seniors to mingle with people who share their interest in learning.

The program has had to make some changes through the years, most notably when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and in-person events were too dangerous for anyone, much less seniors.

The courses switched to Zoom for online events, and they continued to have good attendance.

Last year, they resumed in-person meetings. But there is still a hybrid version with a Zoom attendance possible for those who can鈥檛 make it out in person.

This fall鈥檚 events are taking place in 91原创, Surrey, and Richmond, some on the KPU campuses, and others off-campus at libraries or special sites.

Philospher鈥檚 Corner sessions also take place across the Lower Mainland.

Although it鈥檚 not free, TALK is cheap 鈥� there鈥檚 a $10 annual registration fee that runs from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, with fees individually for some of the other courses, usually $15, although some events and some of the Philosopher鈥檚 Corner events are free to attend or have a small drop-in fee.

More information can be found at .