About OLLI-UHM
Educational Courses and Events for Adults 50+
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UH Manoa (OLLI-UHM) is a member-based learning community of adults age 50+.
OLLI-UHM offers a program of non-credit, college-level courses, workshops, lectures, events, and other activities to encourage older individuals to engage their minds, enrich their lives, and serve the community.
We know that lifelong learning keeps the mind sharp and fights cognitive impairment most effectively when mentally challenging activities are combined with active social engagement. That is exactly what we excel at, providing members with an ever-expanding array of courses, workshops, film series, special events, and more in an engaging, supportive social environment.
Our History
OLLI-UHM’s roots go back to 1996, when a group of community elders, retired professors, and University of Hawai’i at Manoa administrators established the Academy for Lifelong Learning (ALL) with a mission to strengthen connections between the university and the community and promote lifelong learning, leadership, and community service for older learners.
In Spring 2003, we changed our name to OLLI-UHM after receiving the first of several gifts from The Bernard Osher Foundation, becoming part of a national network of 123 OLLIs spanning all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Each Institute is unique and operates as an independent initiative of its host institution with offerings tailored to meet its community's needs and interests, with the common thread of providing intellectually stimulating, non-credit learning opportunities designed specifically for adults age “50 and better.”
With the funds received from the Osher Foundation, the UH College of Social Sciences, and member dues and donations, OLLI provides its members with an affordable opportunity to learn and teach, share diverse ideas, pursue common interests, and make new acquaintances.
As Hawai'i’s only land-grant university, UHM is charged with not just degree-granting and research but serving the public good by being of benefit to the community. With its ever-expanding array of courses, workshops, special events, and more, OLLI-UHM can become a powerful force for active aging, while helping UH fulfill its charge to serve the public good.