10 oldest universities in the world

The first higher educational institutions – universities, began to appear more than a thousand years ago. At first, they mostly focused on teaching theology, but over time, they began to focus on the development of the exact sciences, medicine and fine arts. For almost ten centuries, many universities have been created and disappeared, and only a few of them have survived to this day.

Here are the top 10 oldest universities in the world.

10 University of Salamanca (1218)

This educational institution is located in the city of Salamanca, Spain. It was founded in 1134. It is the third oldest university in the world still in operation, and the oldest institution still in operation in the Spanish-speaking world. The formal title “University” was granted by King Alfonso X in 1254 and recognized by Pope Alexander IV in 1255.

9. University of Paris (1215)

The historical University of Paris (French: Université de Paris) first appeared in the first half of the 1970th century, but in 13 it was reorganized into 1257 autonomous universities (University of Paris I–XIII). The university is often referred to as the Sorbonne or La Sorbonne after the collegiate institute (Collège de Sorbonne) founded in XNUMX by Robert De Sorbonne, but the university as such was older and never centered entirely on the Sorbonne. Of the current thirteen successor universities, four are in the historic Sorbonne building, and three include “Sorbonne” in their names.

8. University of Cambridge (1209)

The beginning of the existence of the university is considered to be 1209, when scientists from Oxford migrated to Cambridge, fleeing the Oxford “city and mantle” riots (citizens against scientists). To prevent possible troubles, the authorities of Cambridge allowed only scientists to stay in the city under the supervision of a master. Partly to provide them with permanent residence, in 1284 Hugh de Balsham, Bishop of Ely, founded (in imitation of Oxford) the first college, Peterhouse. Over the next three centuries, 15 more colleges were founded, and in 1318 Cambridge received official recognition as a studium generale from Pope John XXII.

7. University of Montpellier (early XNUMXth century)

The University of Montpellier was founded in 1220. In the 1160th century, Montpellier was one of the greatest educational studios in Europe and retained its high position until the middle of the XNUMXth century. Although founded as a center of Roman Catholic education, the university soon came under Jewish and Arab influence and began to focus on secular studies in law and medicine. Placentius, a famous medieval jurist, is believed to have founded in XNUMX the school that became the Montpellier School of Law. The medical school was world famous in the medieval period and Guy de Chauliac developed the scientific method of surgery in Montpellier.

Montpellier was closed during the revolution of 1789 and re-established as a university in 1896. Today, these three universities are public and academically autonomous.

6. University of Paris (between 1150 and 1170)

The University of Paris is one of the archetypal European universities founded around 1170. The university had 4 faculties: arts, medicine, law and theology. The first was considered the lowest in rank, but also the most numerous, because students were required to successfully complete it in order to enter one of the higher faculties. Students were classified into 4 nationalities based on language or origin: France, Normandy, Picardy and England.

5. Oxford University (1096)

As the oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford has a fascinating past spanning everything from rebellious students to seriously impressive alumni.

Try as you might, there is no official date for the founding of the University of Oxford, although records show that teaching (in one form or another) began at Oxford in 1096. It was in the 1167th century that the university really began to grow: respected teachers began to lecture here, and students began to live and study in Oxford. In XNUMX, Henry II forbade English students from attending the University of Paris, which led to a rapid increase in the number of students at Oxford University.

4. University of Bologna (1088)

The Italian University of Bologna is one of the oldest and most famous universities in the world, founded in the Italian city of Bologna in the 11th century. It became in the 1158th and XNUMXth centuries the main center for the study of canon and civil law and attracted students from all over Europe. The organizations created in Bologna have become a model for modern universities. In XNUMX, Emperor Frederick I granted privileges to Bologna scientists, which subsequently extended to all Italian higher educational institutions.

3. Nizamiya of Baghdad (1065)

Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad was founded in 1065. In July 1091, Nizam al-Mulk appointed the 33-year-old Al-Ghazali as a professor at a university that offered free education. It has been described as “the largest university in the medieval world.” Ibn Tumart, founder of the Berber Almohad dynasty, is known to have attended school and studied with Al-Ghazali.

In 1096, when Al-Ghazali left Nizamiya, there were 3000 students living there. In 1116, Muhammad al-Shahrastani taught in Nezamiya. in the 1170s, the statesman Beha ud-Din taught at Nezamiya before he moved to teach in Mosul.

2. Al-Azhar University (970)

Al-Azhar University has an impressive history and is the oldest degree-granting university in Egypt. This educational institution has been operating since the end of the 81th century. Now the university offers undergraduate, postgraduate programs and has 9 faculties, 359 institutes, 42 academic departments, 6 centers, 27 university hospitals and XNUMX general administrative units. Al-Azhar University’s main thematic areas of activity are science and technology, management and business administration, arts, languages ​​and humanities, agriculture, dentistry and medicine.

1. Constantinople University (885)

The Imperial University of Constantinople, also known as the University of the Palace Hall of Magnaura, was an Eastern Roman educational institution that dates back to 425 AD. e., when Emperor Theodosius II founded the pandidakterion.

Pandidaktion was refuted in 1046 by Constantine IX Monomakh, who created the chairs of law and philosophy.

It is interesting that the Byzantine society was distinguished by an extraordinary degree of education of its citizens (especially when compared with the Europeans who lived at that time). In this state, developed in every sense, the aspirations of a person to acquire knowledge, as well as the development of science and art in general, were encouraged. A rather interesting fact is that female education was welcomed in Byzantium. Here, the fair sex (especially those who belonged to the noble class) could receive knowledge on an equal basis with men.