The first higher educational institutions - universities, began to appear more than a thousand years ago. At first, most of them focused on the teaching of theology, but over time they began to focus on the development of the exact sciences, medicine, and the fine arts. Over nearly ten centuries, many universities have been created and disappeared, and only a few have survived to this day.
Introducing 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 that is still functioning, and the oldest currently functioning educational institution in the Hispanic 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 (Franz. Université de Paris) first appeared in the first half of the 13th century, but in 1970 was reorganized into 13 autonomous universities (University of Paris I – XIII). The university is often called the Sorbonne or La Sorbonne after the collegiate institute (Collège de Sorbonne), founded in 1257 by Robert De Sorbon, but the university as such was older and was never fully focused on the Sorbonne. Of the thirteen current successor universities, four are in the Sorbonne's historic building, and three include the Sorbonne in their names.
8. Cambridge University (1209)
The university’s existence is considered to be the year 1209, when scientists from Oxford migrated to Cambridge, fleeing the Oxford riots of the “city and mantle” (citizens against scientists). To prevent possible troubles, Cambridge authorities allowed only a scientist to remain in the city under the supervision of a master. Partly in order to provide them with a permanent place of residence, in 1284, Hugo de Balsham, Bishop of Ely, founded (in imitation of Oxford) the first Peterhouse College. 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 (beginning of the 13th century)
The University of Montpellier was founded in 1220. In the XIII century, Montpellier was one of the greatest educational studios in Europe and maintained its high position until the middle of the XIV century. Despite the fact that the university was founded as a center of Roman Catholic education, it soon fell under Jewish and Arab influence and began to pay special attention to secular studies in the field of law and medicine. Placentius, a famous medieval lawyer, is believed to have founded a school in 1160, which became Montpellier's law school. The medical school was world famous in the medieval period, and Guy de Choliak developed the scientific method of surgery in Montpellier.
Montpellier was closed during the revolution of 1789 and restored as a university in 1896. Today, these three universities are state 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 had to successfully complete it in order to enter one of the higher faculties. Students were classified into 4 nationalities depending 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 rioting students to seriously impressive graduates.
No matter how hard you try, there is no official date for the founding of Oxford University, although notes show that teaching (in one form or another) began in Oxford in 1096. It was in the XII century that the university really began to grow: respected teachers began to lecture here, and students began to live and study in Oxford. In 1167, Henry II forbade English students to attend 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. In the 12th and 13th centuries, it became the main center for the study of canonical and civil law and attracted students from all over Europe. Organizations created in Bologna have become a model for modern universities. In 1158, Emperor Frederick I granted privileges to Bologna scholars, who subsequently extended to all Italian universities.
3. Baghdad Nizamia (1065)
Al-Nizamiyya from Baghdad was founded in 1065. In July 1091, Nizam al-Mulk appointed 33-year-old Al-Ghazali to be a university professor who offered free education. He was 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 under Al-Ghazali.
In 1096, when Al-Ghazali left Nizamiya, 3,000 students resided in it. 1116 Muhammad al-Shahrastani taught in Nezamia. in the 1170s, statesman Beha ud-Din taught in Nezamia before he moved to teach in Mosul.
2. Al-Azhar University (970)
Al Azhar University has an impressive history and is the oldest university in Egypt providing a degree. This educational institution has been operating since the end of the 10th century. Now the university offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs and has 81 faculties, 9 institutes, 359 academic departments, 42 Centers, 6 university hospitals and 27 general administrative units. The main thematic areas of activity of Al-Azhar University are science and technology, management and business administration, art, languages and humanities, agriculture, dentistry and medicine.
1. University of Constantinople (885)
The Imperial University of Constantinople, also known as the University of the Palace Hall of Magnaura, was an Eastern Roman educational institution that traces its history back to 425 AD. e., when the emperor Theodosius II founded the candidacy.
The candidate was denied in 1046 by Constantine IX Monomakh, who created the Department of Law and Philosophy.
Interestingly, Byzantine society was distinguished by an extraordinary degree of education of citizens (especially when compared with the Europeans who lived at that time). In this state, which was developed in every sense, the person’s aspirations to acquire knowledge, as well as the development of science and art in general, were encouraged.
A rather entertaining fact is that in Byzantium, female education was welcomed. Here, representatives of the beautiful sex (especially those belonging to the noble class) could receive knowledge on a par with men.