The Oldest Universities in the World: A Ranking and Exploration
Universities, as institutions of higher education, trace their origins back to medieval Europe, where some of the oldest universities in the world were first established. The underlying philosophy of a university, from its inception, has been the notion of academic freedom. By the 18th century, universities were actively publishing research journals, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge. Although religion briefly played a role in these institutions during the 19th century, its influence waned as science gained prominence. But where and when were the oldest universities in the world created exactly?
The oldest universities in the world stand as pillars of history and intellectual heritage. Each has played a significant role in shaping the landscape of higher education and fostering intellectual pursuits. Their enduring legacies include massive contributions to various fields of study and the development of academic freedom.
Top 10 Oldest Universities in the World
Here are some of the most ancient universities in the world, ranked by their founding date:
University of al-Qarawiyyin (859)
Founded in 859 CE in Fez, Morocco, the University of al-Qarawiyyin holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest university. Originally established as a mosque, it evolved into a prominent center of learning, drawing scholars from various corners of the globe. Today, the university offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs in Islamic studies, science, law, and languages, attracting students from Morocco, the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. The University of Al Quaraouiyine was founded in 859 in Fez, Morocco and is the oldest university in the world. Also written as Al-Karaouine, the university was initially created to be a mosque and now stands as a leading institution in the Islamic Golden Age. Scholars had long considered the university to be a madrasa until after World War II. And it wasn’t until 1963 when the University of Al Quaraouiyine was incorporated into Morocco’s modern state university system.
Read also: Exploring the roots of American universities
University of Bologna (1088)
The University of Bologna, established in 1088 in Bologna, Italy, is recognized as the second oldest university in the world. It offers a diverse array of programs at all levels of study. Initially, the university focused solely on doctorate courses, but now provides studies in multiple subjects. The University of Bologna is a public research university that also ranks as the oldest university in Europe. It was also the first institution that offered degrees in higher education. Today, there are around 90,000 students enrolled at the university. It boasts a student body of approximately 87,760 students, including 6,400 international students. The university has campuses across the world, including locations in Argentina, Brussels, New York, and Shanghai.
University of Oxford (1096-1167)
Founded between 1096 and 1167, the University of Oxford is one of the top-ranked universities in the QS World University Rankings and the oldest university in the UK. While its exact founding date remains uncertain, historical evidence suggests that academic activities commenced as early as 1096. The University of Oxford caters to a community of nearly 25,000 students and operates the largest university press in the world. The university’s boasts its alumni of prime ministers, Nobel laureates, and notable figures like Sir Stephen Hawking. The University of Oxford was established in 1096 and is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Located in the United Kingdom, it experienced rapid expansion in 1167 when Henry II prohibited English students from attending the University of Paris. It runs the world’s largest university press, the largest academic library system in the country, and the oldest university museum. Moreover, the institution set a trend in college consolidation early on with its university city structure.
University of Paris (1150)
Read also: Enduring Legacies: Football Stadiums
Established in 1150 in Paris, the University of Paris, often referred to as 'la Sorbonne,' stands as one of the earliest universities in Europe. The University of Paris is divided into 13 autonomous institutions. The university provides several undergraduate and graduate programs. Over 60,000 students enrol here every year. The university’s alumni include Marie Curie (Physicist), Louis Pasteur (French Chemist), and Jackie Kennedy (United States’ former First Lady), among many other notable figures. Most often recognized as the Sorbonne, the University of Paris joins the list of oldest universities in the world as it was founded in 1150. In the Middle Ages, the University of Paris was a leader in philosophical and theological thinking. After the French Revolution, the university was not in operation between 1793 and 1896. Since 1970, the university has been spread across the French capital with its 13 independent colleges.
University of Cambridge (1209)
The University of Cambridge, established in 1209, is the world’s fifth oldest university. It is one of the most prestigious and oldest universities in the world. It also houses the world's oldest publishing house and the second-largest university press - Cambridge University Press. The university has formed 31 constituent colleges with over 100 academic departments organised into 6 schools. It has more than 35,000 students from across the world. The university prides itself on its alumni of 47 State Heads, 121 Nobel Prize recipients, and 210 Olympic medal winners. Some of its famous alumni are Isaac Newton (Physicist and Mathematician), Prince Charles (UK’s King), Srinivasa Ramanujan (Indian Mathematician), Amartya Sen (Indian Economist), and Robert Oppenheimer (Theoretical Physicist). Due to political conflicts, a group of students left the University of Oxford and created the University of Cambridge in 1209. The University of Cambridge, founded in 1209, is the second oldest university in the UK. It is also one of the oldest universities in the world.
University of Salamanca (1218)
The University of Salamanca, Spain’s oldest institution, was founded in 1218. It is the top-ranked university in Spain based on the number of students coming from other regions. The university offers Spanish courses for non-native speakers, which attracts more than two thousand international students every year. The university caters to more than 25.000 students across its nine campuses and is well known for its language studies and courses in law and economics. In the late 15th century, Christopher Columbus obtained royal support for his expedition that discovered North America on the university’s grounds. The University of Salamanca, situated in Salamanca, Spain, was founded in 1134 and is one of the world’s oldest universities. Among its many contributions, the university is the alma mater to poet and astronomer Fray Luis de León, who studied Canon Law in 1541 at 14 years old. The university also played a pivotal role in transforming the Renaissance through education.
Read also: NCAA Champions: A Look at the Oldest Coaches
University of Padua (1222)
The University of Padua was founded in 1222 and is one of the many ancient universities in Italy. The university is notable for its early research in astronomy, law, philosophy, and medicine. It has about 60,000 students from around the globe. The university has been one of the most prestigious in the country for its contributions to scientific research. Notable alumni of this university include Nicolaus Copernicus, the astronomer who placed the Sun at the centre of the Solar System. With nine museums and one of the oldest academic botanical gardens, the school is home to 62,000 students. The University of Padua is located in Padua, Italy (or Padova in Italian) and was founded in 1222. As one of the oldest universities in the world, the university has been a leader of medical education since the Renaissance. Also recognized for its significant contribution to early research in astronomy, law, and philosophy, it is one of Italy’s few medieval institutions operating today. The University of Padua has nine museums and one of the world’s oldest academic botanical gardens.
University of Naples Federico II (1224)
Founded in 1224 by Frederick II, emperor of the Roman Empire, the University of Naples - Federico II is located in Naples. The institution is organised into 13 faculties under three divisions.The University has a wide range of programs for around 80,000 students. Some of its notable alumni include three Italian presidents; Samantha Cristoforetti, the first Italian woman in space (the first person who brewed an espresso coffee in space), and Thomas Aquinas (philosopher and theologian). In 1224, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, Frederick II, founded the University of Naples Federico II. Located in Naples - Italy’s third largest city and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities - the university today has over 100,000 students. Over centuries, the University of Naples Federico II has made large contributions to the fields of philosophy, law, and science.
University of Toulouse (1229)
The University of Toulouse is located in Toulouse. The University of Toulouse no longer exists as a single institution. However, there have been several independent "successor" universities inheriting the name under the association of universities and higher education institutions called Université fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées(UFTMP).The university was split in 1969 into three universities, and the present-day University of Toulouse was founded in 2007. It contains over 100,000 students. Its alumni include Thomas Pesquet (European Space Agency astronaut), and Jean Tirole, Nobel laureates in Economic Sciences in 2014. Standing as one of the world’s oldest universities, and one of Europe’s oldest universities, the University of Toulouse was founded in 1229. The university was created as part of the Treaty of Paris and primarily offered an education in theology.
University of Siena (1240)
The University of Siena is located in Siena, Tuscany, and was founded in 1240. It is the first publicly funded university and one of the oldest in Italy. It is also one of the oldest universities in the world, having more than 20,000 students. The University of Siena campus comprises almost half of the city’s entire population. The city centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is visited annually by over 160,000 tourists. Founded in 1240, the University of Siena is one of the world’s oldest public universities. Located in Italy’s small town of Siena, the university today has over 20,000 students - about half of the town’s population.
Other Ancient Universities
Besides the top 10, several other universities around the world boast a long and storied history. These include:
- University of Valladolid (Spain, 1241)
- University of Montpellier (France, 1289)
- University of Coimbra (Portugal, 1290)
- University of Macerata (Italy, 1290)
- University of Lisbon (Portugal, 1290)
- University of Perugia (Italy, 1308)
- University of Florence (Italy, 1321)
- University of Pisa (Italy, 1343)
- University of Prague (Czech Republic, 1348)
- University of Vienna (Austria, 1365)
- University of Pécs (Hungary, 1367)
- Heidelberg University (Germany, 1386)
- University of Cologne (Germany, 1388-1389)
- University of Erfurt (Germany, 1389)
- University of Ferrara (Italy, 1391)
- University of Würzburg (Germany, 1402)
- University of St Andrews (United Kingdom, 1413)
- University of Rostock (Germany, 1419)
- University of Leuven (Belgium, 1425)
- University of Barcelona (Spain, 1450)
- University of Glasgow (United Kingdom, 1451)
- University of Greifswald (Germany, 1456)
- University of Freiburg (Germany, 1457)
- University of Basel (Switzerland, 1460)
- University of Ingolstadt (Germany, 1472)
- University of Mainz (Germany, 1477)
- University of Copenhagen (Denmark, 1479)
- University of Aberdeen (United Kingdom, 1495)
- University of Alcalá (Spain, 1499)
- University of Valencia (Spain, 1501)
- University of Seville (Spain, 1505)
- University of Marburg (Germany, 1527)
- University of Strasbourg (France, 1538)
- University of Zaragoza (Spain, 1542)
- University of Königsberg (Russia, 1544)
- University of Douai (France, 1562)
- University of Pont-à-Mousson (France, 1572)
- University of Leiden (Netherlands, 1575)
- University of Vilnius (Lithuania, 1579)
- University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom, 1582)
Oldest Universities in the UK, USA, Canada, and Ireland
- United Kingdom: The first university in the UK is the University of Oxford. Other old universities are University of Cambridge, University of St Andrews, University of Glasgow, University of Aberdeen, University of Edinburgh.
- United States: The first university in the United States is Harvard University. Other old universities are College of William & Mary, St John's College, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, Moravian University, University of Delaware, Princeton University, Washington and Lee University, Columbia University.
- Canada: The first university in Canada is Université Laval. Other old universities are University of New Brunswick, The University of King’s College, Saint Mary’s University, Dalhousie University, Université de Saint-Boniface, McGill University, University of Toronto, Acadia University, Mount Allison University.
- Ireland: The first university in Ireland is Trinity College Dublin. Other old universities are National University of Ireland, University College Cork, University of Galway, Maynooth University, Dublin City University, University of Limerick, University College Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology.
- New Zealand: The first university in New Zealand is the University of Otago. Other old universities are University of Canterbury, University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, Lincoln University, Massey University, University of Waikato, Auckland University of Technology (AUT).
Admission to the Oldest Universities
Admission requirements for the oldest universities in the world typically include:
- Passing school exams with a certain percentage of marks.
- Specific scores in examinations, like IELTS and TOEFL.
- General entrance examinations like the GRE and GMAT.
In addition to these criteria, universities often require the following documents:
- Academic transcripts
- Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Passport
- Admissions test results
- English language proficiency test scores
- Proof of funds
- Visa
The Enduring Legacy
These ancient universities have adapted to changing times while maintaining their commitment to academic excellence. They have produced countless leaders, innovators, and thinkers who have shaped our world. Their continued existence is a testament to the enduring power of education and the pursuit of knowledge.
Evolution of Universities
Ancient universities focused on limited subjects like theology and philosophy, while modern systems offer a broad range of disciplines and use advanced technology. Admission often required proficiency in Latin and passing examinations. University structures continue to evolve with the times. For example, University of the People was established in 2009. Although it’s far from being one of the oldest institutions in the world, it is one of the first American, accredited universities that is entirely online and tuition-free.
Notable Alumni
Many notable alumni from the oldest universities have left a lasting impact on society. Two examples are:
- Enzo Ferrari: The founder of the Ferrari automobile company.
- Marie Curie: The first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different sciences (Physics and Chemistry).
tags: #oldest #university #in #the #world #ranking
