The first universities in the modern sense, there were more than ten centuries ago, most of which are initially gravitated to theology, but eventually became centers of education, science and art. For many centuries it was created and went into oblivion than one hundred higher education institutions, only few of them have survived to our time, whose name has become synonymous with quality education. Check out the top ten oldest of the existing universities in the world. That is, the list includes only universities that since its foundation, in one form or another, has not stopped working and kept their name.
List of top 10 oldest universities in the world
10. University of Valladolid, Spain - 1241
University of Valladolid, is the legal successor of the University of Palencia created by decree of King Alfonso VIII of Castile, however, due to lack of funding was transferred to Valladolid; the university is considered the base year - 1241. Originally studied basic sciences such as mathematics, theology, Latin and grammar, just at the beginning of the twentieth century began to teach law, medicine, the arts and sciences. Now University of Valladolid to study more than 30,000 students in the library which stored 97,000 more books and manuscripts.
9. University of Siena, Italy - 1240
Siena's main universities in 1240, became the world's first institution of higher education financed by the state. The work of teachers paid from taxes collected for delivery of student housing, and then taxes on students and teachers in general have been canceled. Moreover, the latter are exempt from military service, and guard duty at night, to maintain order. Now the University of Siena study about 20,000 students at 8 faculties and Siena became a classic campus, about half of the residents, who are students.
8. University of Naples Federico II, Italy - 1224
University of Naples Federico II, was established by the decree of the King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor Federico II in 1224. It was more of a political move than an academic need, Federico II in opposition to the Pope, needed loyal to the crown of the students, teachers and scientists. For a long time, the school was called "University of Naples", only in 1987 received the prefix "Federico II of" after the founder. Who is here to learn about 100,000 students, and the library has collected more than 800,000 books, some of which are almost priceless.
7. University of Padua, Italy - 1222
University of Padua was founded in 1222 by researchers from the University of Bologna, who left it because of the conflict with the leadership. During the Renaissance in this institution were made revolutionary discoveries and created Progressive theory of his time in the field of astronomy, medicine, law and philosophy. It worked here Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei. Who is here to learn about 65 thousand students. By the way it is to be the oldest academic botanical garden in the world, founded in 1545 at the University of Padua.
6. University of Cambridge, United Kingdom - 1209
The largest British university, the University of Cambridge was founded in 1209. Its founders were scientists at Oxford University, who were forced to change their place of residence after the murder of a local resident student. Unlike other schools of that time worked in monasteries, is focusing on theology, here we are given a classical education, where they taught philosophy, logic and mathematics. Now part of the University includes 31 colleges and 7 schools, where the study about 20,000 students and about 3,500 of which are foreigners. More than 80 graduates of the University of Cambridge became Nobel laureates.
5. University of Salamanca, Spain - 1134
University of Salamanca was founded in 1134 as the School of the Cathedral, and in 1218 for the quality of education, by decree of King Alfonso the IX Leon, Leon ruled Galisiiey and received the title of university. In the sixteenth - seventeenth century, during the heyday of the Spanish Empire, the University was considered the best educational institution in the world. Today the University of Salamanca relatively small university with centuries-old traditions and a high level of education, in which 16 departments to learn a lot of foreigners. The library at the university, kept more than 50,000 ancient books bound in leather.
4. University of Oxford, United Kingdom - 1096
One of the most famous and elite higher education institutions in the world, Oxford University, was founded in 1096. This university has become very quickly grow and develop rapidly, after the reforms of the English King Henry II Plantagenet, because of which, the British students were forced to leave the Sorbonne. The graduates of this institution was 25 British prime ministers, 27 Nobel Prize winners, 20 Archbishops of Canterbury and 12 canonized saints. Oxford University consists of 38 colleges and 6 private schools owned by religious organizations that do not have the status of college, called hostels. Who is here to learn about 20 thousand people, a quarter of whom are foreigners.
3. University of Bologna, Italy - 1088
Europe's oldest university, the University of Bologna was founded in 1088, has long remained the leading higher education institution in the world where in the Middle Ages became the first to introduce the most advanced methods of education, which had a huge impact on Western Europe. Now it's just a good university, which takes place in 167 academic rating, which give a good education, one of the best libraries of the University in the world founded in the seventeenth century, in which there are more than 200 thousand volumes.
2. Al-Azhar University, Egypt - 988
Al-Azhar University is not just one of the oldest universities in the world and the most prestigious Theological Academy, University of the Islamic world and the largest university in the Arab world. This institution was founded in Cairo Fatimid dynasty of Muslim caliphs in 988. For more than desyativekovuyu history, Al-Azhar has undergone significant changes, having lost the support of the rulers in the twelfth century, becoming the most common mazhom (Law School), lost the richest library in which there were approximately two million books and manuscripts. Only in the Middle Ages, after the accession of several madrassas, again became the University with an emphasis in general education.
1. Al-Karaouine, Morocco - 859
The oldest institution of higher education in the world is Al-Karaouine, built in 859 in the territory of modern Morrocco, at the expense of sisters Fatima and Miriam al-Fihri, rich heiresses Tunisian merchant. The money was spent on the mosque and madrassa, which thanks to the patronage of the Moroccan sultans began to develop rapidly. Here, in addition to theology students were taught grammar, rhetoric, logic, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, history, geography and music. University has become the largest educational center in the Middle Ages. However, in contrast to European universities, where the emphasis was on the institution name here until 1947 diplomas were written only the names of teachers who were training, so the al-Karaouine in non-Islamic countries, few have heard. The University library holds many priceless manuscripts of Arab authors.
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