BEFORE 1500

Inclusion in this list is determined by the date at which the educational institute first met the traditional definition of a university used by academic historians^] although it may have existed as a different kind of institution before that time. This definition limits the term “university” to institutions with distinctive structural and legal features that developed in Europe, and which make the university form different from other institutions of higher learning in the pre-modern world, even though these may sometimes now be referred to popularly as universities. Thus, to be included in the list below, the university must have been founded before 1500 in Europe or be the oldest university derived from the medieval European model in a country or region. It must also be still in operation, with institutional continuity retained throughout its history. So some early universities, most notably the University of Paris which was abolished by the Revolution in 1793, are excluded. Some institutions re-emerge, but with new foundations, such as the modern University of Paris, which came into existence in 1896 after the Louis Liard law disbanded Napoleon’s University of France system.

The word University is derived from the Latin: universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which approximately means “community of teachers and scholars”. The term was coined by the Italian University of Bologna, which is considered to be the first university with a traditional founding date of 1088. The origin of many medieval universities can be traced back to the Catholic cathedral schools or monastic schools, which appeared as early as the 6th century and were run for hundreds of years as such before their formal establishment as universities in the high medieval period.

Ancient higher-learning institutions, such as those of ancient Greece, ancient Persia, ancient Rome, Byzantium, ancient China, ancient India and the Islamic world, are not included in this list owing to their cultural, historical, structural and legal differences from the medieval European university from which the modern university evolved.

MEDIEVAL  ORIGINS

The University as an institution was historically rooted in medieval society, which it in turn influenced and shaped. Academic historian Walter Rüegg asserts that:

The University is a European institution; indeed, it is the European institution par excellence. There are various reasons for this assertion. As a community of teachers and taught, accorded certain rights, such as administrative  autonomy and the determination and realisation of curricula and of the objectives of research as well as the award of publicly recognised degrees, it is a creation of medieval Europe, which was the Europe of papal Christianity.

MODERN SPREAD

From the early modern period onwards, the university spread from the medieval Latin West across the globe, eventually replacing all other higher-learning institutions and becoming the preeminent institution for higher education everywhere. The process occurred in the following chronological order:

Southern and Western Europe from the 11th or 12th century

Central and Northern Europe from the 14th or 15th century

Americas from the 16th century

Australia from the 19th century

Asia and Africa from the 19th or 20th century, with the exception of the Philippines, where the University of Santo Tomas was established in the 17th century.

FOUNDED UNIVERSITIES BEFORE 1500

This list includes medieval universities that were founded before 1500 and which have retained institutional continuity since then. Several of these have been closed for brief periods: for example the University of Siena was closed 1805–1815 during the Napoleonic wars, and non-German speaking universities in the Czech Republic and Poland were closed during Nazi occupation, 1939–1945.

Universities are dated from when, according to scholars, they first met the definition of a university. In cases such as the universities of Bologna and Oxford which trace their history back to teaching in individual schools prior to their formation into a university, or which existed in another form prior to being a university, the date in the list below is thus later than the date given by the institutions for their foundation.

UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA

Law Schools existed in Bologna from the second half of the 12th century, with 1088 often considered to be the date on which teaching outside of ecclesiastical schools began. In 1158, petitions by Bolognese doctors of law led to Emperor Barbarossa granting the “Authentic Habita”, which granted various rights to students and masters but did not name Bologna or any other particular place of study. However, it is unlikely that the university had become organised by the 1150s, and this may have been as late as the 1180s. The law schools appear to have remained independent, private entities until around 1180, but became organised over the following decade. In 1189 the masters made an agreement with the commune not to transfer the studium to another town, while the Lombard students were organised into a ‘nation’ by 1191.

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

Teaching existed in Oxford from the late 11th century, with the university giving the date of 1096 for the earliest classes. However, it was not until the early 13th century that the schools in Oxford took on an organised character. In 1201 a papal letter described John Grimm as magister scolarum Oxonie.

In 1209 the masters suspended their teaching in Oxford and moved to other towns, returning after a bull issued on 20 June 1214 by the papal legate, Niccolò de Romanis, that granted a number of rights to the university and established the office of chancellor. Both Oxford and Cambridge were granted rights of discipline over students and of fixing rents in letters issued by King Henry III in 1231.

A royal charter, sometimes referred to as the Magna Carta of the university, was granted in 1244, awarding further rights to the university. The university received a papal bull Querentes in agro in 1254, with a first version issued on 27 September and a second version on 6 October. The first version followed the common form of privileges granted to monastic houses, confirming the liberties and immunities granted to the university and placing the members of the university under papal protection, but the second version explicitly recognised and approved the existence of the university as a scholarly community and confirmed its “liberties, ancient customs and approved statutes”.

UNIVERISTY OF CAMBRIDGE

Founded by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute caused by the execution of three scholars in 1209. The university was organised under a chancellor by 1225. The university takes 1209 as its official anniversary. Along with Oxford, Cambridge was granted rights of discipline over its students and of fixing rents in letters issued by King Henry III in 1231. It received papal recognition as an academic corporation via an indult granted by Pope Gregory IX in 1233 and was named as a studium generale in the papal bull Inter singula in 1318. The traditional view was that this raised it to a studium generale but more recent scholarship sees the bull as confirming, rather than conferring, this status

UNIVERSITY OF SALAMANCA

The oldest university in the Hispanic world. The university was founded by Alfonso IX of León in 1218 and recognised by a papal bull from Pope Alexander IV in 1255.

UNIVERSITY OF PADUA

Founded by scholars and professors after leaving Bologna. Awarded the first degree in the world to be conferred on a woman, Elena Cornaro Piscopia, in 1678.

UNIVERSITY OF NAPLES FEDERICO II

Claims to be the oldest public university in the world, as one of the first to be founded by a head of state, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor and king of Sicily. Refounded in 1234, 1239 and 1465, and closed 1490–1507.

UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA

Originally established in Lisbon but relocated to Coimbra from 1308 to 1338 and again from 1354 to 1377, before finally moving permanently to Coimbra in 1537.

UNIVERSITY OF VALLADOLID

Founded in the late 13th century, probably by the city, with the first documented reference dating from 1293.

UNIVEVERSITY OF PERUGIA

The university traces its history back to 1276 and statutes were granted in 1306 prior to the bull of Pope Clement V of 8 September 1308.

CHARLES UNIVERSITY

Faculties of theology, law and medicine closed during the Bohemian Reformation, leaving only the faculty of liberal arts. Became Charles-Ferdinand University after the Thirty Years’ War, with all four faculties restored. Split into German and Czech parts in 1882; the Czech branch restored the name Charles University after independence in 1918 and closed briefly during Nazi occupation (1939–1945) while the German branch closed permanently in 1945.

UNIVERSITY OF SIENA

Claims to have been founded in 1240 by the Commune of Siena, although Rashdall dates the proclamation of the Studium to 1246, when Frederick II tried to place a ban on scholars travelling to Bologna, the date also given by Verger. Was granted some exemptions from taxes by Pope Innocent II in 1252, but closed shortly after when the scholars returned to Bologna. Attempted revivals in 1275 and (fed by further short-lived migrations of scholars from Bologna) in 1321 and 1338 were unsuccessful. Gained an Imperial Bull in 1357 “granting it de novo the ‘privileges of a Studium Generale.'”, but was not firmly established until ”  in 1408 a fresh grant of privileges was obtained from Pope Gregory XII”. Closed temporarily in 1808–1815 when Napoleonic forces occupied Tuscany.

UNIVERSITY OF PAVINIA

Transferred to Piacenza 1398–1412. Closed for short periods during the Italian Wars, Napoleonic wars, and Revolutions of 1848.

UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA

Founded by Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria, granted papal assent in 1384 by Pope Urban VI. The oldest University in the contemporary German-speaking world; it remains a question of definition whether Charles University in Prague was also German-speaking when founded. Due to its strong association with the Catholic Church, the university suffered setbacks during the Reformation, but never ceased operation.

RUPRECHT KARL UNIVERSITY OF HEIDELBERG

Oldest University in Germany. Pope Urban VI granted permission for the founding of a university in October 1385 to Rupert I, Elector Palatine; teaching began in June 1386. Gradually declined during the 17th and 18th centuries until re-established as a state-owned institution by Karl Friedrich, Grand Duke of Baden in 1803.

JAGGIELONNIAN UNIVERSITY

Founded by King Casimir the Great as a studium generale. After the death of Casimir the Great in 1370, the development of the university stalled, with lectures being held in various places across the city, including in professors’ houses, churches and in the Wawel cathedral school. The faculty of theology was re-opened in 1397 by Queen Jadwiga who left a large endowment to the university upon her death in 1399.

The university was formally re-established on 26 July 1400 by King Władysław Jagiełło. After Kraków was incorporated into the Austrian Empire, the university was merged with Lwów University from 1805 to 1809. The university was forcibly shut down during the German Occupation of Poland (1939–1945). The staff was deported to Nazi concentration camps, and many of its collections were deliberately destroyed by the occupying German authorities. Underground lectures continued for around 800 students during this period and the university formally reopened in 1945 .

UNIVERSITY OF PISA

Established 1343 but closed around 1360; refounded at the start of the 15th century. Formally founded on 3 September 1343 by a bull of Pope Clement VI, although according to the university “a number of scholars claim its origin dates back to the 11th century”. Transferred to Pistoia, Prato and Florence between 1494 and 1543.

UNIVERSITY OF ST.ANDREWS

A School of higher studies was founded in 1410 and was chartered by Bishop Henry Wardlaw in 1411. Full university status conferred by a papal bull of Antipope Benedict XIII on 28 August 1413.

The University was founded in 1410 when a group of Augustinian clergy, driven from the University of Paris by the Avignon schism and from the universities of Oxford and Cambridge by the Anglo-Scottish Wars, formed a society of higher learning in St Andrews, which offered courses of lectures in divinity, logic, philosophy, and law. St Andrews was the obvious choice “for centuries, it was the heart of the Scottish church and political activities” and “the seat of the greatest bishopric in Scotland and location of a monastery noted as a centre for learning”.

A charter of privilege was bestowed upon the society of masters and scholars by the Bishop of St Andrews, Henry Wardlaw,47 on 28 February 1411. Wardlaw then successfully petitioned the Avignon Pope Benedict XIII to grant the school university status by issuing a series of papal bulls, which followed on 28 August 1413. King James I of Scotland confirmed the charter of the university in 1432. Subsequent kings supported the university, with King James V of Scotland “confirming privileges of the university” in 1532.

UNIVERSITY OF ROSTOCK

Continuous operation during the Reformation is disputed. Some sources state that “the Catholic university of Rostock closed altogether and the closure was long enough to make the refounded body feel a new institution”. and that “[the university fell into complete decay after the beginning of the Reformation in 1523 when the university revenues were lost and matriculations ceased”. However, Johann Oldendorp is reported by several sources as having held a professorship at the university from 1526 to 1534, although this is not proven beyond doubt, and other historians refer to “the remaining university lecturers” as supporting plans to restore the university revenues in 1532. There are records of a number of professors being appointed in 1551, including Johannes Aurifaber, David Chytraeus, and Johann Draconites.

SAPIENZA UNIVERSITY OF ROME

Founded in 1303 but closed at the end of the 14th century but refounded 1431.

UNIVERSITY OF BARCELONA

Founded by Alfonso V of Aragon on 3 September 1450 as the Estudi General de Barcelona. From 1401 the city had a medical school founded by King Martin of Aragon the Estudi General de Medecina de Barcelona, to which a faculty of arts was added in 1402. Before this, there were chairs of higher education associated with the cathedral, the Dominican Convent of Santa Carolina, and the escoles majors supported by the city’s governing council from the 13th century.

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

Founded by papal bull in 1451, it is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s four ancient universities. Along with the universities of Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and St Andrews, the university was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century.

UNIVERSITY OF GREIFSWALD

Some professors from Rostock taught temporarily in Greifswald between 1437 and 1443 due to unrest in Rostock. The university was founded in 1456 by Duke Wartislaw IX with the approval of Pope Callixtus III on the initiative of Heinrich Rubenow, Lord Mayor of Greifswald (and first rector). Teaching paused temporarily during the Protestant Reformation (1527–39).

ALBERT LUDWIGS UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH

A papal bull of 1455 authorised the Bishop of Constance to establish a university, and in 1457 a ducal charter from Albert VI, Archduke of Austria founded the university.

LUDWIG MAXIMILIAN UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH

Founded in Ingolstadt in 1472; with a papal bull obtained in 1459 from Pope Pius II by Louis the Rich, transferred to Landshut in 1800 and then to Munich in 1826.

UPSALLA UNIVERSITY

Established in 1477 by the Catholic Archbishop Jakob Ulvsson. Decayed due to political unrest in the first decade of the 16th century and then the Reformation in the 1520s and 30s, remaining “only an idea without real content” until re-chartered in 1595.

UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN

King’s College was founded by a papal bull in 1495 and then Marischal College in 1593; they merged in 1860.

COMPUTENSE UNIVERSITY OF MADRID

A studium generale was founded by Sancho IV of Castile in 1293 in Alcalá de Henares. Very little is known of this institution over the next two centuries. In 1499 a papal bull was granted by Pope Alexander VI authorising Archbishop Cisneros to establish a Colegio Mayor in Alcalá with the same powers as the universities of Salamanca and Vallodolid, from which date Verger considers it a university. The new university opened in 1509. The university was moved to Madrid in 1836 by royal decree.