This is a . To be listed on this page, an educational institution must satisfy the Definition Of A University at the time of founding; it must have been founded before 1500 ; and it must have been operational without a significant interruption ever since.
Note that because the awarding of Academic Degree s for advanced studies was historically a Europe an custom, and the modern definition of a university includes the ability to grant degrees, the oldest institutions of higher learning that have always satisfied the modern definition of a university were in Europe. If, however, the definition is broadened to include ancient institutions that did not originally grant degrees but now do, then some European and non-European institutes predate the University Of Bologna .
Finally, even within the purview of European universities, there is still some minor, albeit good-natured controversy over who was really "first". The University of Bologna, while it predates the University Of Paris , was a university organized by students who then sought out tutors while the latter institution was organized by faculty who then solicited students. Some (especially at Paris) still quibble over which began as a "genuine" university, but it is generally accepted that the University Of Bologna came first.
The majority of European countries had universities by 1500. After 1500, universities began to spread to other countries all over the world:
- , 1909
- , Dominican Republic , 1538
- , 1610
- , 1919
- universities founded in 1595 and 1611 respectively. (See below)
- , 1850
- , 1919
- , 1579 , twice closed and reopened
- , 1921
- , 1940 , successor to the Islamic Law School founded in 1531
- , 1808 .
- , 1888
- , 1663 ; University Of New Brunswick is the oldest English Language university in Canada, founded in 1785
- , 1622 , 19 August , as ''Santo Tomás De Aquino ''
- China :
- --- Nanking University , the first school officially called ''university'' in English in China, 1888 . Also the first to offer doctoral education in China, 1913 .
- --- Beiyang University , 1896 .
- --- St. John's University, Shanghai , the first school granting bachelor's degree in China, 1907 .
- --- University Of Hong Kong , 1910 , evolved from the Hong Kong College of Medicine, founded in 1887
- , 1653
- , 1669
- , 1728
- , Santo Domingo , was founded in 1538 and definitively extinguished in 1824, having no relationships with the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (founded in 1914, this one expects to be a “primatial university of America”)
- , 1908 , public university
- , 1802 , successor to Academia Gustaviana (1632-1710)
- , 1640 , originally the Academy Of Turku , but moved to Helsinki in 1827
- , 1918
- , 1837
- , 1676
- , 1635
- India :
- --- Serampore College , 1818 , first institution with university status (although not a university) to grant degrees in Theology
- --- Thomason College Of Civil Engineering , (Formerly University of Roorkee), 1847 , the oldest autonomous engineering school in Asia , initially not a university
- --- University Of Calcutta , 1857 , first full fledged multi disciplinary university in South Asia , with a catchment area from Lahore to Rangoon
- , 1920 , founded as the Technische Hogeschool et Bandoeng
- , 1934
- , 1956 - Although the Iraqi Royal College of Medicine was established in 1928.
- , 1924
- , 1877
- , 1905
- , 1866
- , 1579 , successory to the Vilnius Academy 1570 , although its operation was not continuous: the university was closed from 1832 to 1919 and again in 1943-44
- , 1905
- , 1769 , successory to Collegium Melitense 1592
- , 1551 (or 1910 {Link without Title} )
- , 1878
- , 1575
- , 1869
- , 1551 (or 1910 {Link without Title} )
- , 1810 (Royal Charter 1845 )
- , 1811
- , 1882
- , Lima , 1551 , "dean university of America” (the oldest, but not necessarily the first), since it is the only university on the American continent that survives, uninterruptedly, since the XVIth century
- Philippines : Disputed by two universities:
- --- University Of San Carlos , established as the Colegio de San Ildefonso 1595 by the Jesuits, closed in 1769 , reopened in 1783 by the local bishop, transferred ownership to the Dominicans ( 1852 ), then to the Vincentians ( 1867 ), and finally to the Society of the Divine Word fathers on 1935 . Closed on 1941 during World War II; opened again on 1945 . Received university charter in 1948 .
- --- University Of Santo Tomas , established as the Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario on 1611 , received university charter in 1645 , closed during World War II, reopened during post-war rebuilding. Owned by the Dominicans in its entirety of existence.
- , 1592
- , Iasi, 1860
- , 1755 or Saint Petersburg State University ( 1724 - 1803 , 1819 ) or Kant Russian State University ( 1544 - 1945 , 1967 )
- , 1905 , successor to the Great School, 1808 ; Orthodox Christian Academy in 1794 ; Teacher's College in 1778
- , 1905
- , 1919
- , Peru , 1551
- , 1829
- , 1595 , successor to Catholic University of Uppsala (1477-1515)
- , 1917
- (1773)
- , 1661
- , 1721
- , 1822
The actual date a university started to function is often rather hazy and differs a good deal from legend, or from the date its ancestor-institution was founded. For example, it is generally admitted today that Oxford's foundation cannot be precisely dated, but must lie somewhere in the mid-to-late 12th century. However, the notion that a college could be empowered to give the bachelor's degree is a modern American one; by European terms, Harvard College had already adopted the powers (if not the style) of a university in 1642. The University Of Pennsylvania was simply the first American institution to call itself a university; but neither it, Harvard, or any of the Seven Other Colonial American Colleges were nearly as large or diverse as European universities of the time. The first American university to create a modern graduate school and award a Ph.D. degree was Yale University , in 1861.
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