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University building- Image by Dominick Vietor from

10 Oldest Universities in the World

In academia, the university level is the highest level of education and many people aspire to reach that level.

In the world, there are so many universities that have provided people with an opportunity to advance their education.

These institutions of higher learning have been in existence for over 1000 years which goes to show that education is a concept that has been cherished for a long time.

Some of the oldest universities in the world include:

1. University of Bologna, Italy

One of the buildings in the University of Bologna- Author; Mattia Barci-

The ‘Nourishing Mother of the Studies’ according to its Latin motto, the University of Bologna was founded in 1088 and, having never been out of operation, holds the title of the oldest university in the world.

Until relatively modern times, the university only taught doctorate studies, but today it has a diverse range of programs at all levels.

Located in Bologna, Italy, it has an enrollment of around 87,760 students, 6,400 of whom are international students.  Some of the famous alumni include three popes, numerous businessmen and several Italian politicians.

2. University of Oxford, England

university of Oxford- Author; Klaus D. Peter, Wiehl-

With an alumni list that includes 28 UK Prime Ministers, 20 Archbishops of Canterbury, 12 saints, 27 Nobel laureates, 50 Nobel Prize winners and one Sir Stephen Hawking, the University of Oxford is a well respected institution as well as as it is old.

While the university’s exact foundation date remains to be speculated, evidence of teaching dates as far back as 1096, and some have claimed that it was established even earlier.

Currently fifth in the world rankings, the University of Oxford is truly one of the highest-ranked and oldest universities in the world, catering to a student community of nearly 24,300 and operating the largest university press in the world.

3. Salamanca of University, Spain

Salamanca University, Leon, Spain- Author; Hugh Llewelyn-

The University of Salamanca was founded in 1134 and given the Royal Charter in 1218, making it Spain’s oldest institution, after the now defunct University of Palencia.

Located to the west of Madrid, it was the institution where Christopher Columbus made a case to obtain royal support for his Indies expedition in the late 15^th century.

The University of Salamanca caters to around 26,746 students across its nine campuses.

4. University of Paris, France

University of Paris- Author; Dietmar Rabich-

Established between 1160 and 1250 in the French capital, the University of Paris, often referred to as ‘la Sorbonne’, is known to have been one of the first established universities in Europe, although it was suspended from operating between 1793 and 1896, following the French Revolution.

Today, the University of Paris is scattered throughout the city, having been divided into 13 autonomous institutions in 1970, all of which maintain the high reputation of the original university.

Of these 13, the highest-ranked are Sorbonne University (a new merger of Paris-Sorbonne University and Pierre and Marie Curie University, ranked 83^rd in the world)

5. University of Cambridge, England

University of Cambridge by Jorge Royan from

Established in 1209 by a group of scholars leaving the University of Oxford due to political conflicts, the University of Cambridge is now ranked seventh in the world.

Sharing many common traditions, Oxford and Cambridge maintain a healthy sense of rivalry, which usually comes to a head in the famous annual Boat Race event. Cambridge has around 23,247 students,  5,340 of whom come from outside the EU.

6. University of Padua, Italy

Padua University- Author; Didier Descouens-

The University of Padua was founded around 1222  and is one of a number of medieval universities in Italy still operating.

The Università di Padova is notable for its revolutionary early research in astronomy, law, medicine and philosophy.

It now hosts around 62,500 students in the city of Padua, the setting of William Shakespeare’s famous play The Taming of the Shrew.

In 1545, the Università di Padova established the Botanical Garden of Padova, now one of the oldest academic gardens in the world. It also runs nine museums.

7. University of Naples Federico II, Italy

University of Naples Federico II- Author; Giuseppe Guida-

Founded in 1224 by Frederick II, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, the University of Naples – Federico II is located in Naples, Italy’s third-largest city and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.

The University of Naples Federico II is placed joint 392^nd in the world rankings (up 32 places in 2021), teaching a wide range of programs to a student community of around 80,000.

Among its most famous historic alumni is the philosopher and theologian Thomas Aquinas.

8. University of Siena, Italy

University of Siena- Author; Sailko-

Located in the small city of Siena in the Tuscany region, the University of Siena is another of the oldest universities in the world with a strong global standing, currently ranked 651-700 in the world (down from 601-700 in 2020).

With enrolment numbers upwards of 20,000, the University of Siena campus comprises almost half of the city’s entire population.

The city center itself, also of historic importance, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is visited annually by over 163,000 tourists who come for the food, the art, the museums and the medieval heritage.

9. University of Coimbra, Portugal

University of Coimbra- Author; Kyle Magnuson-

Although originally established in the Portuguese capital in 1290, the University of Coimbra (431^st in the world rankings), was relocated a number of times by demanding kings and finally ended up in Coimbra, the country’s third-largest urban center and home to much Roman-era history.

With a student community of just over 24,000, the University of Coimbra has been through many radical reforms, and for decades in the 18^th century it was the only operating university in Portugal.

In 2013, the University of Coimbra was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in recognition of its historical buildings, open courtyard, cultural traditions and stunning city-wide views.

10. Al-Azhar University, Egypt

Al-Azhar University- Author; Vyacheslav Argenberg-

Despite not gaining university status until 1961, Al-Azhar University deserves a mention in this list as it was originally established as early as 970 AD in Cairo, Egypt.

Originally a ‘madrasa’, teaching students from primary to tertiary level, Al-Azhar University was first known as a center of Islamic learning but has since developed a modern curriculum of secular subjects, ensuring its survival.

Through its time, the school has seen much political instability, most notably in the 12^th century when a new dynasty took power and destroyed over 100,000 texts.

Today, Al-Azhar University is ranked 51-60 in the QS Arab Region University Rankings 2021. In addition to traditional studies, the school also offers programs in business, economics, science, medicine, engineering and agriculture.