A university is something more than a center of higher education and study. Notable alumni include actor Iain Glen (Game of Thrones) and author Ali Smith. See how the University of Padua ranksin theQS World University Rankings. Established in 1886 as the Ewha Haktang mission school for girls, started higher education in 1910, and was reorganized as Ewha Womans University in 1946. Nineteenth-century universities The University of Padua Universit di Padovaor UNIPD was founded in 1222 (although some evidence puts it before this date) and is one of a number of medieval universities in Italy still operating. ", "Degree awarding powers granted to Richmond, the American International University in London", "Richmond, the American International University in London, Inc", "St George's, University of London Scheme", "Plymouth College of Art given university status", "Plymouth College of Art awarded Taught Degree Awarding Powers", "Regulatory case report for university title for NCH at Northeastern Limited", "BIMM becomes BIMM University after being awarded university status", "Private universities complain of insecurity", "University College of Estate Management", "The College of Estate Management Granted University College Status", "Daniel Craig's former college Guildhall gains degree powers", "Writtle College granted Taught Degree Awarding Powers", "Writtle achieves University College status", "Private chiropractic college granted degree powers", "British School of Osteopathy wins university college status", "First college granted full degree-awarding powers", "Rose Bruford wins power to award its own degrees", "Norland College granted taught degree awarding power", "Architectural Association School of Architecture", "AA wins power to award degrees for the first time", "Royal Holloway Our history About us home", "Royal Holloway Consumer Information Study here home", "The Education (Recognised Bodies) (England) Order 2013", "History of SOAS, University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies)", "Governance at SOAS, University of London", "Degree awarding powers Birkbeck, University of London", "City University London to join the University of London", "University of Wales Merger Frequently Asked Questions", "Your essential new student guide to Bangor University", "History of the University of South Wales University of South Wales", Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_universities_in_the_United_Kingdom_by_date_of_foundation&oldid=1163475934. The collegiate body was first introduced as the London Institute in 1986, and acquired university status in 2004 as the University of the Arts London. So some early universities, including the University of Paris, founded around the beginning of the 13th century[3] but abolished by the French Revolution in 1793,[4] are excluded. Originally the University of Dahomey. First private university in the UK, and the only one established by royal charter. Its definitely one of the most beautiful institutions on our list. It was founded as a law school in 1495 but under a different name The University and Kings College of Aberdeen. It was last updated in June 2023. Some of the smartest minds in scientific history studied here: father of the theory of evolution Charles Darwin, statistician Thomas Bayes, physicist James Clerk Maxwell, and many others. It was established as the School of Art, established in 1851, which came together as the Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Technical College in 1931. Napoleonic occupation of the Netherlands. With roots dating back to 1882 as Teacher Training College, in 1992 gained university status as University of Luton. Closed 17821827. While not quite as old as Ez-Zitouna, it has a fantastic reputation for delivering high-quality education to some of the most recognisable names in history. The ancient institutions that are here today are significant for their historic legacies and for proving their ability to adapt to modern contexts and remain relevant in a globalized world in spite of intense competition. In 1894 it became a founding constituent college of the University of Wales. Cyril and Methodius University of Skopje, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, List of colonial universities in Latin America, Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Honduras, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicols de Hidalgo, List of oldest institutions in continuous operation, "The University from the 12th to the 20th century", "The Quatercentenary of the University of Coimbra", "History of St. Andrews, episcopal, monastic, academic, and civil, Volume 2", "The University of Barcelona: More than five centuries of history", "Chronicle of the University of Greifswald", "La fundacin cisneriana: el Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso", "Traslado de la Universidad Complutense a Madrid", "Higher education struggles under multiple pressures", "Oldest higher-learning institution, oldest university", "Library World Records, 3d ed. Laura is a former staff writer forTopUniversities.com, providing advice and guidance for students on a range of topics helping them to choose where to study, get admittedand find funding andscholarships. [7], 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. This is a list of the oldest existing universities in continuous operation in the world. Ss. The Cranfield Institute of Technology was incorporated by royal charter in 1969, giving the institution its own degree-awarding powers. This excludes the original University of Northampton, which gained university status in 1261 before being abolished in 1265. The University of Oxford is the oldest university among the English-speaking countries and the second-oldest higher education institution in operation worldwide. Applied for university status in its own right following the passing of the University of London Act 2018. 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. 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. ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Switzerland . 1965 (degree granting; college 1952; university 1968), Southern and Western Europe (from the 11th or 12th century), Central and Northern Europe (from the 14th or 15th century), Asia and Africa (from the 19th or 20th century), with the exception of the, This page was last edited on 8 July 2023, at 18:31. Located in Bologna, Italy, it has an enrolment of around 87,760 students, of which 6,400 are international students. However, it hasnt always been a single university. Founded 1894 as the Northampton Institute. Today, with well over 30,000 students, it is one of the 10 largest universities in the UK. University of Rhodesia from 1970 and University of Zimbabwe from 1980. The University of Salamanca caters to around 26,746 students across its nine campuses. Founded in 1875 as The Edinburgh School of Cookery and Domestic Economy. Established between 1160 and 1250 in the French capital, theUniversity of Paris, often known 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. Became Sheffield City Training College in 1905 and Sheffield Polytechnic in 1969. The University College London, also known as 'London's Global University,' is the eight-oldest university in the UK. Established: 1872. Imperial College London - 196 years old Taught degree awarding powers August 2017. Royal Veterinary College, University of London - 1791 7. Archaeology. Founded in 1918 as Tbilisi State University, Founded in 1635 by the archbishop and theologian, First established as Riga Polytechnicum in 1862, Successor to the Abendtechnikum Vaduz in 1992, The Utrecht University was abolished during the Napoleonic era, reorganized as a French Imperial School for Higher Education. Following the University of Oxford, St George's University is the second-oldest university to formally teach doctors in the UK. By the mid 19th century, Europe had recovered to 98 universities.[103]. Claims to be the "first college to become a university" in the US, in 1779. Established in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the fourth-oldest surviving university in the world and the second-oldest in the anglophone world. 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. 1 rival, the University of Oxford (see below): When a number of Oxford scholars were forced to leave following disputes with the local townspeople, a number of them went to Cambridge and established a new school in 1209. 10 . As a university by royal charter, the new institution is legally distinct from the post-1992 institutions that became universities under the auspices of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. A graduate of Queen Mary University of London, Laura also blogs about student life. Order of Council approving an update to statutes under the Royal Holloway and Bedford New College Act 1985, specifying that it is "a higher education institution which holds university title", made 30 November 2022. Formed following the merge of, From merger of Owen's College (constituent college of the Victoria University from 1880) and the Victoria University. University of Wales College, Newport from 1996. Oxford is a unique and historic institution. The University of Cambridge is Oxfords age-old adversary and the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world. UCL regularly claims top 20 spots in international university rankings. Merged with, Higher Education Corporation from 1993 under the name of North East Wales Institute. A school of higher studies was founded in 1410 and was chartered by Bishop. The institution became Trent Polytechnic in 1970. Oldest in New South Wales, Australia and Oceania. Location: Aberystwyth, Wales. By royal charter; limited to postgraduate degrees in theology, By royal charter, originally degrees in music only, Granted University College status in May 2016, Granted University College status in October 2017, Granted University College status in August 2017.