List of oldest universities in continuous operation
This is a list of the oldest extant universities in the world. 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 degrees for advanced studies was historically a European 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. For example, Nanjing University in China was founded in 258 BC.
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.
Founded before 1500
Post-1500, oldest universities by country or region
The majority of European countries had universities by 1500. After 1500, universities began to spread to other countries all over the world:
- Algeria: University of Algiers, 1909
- Americas: Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 1538
- Argentina: Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 1610
- Armenia: Yerevan State University , 1919
- Australia: University of Sydney, 1850
- Azerbaijan: Baku State University, 1919
- Baltic States: Vilnius University, 1579, twice closed and reopened
- Bangladesh: University of Dhaka, 1921
- Bosnia-Herzegovina: University of Sarajevo, 1940, successor to the Sharia Law School founded in 1531
- Brazil: Universidade Federal do Paraná, 1921 (note: the oldest institution of higher learning in Brazil, though not a university, is the Instituto Militar de Engenharia, founded under the name of Academia Real Militar 1811).
- Bulgaria: University of Sofia, 1888
- Canada: Université Laval, 1663; University of New Brunswick is the oldest English language university in Canada, founded in 1785
- Chile: Universidad de Chile, 1622, 19 August, as Santo Tomás de Aquino
- China:
- Nanking University, the first school officially called university in English in China, 1888. It's also the first to offer doctoral education in China, 1913.
- Beiyang University, the first school called 大學堂(Daxuetang or Daxue, today's Chinese translation of university), 1896. Beijing University to be the second, 1898.
- St. John's University, Shanghai, the first school granting bachelor's degree in China, 1907.
- Colombia: Universidad del Rosario, 1653
- Croatia: University of Zagreb, 1669
- Cuba: Universidad de La Habana, 1728
- Dominican Republic: Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, 1538
- East Timor: National University of Timor-Leste, 2000
- Estonia: University of Tartu, 1802, successor to Academia Gustaviana (1632-1710)
- Finland: University of Helsinki, 1640, originally the Academy of Turku, but moved to Helsinki in 1827
- Georgia: Tbilisi State University, 1918
- Greece: University of Athens, 1837
- Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong, 1910, evolved from the Hong Kong College of Medicine, founded in 1887
- India: University of Calcutta, 1857, the oldest full fledged university in South Asia
- Serampore College with university status (though not a university), 1818
- Indonesia: Institut Teknologi Bandung, 1920, founded as the Technische Hogeschool te Bandoeng
- Iran: University of Tehran, 1934
- Iraq: University of Baghdad, 1956 - Although the Iraqi Royal College of Medicine was established in 1928.
- Ireland: Trinity College, Dublin, 1592
- Israel: Technion, 1924
- Japan: University of Tokyo, 1877
- Korea: Korea University, 1905
- Lebanon: American University of Beirut, 1866
- Lithuania: University of Vilnius, 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
- Malaysia: University of Malaya, 1905
- Malta: University of Malta, 1769, successory to Collegium Melitense 1592
- Mexico: National Autonomous University of Mexico, 1551 (or 1910 [3])
- Myanmar: Rangoon University,1878
- Netherlands: University of Leiden, 1575
- New Zealand: University of Otago, 1869
- North America: National Autonomous University of Mexico, 1551 (or 1910 [4])
- Norway: University of Oslo, 1811
- Pakistan: University of the Punjab, 1882
- Peru: National University of San Marcos, 1551
- 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.
- Romania: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, 1860
- Russia: either Moscow State University, 1755 or Saint Petersburg State University (1724-1803, 1819) or Kant Russian State University (1544-1945, 1967)
- Serbia: Belgrade University, 1905, successor to the Great School, 1808; Orthodox Christian Academy in 1794; Teacher's college in 1778
- Singapore: National University of Singapore, 1905
- Slovenia: University of Ljubljana, 1919
- South America: National University of San Marcos, Peru, 1551
- South Africa: University of Cape Town, 1829
- Thailand: Chulalongkorn University, 1917
- Turkey: Istanbul Technical University (1773)
- Ukraine: University of Lviv, 1661
- U.S.: see First university in the United States
- Venezuela: Central University of Venezuela, 1721
Caveat
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.
See also
- Ancient university
- Medieval university
- Medieval university (Asia)
- Third oldest university in England debate