The Oldest Universities in the World

Explore the different institutions labeled the "first" university, and the different criteria behind each claim.

There is no single "oldest university"

Depending on the criterion used — founding date, continuous operation, or whether the institution formally awarded degrees — several institutions are each referred to as the "first" of their kind.

University of al-Qarawiyyin (Morocco)

Said to have been founded in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri in Fez, Morocco, it is recognized by UNESCO and Guinness World Records as the oldest existing, continually operating degree-granting educational institution in the world. It began as an educational institution attached to a mosque and was later incorporated as a formal university, continuing its history to this day.

Al-Azhar University (Egypt)

Founded around 970 CE in Cairo, Egypt, it remains a long-standing center of Islamic education to this day and is considered one of the oldest continuously operating universities. It has grown into an institution teaching a wide range of subjects, including Islamic theology, and continues to hold an important academic standing in the Islamic world.

University of Bologna (Italy)

Founded in 1088, it is widely known as the oldest university in Europe and is also called "the mother of European universities." It is credited with creating the prototype of the European university system, and many universities later founded across Europe are said to have referenced Bologna's academic operating model.

University of Oxford (UK)

Its exact founding date is not clearly known, but records show teaching was already taking place before 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Along with its long history, it is also famous for producing numerous Nobel laureates and world leaders, and it continues to hold its standing as one of the world's leading universities today.

Ancient institutions of higher learning

Institutions such as India's Nalanda monastic university (around the 5th century) differed in form from today's "universities," but systematic institutions of higher learning already existed in ancient times. Nalanda was once a center of Buddhist scholarship that drew thousands of monk-students from across Asia, before it was destroyed and faded into history. While it has no direct lineage to today's universities, it is often cited as an example of the long history of higher education.

Korea's time-honored educational institutions

In Korean history as well, state-run institutions of higher learning with a long history have continued in succession — Silla's Gukhak, Goryeo's Gukjagam, and Joseon's Seonggyungwan. Although different in form from today's university system, they are an example showing the long tradition of the state operating systematic institutions of higher education to cultivate talent.

See also the traditions of knowledge in ancient civilizations

If you are curious about the background from which these ancient educational institutions emerged, take a look at our guide to the ancient civilizations of the world as well.

Curious about the relationship between religion and scholarship?

Many universities, such as al-Qarawiyyin and Al-Azhar, began as religious institutions. See our overview of world religions for more background.

A note of caution

The phrase "the oldest university in the world" often refers to different institutions depending on the source. This is not so much an error as a reflection of differing criteria — founding date, continuous operation, or whether degrees were formally awarded.

Frequently Asked Questions

So which one is really the oldest university?

It is difficult to name just one. By the criterion of "a continuously operating, degree-granting institution," the University of al-Qarawiyyin is often cited; by the criterion of "the origin of the European university system," the University of Bologna is often mentioned — the answer changes depending on the criterion.

Why isn't Nalanda considered a direct ancestor of today's universities?

Because Nalanda was destroyed in ancient times and never rebuilt, it faded into history without a direct institutional lineage to universities existing today. Still, it is frequently cited as a symbolic example of the long history of higher education.