They say old is gold and truth be told, some of the colleges in this list are some of the best universities in the world. These universities have stood the taste of time and have continued to provide us with top quality standards of education and produced some of the great minds throughout the world. In most cases, people tend to compare colleges in terms of what they can offer and not their longevity and history. However, in this piece, we get to examine some of the world’s oldest colleges;
10
University of Cambridge, England
This top university was formed in 1209 by scholars who because of a dispute left the University of Oxford and joined forces to form this. Ever since, these two universities developed a rivalry that stands up to date. The university has over 31 colleges and is currently ranked among the top 5 universities of the world.
9
University of Montpellier, France
As one of the top colleges in France, University of Montpellier comes in ninth in our list. The university is located in Montpellier, France. There is a contention about its actual formation date as some people believe that the university was actually formed earlier than its founding date of 1150. In 1289, Pope Nicholas IV issued a papal bull which combined existing schools into one.
8
University of Oxford, England
A clear date as to when this university was formed is not yet clear. However, learning and teaching existed in the university as early as 1096. In 1167, learning in the institution rapidly increased as a result of the banning of English students from attending the University of Paris by the late Henry the second.
7
University of Paris, France
The University was founded in 1090. However, with the French Revolution of 1789, the university was abolished. The current modern University of Paris was established to follow in the footsteps of the original university.
6
University of Bologna, Italy
It is believed that this was the first ever university by proper naming convention. The word university is even coined to the University of Bologna. It was the first university to issue its graduates with a university degree. The university was founded in 1088.
5
Al-Nizamiyya, Iran
When you compare colleges in this list, Al-Nizamiyya comes up as an underdog. The university is not a single self but a collection of independent educational institutions. They were all started in 1065 by Khwaja Nizam Al- Mulk.
4
Al-Azhar University, Egypt
The tertiary institution of learning was formed in 972 AD and is located in Cairo Egypt. Throughout the Islamic population Al-Azhar University is considered as one of the premier educational institutions. The institution serves as a center for Sunni Islamic learning and Arabic literature.
3
University of Al Karaouine, Morocco
The university might not rank among the best universities in the world but one thing is for sure, it is the third oldest university in the world. The university is located in Fes, Morocco and was founded in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri.
2
University of Nanjing, China
For a learning institution that started 258 AD, nothing can be taken away from it. The university is located in Nanjing which is a commercial center having over six million habitats.
1
The University of Nalanda, India
At the peak of our list of the top colleges is The University of Nalanda which was formed in the 5th c.BC.
Historians have even dubbed the university as ‘one of the first great universities in recorded history’. The university was used as a center of learning for the Buddhists.
Great acknowledgements