Millions of students look for the world’s top universities each year to pursue their higher education in their desired field of study. But while browsing through the list of the top universities, there might be a question: where did the university system really start? This question is more than merely a curiosity-driven search because it blends over a thousand years of academic tradition with modern student life.
Many students refer to the ranking sites, such as the QS World University Rankings, to make their choice for the best university to pursue their higher education. But the QS World University Rankings have also created a list of the top ten oldest universities in the world. Instead, QS Rankings places major focus on establishments that fit the contemporary definition of a university.
The university system was created in medieval Europe, not in the twenty-first century. There are some benefits for the students in knowing which universities are the oldest, according to the QS Rankings:-
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Helps recognise the roots of degrees and disciplines
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Helps recognise why academic traditions are dominated by European universities.
Which Universities are the Oldest in the World According to QS Rankings?
There are some of the higher education institutions that have existed for hundreds of years, some universities have been there for a millennia, but not every university has withstood the test of time. There are many oldest universities in the world which have stopped operating or were divided into independent colleges, or might have undergone some unrecognisable modernisation over the years.
The historic legacies of the ancient institutions still operate today and are noteworthy, as their capacity to adapt to contemporary circumstances and maintain relevance in a globalised world despite fierce competition. Some of the world’s oldest universities, all of which appear in one of the QS Rankings, are primarily located in Europe.
Given below is the list of some of the oldest universities in the world according to QS rankings, and they are also ranked highly internationally:-
| Institute Name | Establishment Year | Location | Rank |
| University of Bologna | 1088 | Italy | =138 |
| University of Oxford | 1096 | United Kingdom | 4 |
| University of Salamanca | 1218 | Spain | =526 |
| University of Paris (Also known as Sorbonne) | 1150 | France | =72 |
| University of Cambridge | 1209 | United Kingdom | 6 |
| University of Padua | 1222 | Italy | =233 |
| University of Naples Federico II | 1224 | Italy | =379 |
| University of Siena | 1240 | Italy | =607 |
| University of Coimbra | 1290 | Portugal | =347 |
| Al-Azhar University | 970 AD | Egypt | 1001-1200 |
(Disclaimer:- These rankings and lists have been taken from the official website of the QS Rankings.)
Why Has Europe Been Dominant in the World’s Oldest Universities List?
With at least ten oldest universities in the world located in Europe, a question naturally comes to mind,
‘Why has Europe been dominant in the world’s oldest universities list?’
The medieval ‘universitas’ concept was fueled by the demand for a state, Latin, Roman Law and urban growth, which led to the establishment of institutions like Bologna and Paris, which introduced a model for formalised degrees, intellectual autonomy, and scholarly debate, that spread throughout the continent, and is what accounts for Europe’s dominance in the oldest university lists.
While there were ancient sites like Nalanda (India) and al-Qarawiyyin (Morocco, 859), Europe created the framework and independence of the contemporary university system, which subsequently spread. Given below is a list of some factors which led to Europe’s early university growth:-
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The University of Bologna is regarded as the oldest university in the world, according to QS, because it was the first university to set an example of contemporary higher education. The academic systems that students depend on today were shaped by the universities that developed upon their foundation.