
Today, the University of Paris is scattered throughout the city, having been divided into 13 autonomous institutions in 1970, all of which maintain the high reputation of the original university. University of ParisĮstablished between 11 in the French capital, the University 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 17, following the French Revolution. The University of Salamanca caters to around 26,746 students across its nine campuses. See how the University of Salamanca ranks in the QS World University Rankings® 4. Located to the west of Madrid, it was the institution where Christopher Columbus made a case to obtain royal support for his Indies expedition in the late 15 th century. The University of Salamanca was founded in 1134 and given the Royal Charter in 1218, making it Spain’s oldest institution, after the now defunct University of Palencia. While the university’s exact foundation date remains a little vague, evidence of teaching dates as far back as 1096, and some claim it was established even earlier.Ĭurrently fifth in the world rankings, the University of Oxford is truly one of the highest-ranked and oldest universities in the world, catering to a student community of nearly 24,300 and operating the largest university press in the world. With an alumni list that includes 28 UK Prime Ministers, 20 Archbishops of Canterbury, 12 saints, 27 Nobel laureates, 50 Nobel Prize winners and one Sir Stephen Hawking, the University of Oxford is as respected as it is old. Famous alumni include three popes, numerous businessmen and several Italian politicians. See how the University of Bologna ranks in the QS World University Rankings® 2.

Located in Bologna, Italy, it has an enrolment of around 87,760 students, of which 6,400 are international students. Until relatively modern times, the university only taught doctorate studies, but today it has a diverse range of programs at all levels. The ‘Nourishing Mother of the Studies’ according to its Latin motto, the University of Bologna was founded in 1088 and, having never been out of operation, holds the title of the oldest university in the world. This is not intended to be a list of the 10 oldest universities in order of establishment, but instead highlights 10 of the oldest universities which also have a high international ranking. Most are located in Europe, due to the particularly impressive number of longstanding and prestigious universities in this region, but there’s also an African representative to consider. Here we cover some of the oldest universities in the world, all of which feature in one of the QS rankings. 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. Over the centuries, many of the world’s oldest universities have disbanded, split into autonomous colleges or become modernized beyond all recognition. QS MBA Events in Middle East and AfricaĬenters of higher education have been around for hundreds of years, and even millennia in some cases, but not all withstand the test of time.QS Master's Events in Middle East and Africa.QS World University Rankings by Subject.
