1
University of al-Qarawiyyin
- Country / region
- Morocco
- Founding year
- 859
- Continuity / caveat
- Broad higher-learning institution standard; modern university status came later
Top 10Updated 2026年5月21日
Top 10 Oldest Universities Still Operating
A founding-year ranking of ancient universities and higher-learning institutions still operating today, from Al-Qarawiyyin in 859 to medieval European universities such as Bologna, Oxford, Cambridge, Salamanca, and Padua.
Top 3
- 1University of al-Qarawiyyin
- 2
Interesting Facts & Summary
The key editorial question is the definition of “university.” Under a broad continuous higher-learning institution standard, Al-Qarawiyyin and Al-Azhar rank first; under the medieval European corporate university model, Bologna is usually treated as the oldest.
| Rank | University | Country / region | Founding year | Continuity / caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of al-Qarawiyyin | Morocco | 859 | Broad higher-learning institution standard; modern university status came later |
| 2 | Al-Azhar University | Egypt |
Sources
- S1 · WikipediaList of oldest universities in continuous operation
Wikipedia, List of oldest universities in continuous operation, used as cross-check for ordering and caveats.
Accessed: 2026-05-21 - S2 · UNESCO / Medina of Fez context and secondary references summarized in University of al-QarawiyyinUniversity of al-Qarawiyyin
UNESCO / Medina of Fez context and secondary references summarized in University of al-Qarawiyyin; note modern-university caveat.
Accessed: 2026-05-21
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CategoryHistory & Civilization
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