The concept of a university—a center of higher learning where scholars gather to teach, research, and award degrees—is one of the most enduring legacies of global civilization. Tracing the title of the “World’s Oldest University” is a fascinating journey that crosses continents, cultures, and centuries, revealing that the true distinction depends on how one defines a “university.”
While ancient institutions of learning existed for millennia, the specific structure of the universitas (a Latin term for a guild of masters or students) that defines the modern model has a distinct, yet dual, origin.
Title Holder 1: The Oldest Continuously Operating and Degree-Granting Institution
According to the Guinness World Records and UNESCO, the official title of the oldest continually operating, degree-awarding higher education institution in the world belongs to the University of Al-Qarawiyyin (or Al Quaraouiyine) in Fez, Morocco.
University of Al-Qarawiyyin (Founded 859 AD)
- Founder: The university was