While Oxford University is one of the oldest universities in the world, it only takes the second place in this list. Here are the top 10 oldest universities from all over the world, some of which you might haven't heard of before.
Complutense University of Madrid
Founded in 1293, the Complutense University of Madrid is the 10th oldest university in this list. It has a total of 86,000 students enrolled in different programs and has produced seven Nobel Prize winners and world leaders. One of its most notable alumni is the poet, Federico Garcia Lorca.
The ninth spot belongs to the University of Coimbra, a Portuguese public university founded in 1290 in Lisbon, Portugal. It has been relocated many times until it settled to its current location, Coimbra. Aside from being one of the oldest, the university was declared as a UNESCO world heritage site in 2013. Some of its most notable alumni are Portugal's greatest poet, Luís Vaz de Camões, and former Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio de Oliveira Salazar.
Located in Macerata, Italy, the University of Macerata is established in 1290 with its main offices within its medieval walls. It has 7 faculties and a total of 11,000 students enrolled in various graduate and undergraduate programs,
University of Valladolid
The seventh place is another Spanish university, University de Valladolid founded at the end of 13th century. However, its first documented reference was in 1293 in a document signed by King Sancho IV of Castile. Valladolid is the birthplace of one of the greatest Spanish writers, Miguel de Cervantes.
University of Naples Federico II
Founded in 1224, the University of Naples Federico II is considered the world's oldest public and laic university. Despite being one of the oldest, the university has futuristic mind which was seen when it started hosting the first-ever Apple iOS Developer Academy in 2016. Some of the school's most popular alumni were St. Thomas Aquinas and former Italian president Giorgio Napolitano.
The University of Padua was originally established as a school of law in 1222. Considered as the second oldest university in Italy, it has now a total of 56,000 students enrolled. It is also popular for its beautiful garden, Botanical Garden of Podova, which is a tourist attraction in itself. Some of its alumni include mathematician and astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus and Giacomo Casanova.
University of Cambridge
The alma mater of the most notable minds in modern history including Sir Isaac Newton, Lord Byron, and Charles Darwin is the fourth oldest university in the world. Established in 1209, the university has now a total of 20,000 students.
The University of Salamanca which is located west of Madrid is the third oldest university in the world. Although it was founded in 1134, King Alfonso IX only issued a Royal charter of foundation in 1218. In 1254, King Alfonso X gave it the formal title of university.
Founded in 1096, the University of Oxford takes the second spot in the Top 10 oldest universities in the world list. Most of Britain's prime ministers graduated from Oxford as well as other world leader's such as Aung San Suu Kyi, Bill Clinton, and Benazir Bhutto.
The University of Bologna in Italy is considered as the first university in the world. The university's crest carries its foundation date, which is 1088. Aside from its main campus in Bologna, it also has satellite campuses in Buenos Aires as well as in Rimini, Cesena, Forli, and Ravenna. Its alumni are no less than impressive including Dante, Guglielmo Marconi, and Erasmus.
