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TOP 10 OLDEST UNIVERSITIES IN THE WORLD
* UNIVERSITY OF AL-QARAWIYYIN: (Founded 859 AD) Widely considered the oldest existing and continually operating university in the world. Founded by Fatima al-Fihri.
* AL-AZHAR UNIVERSITY CAIRO, EGYPT: (Founded 970–972 AD) A major center of Islamic scholarship and one of the world’s oldest continuously taught universities.
* UNIVERSITY OF BOLOGNA, ITALY: (Founded 1088 AD) The oldest university in Europe and often called the “mother of universities.”
* UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, ENGLAND: Teaching since 1096; established 12th century. One of the most prestigious universities globally with centuries of continuous teaching.
* UNIVERSITY OF SALAMANCA, SPAIN: (Founded 1134; recognized 1218) The oldest university in the Hispanic world.
* UNIVERSITY OF PARIS, FRANCE: (Founded ~1150) Although reorganized after 1970, it began as one of medieval Europe’s great universities.
* UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND: (Founded 1209) Formed by scholars fleeing Oxford; now one of the world’s leading universities.
* UNIVERSITY OF PADUA, ITALY: (Founded 1222) Founded by students and teachers from Bologna; known for scientific and legal research.
* UNIVERSITY OF NAPLES FEDERICO II, ITALY: (Founded 1224)The oldest public, state-supported university in the world.
* UNIVERSITY OF COIMBRA, PORTUGAL: (Founded 1290) One of the oldest in continuous operation in Europe, originally founded in Lisbon and later moved permanently to Coimbra.