Talk:List of oldest universities in continuous operation

There is something suspicious about regarding "University" as a term distinct from "Institution Of Higher Learning".

I can't see that there is any reason for regarding "university" as a term distinct from "institution of higher learning" OTHER THAN to exclude non-European institutions from inclusion in the category "universities". In common English speech, "university" and "institution of higher learning" are synonymous. The difference between (on the one hand) an institution of higher learning that has "College" in its name and uses the phrase "School Of" for its subdivisions and (on the other hand) an institution of higher learning that has "University" in its name and uses the phrase "College Of" for its subdivisions is pretty much nil. The former (any College made of Schools) is just one that hasn't gotten around to changing its name yet, or is being blocked from doing so by political machinations from one or more institutions of higher learning in the same state who DO have the word "University" in their name and want to limit its use. There's no MATERIAL difference between the words "College" and "University" that applies consistently all over the U.S.A.. And, except where a "College" is a component of a University, both "College" and "University" are synonyms for "institution of higher learning".

Now, if there IS something different between (on the one hand) European institutions of higher learning that early on called themselves "Universities" and (on the other hand) non-European institutions of higher learning, SPELL THAT OUT. (I mean, a difference OTHER than simply BEING European. I meant some difference in the way they operated or the way they achieved results. Some REAL difference, not just an area of the world where they were located.) I'm afraid that I believe that the reason I'm not finding the differences spelled out anywhere is that it's all just a ruse to maintain an entirely artificial separation between European and non-European institutions, a difference based ONLY on location while pretending to be based on something else. I find nothing but circular reasoning: "Why is that madrasah in Morocco not a university?" is answered with "because it's not European". But why should the area where something is located be a determinant in whether it's called "a university" or not? Why should we agree to definitions that say "If it's in Europe it's a university but if it's not in Europe it's not a university"?2600:1700:6759:B000:60E4:4CDF:3898:2FB2 (talk) 07:39, 21 November 2023 (UTC)Christopher Lawrence Simpson

In most countries, the distinction is clearer than in the US. The meaning of university as used by academic historians has been discussed before, and does not follow the distinction you claim. You should note that places like Bologna and Oxford as well as many Cathedral schools are not considered by historians to have been universities from their date of foundation but only from when they were organised as universities, which make it clear that the definition is not, as you claim, because they are in Europe. Robminchin (talk) 17:07, 21 November 2023 (UTC)

Wikipedia here is part of a long history of dubious Orientalist "scholarship" who only purpose seems to be to massage the fragile Western ego and erase credit to those to whom it actually belongs (particularly Muslims). There is no doubt at all that Al-Qarawiyyin is the oldest degree-granting institution in the world because the "degree" originated there. A degree is what distinguishes the heuristic university from informal learning of the type that Plato and Aristotle engaged in.

See here for a preposterous "Cambridge Medieval

Author's first sentence: "It’s shocking that histories of medieval philosophy celebrate only Christian thinkers, ignoring Islamic and Jewish thought." https://aeon.co/essays/neither-philosophy-nor-religion-can-contain-maimonides

In other words it's not just Wikipedia but a much larger problem of the West.

"In 1989, Cambridge University Press announced the publication of a new, three-volume book series: The Cambridge Translations of Medieval Philosophical Texts. The first volume – edited by Norman Kretzmann and Eleonore Stump, and dedicated to logic and the philosophy of language – contained 15 medieval texts, of which 15 were composed by Christian authors. The second volume in the series, this time focusing on ethics and political philosophy, appeared in 2000. Seventeen of the 17 texts included in this collection – edited by Arthur S McGrade, John Kilcullen and Matthew Kempshall – were authored by Christian writers. Late-medieval Jewish or Islamic texts on ethics or politics? Not in our school. The third volume of the series, this one dedicated to mind and knowledge, and edited by Robert Pasnau, appeared in 2002. It contained 12 texts, of which 12 were Christian. No Islamic or Jewish sources made the cut." 195.33.244.114 (talk) 10:00, 31 December 2024 (UTC)

Incorrect/missing information

The University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, was founded in 859 AD by Fatima al-Fihri, a Muslim woman of Arab descent. Known for her dedication to education and the community, Fatima used her inheritance to establish the institution as a madrasa, which evolved into a full university over the centuries. It remains the oldest continuously operating, degree-granting university in the world, recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records. 3KBS (talk) 02:48, 31 October 2024 (UTC)

@3KBS I did spot University of al-Qarawiyyin in the (incredibly) long list. I think this topic has been discussed above: Talk:List_of_oldest_universities_in_continuous_operation#Al_Qarawiyyin,_Al_Azhar,_Sankore Commander Keane (talk) 03:10, 31 October 2024 (UTC)

University of Florence

Where is The university of florence? Sources date its existance back to 1371. 2A02:A460:5C58:0:71FB:228F:65F8:7630 (talk) 21:42, 19 November 2024 (UTC)

According to Verger, a university was founded in Florence in 1349 and was "transferred to Pisa and thereby closed in 1472". Per the University of Florence article, "The modern university dates from 1859". The University of Florence itself is celebrating its centenary this year (2024), having been officially recognised as a university in 1924.[1] Robminchin (talk) 03:17, 20 November 2024 (UTC)

University of bologna

Why in the Europe section the oldest university for Italy is not the University Of Bologna that was founded in 1088 making it the oldest continuously running university in the world? Fabio18128 (talk) 00:41, 2 January 2025 (UTC)

There are two tables in the article. The first includes all universities that were founded before 1500 CE that have been in continuous operation. The second includes all universities that were founded after 1500 CE that have been in continuous operation. The University of Bologna is, of course, included at the very top of the first table but not included in the second table. ElKevbo (talk) 02:01, 2 January 2025 (UTC)