A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees at all levels (bachelor, master, and doctorate) in a variety of subjects. A university provides both tertiary and quaternary education. The word university is derived from the Latin universitas, meaning corporation, since the first medieval European universities were simply groups of scholars.

History

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Because of the above definition, there is some controversy regarding what is the world's oldest university. If we consider university simply as a higher education institution, then it is Shangyang, which originated before the 21st century BC in China. In the western world, the choice is between Takshashila, Nalanda and Al-Azhar University. If we consider the original meaning of the word (from the latin "universitas": a corporation of students), then universities are a medieval European phenomenon and the oldest university is the University of Bologna in northern Italy (founded in 1088 and known as "Alma Mater Studiorum").

Students at Takshashila University, founded in Taxila (Pakistan) from around the 7th century BC, were given academic titles after graduating from one of its many courses. Nalanda University, founded in Bihar (India) from around the 5th century BC, also gave academic titles to its graduates, while also offering post-graduate courses. Al-Azhar University, founded in Cairo (Egypt) in the 10th century, offered a variety of post-graduate degrees, and is usually regarded as the first full-fledged university.

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