How many years old is the oldest continuously operating university?
History hard Data from 2024
Guess before you scroll — the answer is below
The answer
1,165 years
Roughly 1.2K.
The University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, was founded in 859 CE and has operated ever since — over 1,160 years. It was founded by a woman, Fatima al-Fihri. Bologna, Europe’s oldest, dates from 1088.
Where this number comes from
| Source | UNESCO / Guinness World Records |
|---|---|
| Figure refers to | 2024 |
| Last checked | |
| Unit | years |
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