Education
Oldest Universities in the World
The world's oldest universities still in operation.
universitiesoldesteducationhistory
60 of 60 rows
Location↕ | Current name↕ | Year↕ | Notes↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current | Original | — | — |
| Algeria(Algiers) | French Algeria(Algiers) | University of Algiers | 1,909 |
| Angola(Luanda) | Portuguese Angola(Luanda) | Agostinho Neto University | 1,962 |
| Benin(Abomey-Calavi) | Republic of Dahomey(Abomey-Calavi) | University of Abomey-Calavi | 1,970 |
| Botswana(Gaborone, Francistown, Maun) | University of Botswana | 1964 (as part of the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland; university 1982) | |
| Burkina Faso(Ouagadougou) | Republic of Upper Volta(Ouagadougou) | University of Ouagadougou | 1,974 |
| Burundi(Bujumbura) | Kingdom of Burundi(Bujumbura) | University of Burundi | 1,964 |
| Cameroon(Yaoundé) | Federal Republic of Cameroon(Yaoundé) | University of Yaoundé | 1,962 |
| Cape Verde(Praia) | Jean Piaget University of Cape Verde | 2001 | As a result of the merger of the two previously existing higher education establishments (ISE and ISECMAR) |
| Central African Republic(Bangui) | University of Bangui | 1969 | |
| Chad(N'Djamena) | University of N'Djamena | 1971 | Originally the University of Chad, renamed the University of N'Djamena 1994. |
| Comoros(Moroni) | University of the Comoros | 2003 | |
| DR Congo(Kinshasa) | Belgian Congo(Kinshasa) | University of Kinshasa | 1,954 |
| Congo(Brazzaville) | People's Republic of the Congo(Brazzaville) | Marien Ngouabi University | 1,971 |
| Djibouti(Djibouti City) | University of Djibouti | 2006 | |
| Egypt(Giza) | Khedivate of Egypt(Cairo) | Cairo University | 1,908 |
| Equatorial Guinea(Malabo) | National University of Equatorial Guinea | 1995 | |
| Eritrea(Mai Nefhi) | Eritrea Institute of Technology | 2003 | Founded following the closure of the University of Asmara, which had been established as a college in 1958 |
| Eswatini(Kwaluseni) | Swaziland(Kwaluseni) | University of Eswatini | 1964 (as part of the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland; university 1982) |
| Ethiopia(Addis Ababa) | Ethiopian Empire(Addis Ababa) | University of Addis Ababa | 1950 (as college offering degree courses; university 1962) |
| Gabon(Libreville) | Omar Bongo University | 1970 | Founded as the National University of Gabon and took current name in 1978 |
| Gambia(Serekunda) | University of the Gambia | 1999 | |
| Ghana(Accra) | Gold Coast(Accra) | University of Ghana | 1948 (as affiliate college of the University of London; university 1961) |
| Guinea(Conakry) | Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry | 1962 | |
| Guinea-Bissau(Bissau) | Universidade Colinas de Boé | 2003 | |
| Universidade Amílcar Cabral | 2003 | — | |
| Ivory Coast(Abidjan) | Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny | 1964 (as main campus of the University of Abidjan; university 1996) | |
| Kenya(Nairobi) | Colony and Protectorate of Kenya (Nairobi) | University of Nairobi | 1961 (as affiliate college of the University of London; college 1956; university 1970) |
| Lesotho(Roma) | National University of Lesotho | 1964 (as part of the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland; college 1945; university 1975 | |
| Liberia(Monrovia) | University of Liberia | 1951 (college 1863) | Building on Liberia College founded in 1863 |
| Libya(Benghazi & Tripoli) | Kingdom of Libya(Benghazi) | University of Libya | 1,956 |
| Madagascar(Antananarivo) | Colony of Madagascar and Dependencies(Antananarivo) | University of Antananarivo | 1961 (as university; institute for advanced studies 1955) |
| Malawi(Zomba, Blantyre & Lilongwe) | University of Malawi | 1965 | |
| Mali(Bamako) | University of Bamako | 1996 | |
| Mauritania(Nouakchott) | University of Nouakchott Al Aasriya | 1981 | |
| Mauritius(Moka) | British Mauritius(Moka) | University of Mauritius | 1,965 |
| Morocco(Fez) | Idrisid dynasty(Fez) | University of Al Quaraouiyine | 1965 (as university; madrasa 859) |
| Morocco(Rabat) | Mohammed V University | 1957 | Founded as University of Rabat |
| Mozambique(Maputo) | Portuguese Mozambique(Lourenço Marques) | Eduardo Mondlane University | 1,962 |
| Namibia(Windhoek) | University of Namibia | 1992 | |
| Niger(Niamey) | Abdou Moumouni University | 1974 | Originally the University of Niamey |
| Nigeria(Ibadan) | Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria(Yaba, Lagos) | University of Ibadan | 1949 (as affiliated college of the University of London; college 1932; university 1962) |
| Nigeria(Nsukka) | Federation of Nigeria (Nsukka) | University of Nigeria, Nsukka | 1,960 |
| Rwanda(Kigali) | Rwanda(Kigali) | University of Rwanda | 1,963 |
| São Tomé and Príncipe(São Tomé) | University of São Tomé and Príncipe | 2014 (as university; polytechnic school 1996) | |
| Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic(Tifariti) | University of Tifariti | 2013 | |
| Senegal(Dakar) | French Senegal(Dakar) | Cheikh Anta Diop University | 1,957 |
| Seychelles(Anse Royale) | University of Seychelles | 2009 | |
| Sierra Leone(Freetown) | Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate(Freetown) | Fourah Bay College | 1876 (as affiliated college of Durham University; college 1827; part of University of Sierra Leone 1967) |
| Somalia(Mogadishu) | Trust Territory of Somaliland(Mogadishu) | Somali National University | 1,954 |
| South Africa(Pretoria) | Cape Colony(Cape Town) | University of South Africa | 1,873 |
| South Sudan(Juba) | Democratic Republic of the Sudan(Juba) | University of Juba | 1,975 |
| Sudan(Khartoum) | Republic of the Sudan(Khartoum) | University of Khartoum | 1956 (as university; college 1902) |
| Tanzania(Dar es Salaam) | Tanganyika Territory(Dar es Salaam) | University of Dar es Salaam | 1961 (as affiliated college of the University of London; part of the University of East Africa 1963; university 1970) |
| Togo(Lomé) | University of Lomé | 1970 | Originally the University of Benin, changed to current name in 2001 |
| Tunisia(Tunis) | University of Ez-Zitouna | 2012 (as independent university; mosque c. 737) | The oldest higher education institution in Tunisia, it traces its origins back to the Al-Zaytuna Mosque founded around 737 and became an important higher education institution under the Hafsid dynasty in the 13th to 16th century. It was ransacked by the Spanish during their occupation of Tunis in the mid 16th century but was restored in the 17th century. It became part of the University of Tunis (established 1960) in 1965. It was re-founded as an independent institution in 2012. |
| University of Tunis | 1960 | Established in 1960 following Tunisia's independence. | — |
| Uganda(Kampala) | British Protectorate of Uganda(Kampala) | Makerere University | 1949 (as affiliated college of the University of London; part of University of East Africa 1963; university 1970) |
| Zambia(Lusaka) | University of Zambia | 1966 | |
| Zimbabwe(Harare) | Southern Rhodesia(Salisbury) | University of Zimbabwe | 1952 (as affiliated college of the University of London; university 1970) |
Loading community rankings...