Bologna is home to the University of Bologna, traditionally founded in 1088 and widely regarded as the world’s oldest continuously operating university.
The university developed from groups of students who organised themselves to hire and regulate teachers. Unlike many later medieval institutions, students played a strong role in the early university’s structure and governance.
Bologna became especially famous for the study of civil and canon law. Its influence spread across Europe as graduates carried legal methods and university traditions to other centres of learning.
The university’s traditional foundation date comes from historical research and commemorations rather than a single surviving founding charter. The University of Oxford is older than many modern universities but developed gradually during the 12th century. The University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez is often described as the oldest existing educational institution, but definitions of “university” differ between sources.