UNIT 2: THE ORIGINS OF THE UNIVERSITY

In Europe during the Middle Ages large institutions for higher education, ambitiously labeled universities came into being. The wealthy, industrious commercial cities, jealous of their franchise and fame, frequently set the example for such establishments, which quickly came under the direction of powerful representatives of the rising bourgeoisie. The universities spread first of all through Europe, and then to the Americas and Africa.

In this unit, we shall see that despite many evolutions – higher education continues on the whole to have certain characteristics and to abide by certain apparently immutable rules which have their origins deep in history.