10University of al-Qarawiyyin (859, Fez, Morocco)
Widely recognized as the oldest continuously operating educational institution in the world, the University of al-Qarawiyyin traces its roots back to 859. Founded in Fez by Fatima al-Fihri, it began as a mosque and learning center before developing into a major place of scholarship. UNESCO and Guinness World Records both acknowledge it as the oldest existing university.
For centuries, students gathered here to study theology, mathematics, astronomy, and language. Scholars traveled from across North Africa and the Middle East to learn and teach in its halls. Today, it remains an important symbol of the intellectual heritage of the Islamic world and a reminder that higher education has deep roots beyond Europe.
