The University of al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 AD in Fez, Morocco, is recognized by UNESCO and the Guiness World Records as the oldest existing, continually operating educational institution in the world. It was founded by Fatima

The title of the first university in the world is often attributed to the University of al-Qarawiyyin (or al-Karaouine), founded in 859 CE in Fez, Morocco (then part of the Islamic Empire). It was established by Fatima al-Fihri, a wealthy and educated Muslim woman, and her sister Mariam.

Key Points:

1. Religious & Educational Hub – It started as a mosque with an attached school but evolved into a full-fledged university over centuries.
2. UNESCO Recognition – Recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records as the oldest continuously operating degree-granting university.
3. Islamic Influence – Followed the Islamic tradition of higher education, which had already established institutions like Al-Azhar (970 CE, Cairo) and the Nizamiyya (1065 CE, Baghdad).

European Contenders:

• University of Bologna (1088 CE, Italy) – Often considered the oldest in Europe, but later than al-Qarawiyyin.
• University of Oxford (1096 CE, England) – Another early European institution.

Conclusion:

While Europe's medieval universities are well-documented, al-Qarawiyyin predates them by over two centuries, making it the oldest continuously operating university in the world, founded by a visionary Muslim woman.

The oldest continuously operating university in the world is generally considered to be the University of Al Quaraouiyine (also spelled Al-Karaouine) in Fez, Morocco. It was founded in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri, a Muslim woman who used her inheritance to establish a mosque and educational institution. It was formally recognized as a university in 1963 but had been functioning as an educational institution for over a millennium before that.

Some scholars might also point to the ancient centers of learning like Nalanda in India (5th century CE) or Plato's Academy in Athens (founded around 387 BCE), though these differed somewhat from our modern concept of universities with their formal degree-granting structures.

The oldest university in the world is the University of al-Qarawiyyin (also spelled Al Quaraouiyine), located in Fez, Morocco. It was founded in 859 CE by Fatima al-Fihri, a Muslim woman who used her inheritance to establish what began as a mosque and developed into a leading center of education during the Islamic Golden Age[1][2][5][6][7]. The institution is officially recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest existing and continuously operating degree-granting university[2].

While ancient learning centers like Takshashila and Nalanda in South Asia predate al-Qarawiyyin, they do not fully meet the modern definition of a university—particularly regarding continuous operation and the formal conferral of degrees[2]. Al-Qarawiyyin meets these criteria and has influenced global educational traditions, especially in Islamic religious, legal sciences, and linguistics[1].

In summary: - First university: University of al-Qarawiyyin - Location: Fez, Morocco - Founded: 859 CE - Founder: Fatima al-Fihri[1][2][5][6][7]