History

Al Quaraouiyine is the oldest operating university in the world. It is in Fez, Morocco. It was founded by Fatima al-Fihiri with an associated madrasa (Islamic College) in 859. Fatima was the daughter of a man named Mohammed al-Fihiri who was a very successful merchant. Fatima used her father’s fortune to construct the university.

About

Students from all over morocco attend al quaraouiyine. It is a common misconception that the university is open only to men. However, it is open to both men and women. Present day student enrollment is between 8 and 9 thousand. Most students range between the ages of 13 and 30 and study towards high school diplomas and bachelor’s degree.

Subjects such as grammar, rhetoric, logic, medicine, mathematics, and astronomy are taught in the university. Students are taught in the traditional way, in which students are seated in a semi-circle around the teacher who asks them to read sections of text and questions them about it and explains the difficult parts. The university also has a library which has old manuscripts and books of historical significance.