The 10 Oldest Universities in Africa

With its various centers of education, Africa offers many opportunities to students. Here is a brief overview about the 10 oldest universities in Africa.

10) Makerere University (1922)

Makerere University is located in Kampala, Uganda. It was first established as a technical school in 1922. It transitioned from the faculty based to the collegiate system few years back. Today it is the largest institution of higher learning in Uganda. It is composed of nine colleges and one school and enrolls around 36,000 undergraduates and 4,000 postgraduates. It is one of the most prestigious universities in the African continent.

9) American University in Cairo (1919)

The American University was established in the year 1919 by the American Mission in Egypt. The founders intended the university to be both a preparatory school and a university. The AUC is a nonprofit, independent, liberal arts, English language university. It offers American-style learning programs at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels. Students from more than 100 nations study here.

8) University of Algiers (1909)

Located in Algiers, Algeria, the University of Algiers was established in 1909. It stemmed out of different higher education institutions created in the 19th century under the French colonial rule. Today it is organized into seven faculties. There were some 30 indigenous Algerian students in 1914. Today, around 100,827 students study in this university.

 

 

7) Cairo University (1908)

Founded on 21 December 1908, the Cairo University is a public university located in Giza. It became a state institution under King Fahd I in 1925. Currently it enrolls around 155,000 students in 22 faculties. Three of its graduates are Nobel laureates.

6) Stellenbosch University (1903)

This leading public research university was established in the year 1903. Located in Stellenbosch, South Africa this university was the first African university to sign the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities.

5) University of Khartoum (1902)

The University of Khartoum is the largest and oldest university in Sudan. It was established in the year 1902. This multi-campus, co-educational, public university is recognized as a top university and a high-ranked academic institution in Africa. It was renamed from Gordon Memorial College in 1956.

4) University of Liberia (1862)

The University of Liberia was established in 1862. This publicly funded institution of higher education is located in Monrovia. It is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in West Africa.

3) University of Cape Town (1829)

The UCT, which was founded in 1829 as the South African College, is a public research university located in Cape Town. It is the oldest university in South Africa and also the second oldest extant university in the African continent.

2) Fourah Bay College (1827)

This public university is located in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It was founded on 18 February 1827 and is the oldest university in West Africa and constituent college of the University of Sierra Leone. It is also the first western-style university in the region.

1) Al-Azhar University (970~972 AD)

Located in Cairo, Egypt, the Al-Azhar University was established in 970~972 AD by the Fatimids as a center of Islamic learning. It was one of the first universities in the world. Today it is the chief center of Arabic literature and Islamic learning.

Source: Africa Ranking