Oldest Universities in the UK
Interesting Facts About The Oldest Universities in the UK .
Anyone looking to pursue their higher education in the United Kingdom is aware of some names like the University of Oxford, University of Manchester, Cambridge University, and the University of Edinburgh. Not only are these universities outstanding examples of British university education, but they have made major contributions to human civilization as we know it! However, these exceptional institutions of learning are also home to some of the funniest and interesting facts and several firsts in the world. Perhaps this will encourage you to apply to them!
Located in Oxfordshire, England is one of the oldest universities in the UK – Oxford University. This uni is also the oldest institution in the English-speaking world and the second oldest in the world after the University of Bologna. The institution’s motto is Dominus Illuminatio Mea, meaning “The Lord is my light” and comes from the first words of Psalm 27. The distinguished group of Oxford University alumni include Professor Stephen Hawking, Boris Johnson, Oscar Wilde, and Bill Clinton.
The University of Manchester Produces Nobel Laureates .
Apart from being the third-largest city in the United Kingdom, Manchester is home to a university with plenty of history. The University of Manchester was formed in 2004 after the Victoria University of Manchester of 1851 and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) joined. Today, the university is one of the UK’s largest single-campus institution with over 40,000 students and 10,000 staff.
An impressive 25 professors, postgraduates, and graduates from the university have become Nobel laureates. This number may have something to do with education quality. Among the Nobel Prize winners is Ernest Rutherford, who split the atom at the university in 1917. The physics lab is now called The Rutherford Building in honour of the physicist. Manchester also holds a third place in terms of scientific potential after Oxford and Cambridge. Do you know that the first modern computer in the world “The Baby” was designed at The University of Manchester in 1948?
Cambridge University is Home of Football .
The University of Cambridge is an intellectual research university that was founded in 1209 by academics who left Oxford University to leave the riots of Oxford. It is the second-oldest university in English-speaking countries and the fourth oldest in the world. The library at Cambridge university stocks about 3 million volumes. This is the largest collection in the UK and literally has a copy of any book published in the country. Some of the most respectable people in the world studied at the university. They include Isaac Newton, Sir Ian McKellen, Florence Nightingale, and Charles Darwin.
Cambridge University is universally known as the place that gave birth to football. They drafted the Cambridge Rules in 1843 at the university and governed gameplay. Later, the Football Association (FA) was born, and it borrows most of its rule from Cambridge. Without Cambridge, the world would not have watched some of the biggest rivalries in the football world, such as Pele vs Maradona and Ronaldo vs Messi!
An Impressive History of Invention at the University of Edinburgh .
Founded in 1582, the University of Edinburgh is the English-speaking world’s sixth oldest institution and the most ancient in Scotland. It is also home to the world’s oldest Student Union and student newspapers started by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1887. Edinburgh University has over 43,000 students in five campuses across the city. The campuses are also homes to some of the world’s most important musical instrument, geology, rare books, and art collections.
There are many reasons to study at one of the oldest universities in the UK. Perhaps you find the tradition of teaching and research that stretches back hundreds of years appealing. These universities also have an excellent reputation with corporate recruiters and academics from all over the world. Maybe you find the old world charm of these universities appealing. Whatever the reason, it’s indisputable that universities in UK have a stellar reputation for providing the world with the best of the best knowledge!
