Universities and Colleges Around the World Quiz

Answer: Indian

The Buddhist centre Takshashila in the Punjab (now part of Pakistan) dates back to the fifth or sixth century BC. Students could learn the ancient scriptures, skills like archery, hunting, and elephant lore as well as law, medicine and military science.
The Platonic Academy was founded in 387 BC in Athens. Subjects of study were probably mathematics and philosophical topics.
Taixue, the Imperial Academy, was founded during the Han dynasty in China around 3CE. In the second century CE there were 30.000 staff members and students (who were taught Confucianism and Chinese literature).
The Academy of Gondishapur in Persia was established in the third century CE. Here the curriculum comprised medicine, philosophy, theology and science.

(Question by malama)

Answer: 1088 in Bologna

Founded most probably in 1088, Bologna University is the oldest European university in continuous operation. It is still one of the most prestigious universities in Italy, with a first class list of faculties and departments and an impressive list of alumni and staff. Bettisia Gozzadini graduated as a jurist and taught at the university from about 1239. She is probably the first woman to teach at a university.

(Question by malama)

Answer: University of Cape Town

The University of Cape Town is the oldest existing Sub-Saharan university in Africa. Nobel Laureates who graduated from there include Ralph Bunch (1950 Peace Prize), Max Theiler (1951 Physiology or Medicine), Professor Allan McLeod Cormack (1979 Physiology or Medicine) and Sir Aaron Klug (1982 Chemistry).

(Question by Pam1239)

Answer: Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama was founded in 1949 as Cardiff College of Music. It later became the Welsh College of Music & Drama, and acquired its Royal title in 2002. It is part of the University of Wales.

Anthony Hopkins graduated in 1957. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for playing Hannibal Lecter in "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991), a role in which his screen time was less than 20 minutes.

Dougray Scott graduated in 1987 and went on to star in movies such as "Enigma" (2001) and "My Week with Marilyn" (2011).

Rob Brydon left after one year of study in 1985 to work in radio, and became a star of TV programmes such as "Gavin and Stacey" (2007-2010) and "The Trip" (2010).

Ruth Jones, who co-wrote and starred in "Gavin and Stacey" was at the College at the same time as Brydon, but completed her studies.

(Question by Upstart3)

Answer: Canberra

The Australian National University, whose main campus is in the Acton suburb of Canberra, was the first university to be set up by the Parliament of Australia. Alumnae include Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Kevin Rudd. The John Curtin School of Medical Research, which is part of the university and was set up by Nobel laureate Sir Howard Florey, had research done by John Eccles, Peter Doherty and Rolf Zinkernagel that earned them Nobel prizes. The name of its student newspaper, Woroni, comes from an indigenous Australian word for "mouthpiece".

(Question by Upstart3)

Answer: Santo Domingo, today's Dominican Republic

Universidad de Santo Tomas in Santo Domingo was the first university in the Americas. Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima was founded in 1551. Real y Pontificia Universidad de México (in Mexico City) was founded four months later and was actually the first university in North America. Universidad Santo Tomás in Bogota was founded in 1580. Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded in 1636 and is the oldest university of the United States.

(Question by malama)

Answer: Beijing

A research university in Beijing, Tsinghua University was founded in 1911, during a period of upheaval in China. It was founded thanks to US President Theodore Roosevelt's advocacy of reducing reparation payments due by China following the Boxer Rebellion. It is generally considered one of the top universities in the world, and is particularly strong in computer science and engineering. Its alumnae include many Chinese leaders in politics, business and science.

(Question by Upstart3)

Answer: University of Lyon

During the French Revolution the French government seized endowments and properties of universities and colleges and they were generally suppressed by the National Convention. This effectively closed the old French universities for more than a decade. The Old University of Leuven (Belgium) and the University of Cologne (Germany) suffered the same fate as the cities had been invaded by the French Revolution Army. The first university in Lyon was established in 1835, well after the French Revolution.

(Question by malama)

Answer: Harold Wilson

Jesus College, Oxford, was established in 1571 by Elizabeth I. It was traditionally a college for Welsh students at Oxford, but that changed in the nineteenth century.
T. E. Lawrence, known as Lawrence of Arabia, studied History, and wrote a thesis about Crusade castles. Another alumnus, Gwyn Thomas, was a prominent Welsh academic and served as National Poet of Wales. Magnus Magnusson became a journalist after graduation from Jesus, and became famous as the host of the TV quiz show "Mastermind".
Harold Wilson was a grammar school pupil who studied at Jesus and was later made an Honorary Fellow of the College when he became Prime Minister of the UK. One of Wilson's proudest achievements as Prime Minister was the establishment of the Open University in 1969. This allowed distance learning with extended durations of degree courses, so that working people could study at home. The OU became the UK's biggest university by undergraduate numbers. Famous people who have received a degree from the OU include singer Joan Armatrading, actor and comedian Lenny Henry, and IT entrepreneur Natalya Kaspersky.

(Question by Upstart3)

Answer: University of Plymouth at Cornwall College

The Surf Science and Technology BSc program was founded at the UK's University of Plymouth (Cornwall Campus) in 1999. Since then related programs have been started in Australia and the USA.

(Question by malama)