What is the oldest University in the UK?
The University of Oxford was the first university to be established in Britain. Dating from the 12th century, it is organised as a federation of colleges that are governed by their own teaching staff, known as ‘fellows’. The oldest college, University College, was founded in 1249. Other notable colleges include All Souls (founded in 1438), Christ Church (founded in 1546 by Cardinal Wolsey) and Lady Margaret Hall (founded in 1878), which was the first women’s college. Today Oxford University is made up of 38 separate colleges, of which two are for women students only, and the rest enroll both men and women. In 1209, the first academic community in Cambridge was established. The University is also organised as a federation of colleges; the oldest, Peterhouse, dates from 1284. King Henry VIII founded the largest college, Trinity, in 1546. Scotland also has a number of long-established universities. By the end of the Middle Ages, Scotland had four universities: Edinburgh (founded 1583), Gl
