Number of universities in Western Europe by time period and region 800-1799

It is believed that the first university established in Western Europe was the Schola Medica Salernitana, a medical school founded in the 9^th century in Salerno, Italy. It was not until the 12^th century when more universities began to appear in Western Europe, with the regions of present-day France, Germany, and Italy having the largest number of institutions.

The University of Bologna, Italy, is considered the oldest university in continuous operation until today - originally founded as a place of non-religious teaching in 1088, it was then organized into a law school in the 1180s. The second and third oldest institutions today are the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England, with both being founded in the early-13^th century, although Oxford (similar to Bologna) was also a place of learning from the late 11^th century.