Education in Medieval Europe: Higher education

The social, political and scientific events that took place between the 12th and 16th centuries prepared the way for the scientific revolution in the Western European World in the 17th century. The first universities, which are models for today's modern universities, emerged in Medieval Europe around the 12th century. This research examines the institutional establishment of the first universities, which influenced Western society scientifically, socio-economically and culturally, and laid the foundation for the Renaissance movement in the ensuing period. Thus, in this study, the administrative, academic and institutional structure of the first universities, representing the higher education institutions of Medieval Europe, is examined as a whole. This will enable an understanding of the development processes of these institutions in the history of education and their importance as a model for today's higher education institutions. In this way, it is aimed to obtain and synthesise new knowledge that will contribute to the History of Medieval Education and guide the studies to be carried out in this field, albeit partially. As a result of the study, it has been observed that the first universities, which were medieval European higher education institutions, were formed as spontaneous institutions in the historical process. Additionally, it was determined that the first universities did not act independently from the period's political, socio-economic, cultural and ideological climate. In this context, the first universities determined an educational policy that reflected the character of the period in which they emerged, and their institutional structures were shaped accordingly. To a certain extent, the first universities also acted as institutions of power and legitimacy against the political and religious authority of the period. The first universities of medieval Europe have left a significant legacy in shaping today's understanding of universal higher education.