0

History of Higher Education

By SDS2025
  • Founding of the University of Bologna
    1088

    Founding of the University of Bologna

    The beginning of the "History of Higher Education" starts with the founding of the very first medieval university in Bologna, Italy.
  • Founding of Oxford
    1096

    Founding of Oxford

    The founding of Oxford set a foundational model for higher education that would influence teaching methods and curriculum around the world.
  • Prohibition of English Students
    1167

    Prohibition of English Students

    Henry II prohibited English students from attending University of Paris, which caused the rapid growth of the University of Oxford.
  • University of Paris Strike
    1229

    University of Paris Strike

    This resulted in the University being placed under the direct protection of the Pope and therefore deemed independent from local authorities.
  • Parens scientiarum
    1231

    Parens scientiarum

    Pope Gregory IX issued the Parens scientiarum which recognized the university’s autonomy, independence and rights to self-regulation.
  • Founding of Harvard University

    Founding of Harvard University

    The first established education institution in the United States.
  • Harvard College Charter

    Harvard College Charter

    The General Court in Massachusetts Bay Colony granted Harvard a college charter which established it as a corporation (i.e., the oldest corporation in the US) with a governing board and legal status with regard to finances, holding property, and tax exemption.
  • Founding of the College of New Jersey (Princeton)

    Founding of the College of New Jersey (Princeton)

    Founded in wake of The Great Awakening (1730s-40s), which was notable as it advocated for religious freedom and marked step for a more inclusive form of higher education.
  • Franklin's Proposals

    Franklin's Proposals

    Benjamin Franklin published his pamphlet "Proposals Relating to the Education of Youth in Pennsylvania", which suggested a new model for American education (to de-emphasize training for clergy in place of education for public service). This lead to founding of the Academy of Philadelphia.
  • College of William & Mary Reorganized

    College of William & Mary Reorganized

    Thomas Jefferson reorganized the College of William Mary into a university, which modernized the curriculum and founded the first American law school.
  • Founding of West Pointe

    Founding of West Pointe

    This was notable for being the first federally funded institution in the US and engineering school in the nation.
  • Dartmouth College v. Woodward

    Dartmouth College v. Woodward

    This established the autonomy and protection of private education systems from the government, which ultimately lead to the rise in the American business cooperation and growth of private institutions.
  • Yale Report of 1828

    Yale Report of 1828

    This set the nation wide model for a commitment to a classical curriculum and preserved the foundation for the liberal arts while vocational schools grew separately from colleges.
  • Founding of Mount Holyoke

    Founding of Mount Holyoke

    Mount Holyoke was the first institution to offer a pathway for higher education for women that was comparable to the curriculum offered to men.
  • Morrill Act 1862

    Morrill Act 1862

    The Morrill Act 1862 was critical to establishing the role of the federal government in education in land allotment, broadening access to the public, and updating curriculum with a focus on what would improve the economic growth of the nation (e.g., agriculture and mechanical studies).
  • The Hatch Act

    The Hatch Act

    The Hatch Act provided federal funding to support the development of agricultural colleges and accelerate research in the Industrialization Era.
  • The Second Morrill Act

    The Second Morrill Act

    The Second Morrill Act emphasized the government's role in education and enforced equal (but separate) access to education for underrepresented minorities in the post Civil War era.
  • College Entrance Examination Board

    College Entrance Examination Board

    The introduction of a standardized examination for college acceptance was thought to be needed given the rapid growth of enrollment seen in this era.
  • National College Women’s Equal Suffrage League

    National College Women’s Equal Suffrage League

    The League was formed by 15 colleges. It demonstrated the growth and integration of activism into higher education experiences and culture.
  • AAUP Statement of Principles

    AAUP Statement of Principles

    This developed and propagated the idea of pursuing academic freedom to teach and specialize in an area of interest.
  • Servicemen's Readjustment Act

    Servicemen's Readjustment Act

    Established funding and tuition benefits for WWII veterans, which rapidly expanded access to a college education for anyone in America - it was no longer something for the elite.
  • Truman’s Commission on Higher Education

    Truman’s Commission on Higher Education

    This marked the first time a US president extended federal inquiry into education issues, which previously had been done at the state or local level of government.
  • Brown v. Board of Education

    Brown v. Board of Education

    This essential case determined that racial segregation in public school was unconstitutional and provided a key step towards desegregation in the US.
  • The Higher Education Act

    The Higher Education Act

    The Higher Education Act greatly expanded access to higher education. It helped lead to the cultural norm for everyone to go to college and created financial aid programs for loans, grants, and scholarships.
  • Carnegie Commission on Higher Education

    Carnegie Commission on Higher Education

    Studied the condition of higher education in the US to help reform policy and organize the system. Studies lead to development of a classification system of institutions that impacted research and funding decisions. It also influenced policies related to student aid programs and teaching/research infrastructure.
  • Title IX

    Title IX

    Title IX prohibited sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity that received federal funding. This was essential to improving access for women in education.
  • Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

    Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

    Gives students and families the control over their educational information (e.g. grades, records) and prevents unauthorized access of this information by other parties.
  • Age Discrimination Act

    Age Discrimination Act

    This act prohibited discrimination on the basis of age in programs receiving federal funding. It was essential in ensuring equal access to education for students of any age.
  • Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan

    Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan

    This case combated gender-based barriers to admission after an all-female nursing school admission policy was challenged. It resulted in a decision that public institution admissions policies could not discriminate on the basis of gender.
  • Americans with Disabilities Act

    Americans with Disabilities Act

    Crucial piece of legislation for those with disabilities as it eliminated discrimination in nearly all areas of public life (e.g. employment, public accommodation). In education, it mandated physical accessibility to institutions and reasonable accommodations for students.