History of the University of Oxford

Although some form of teaching is known to have occurred in the town as early as 1096, it is unclear exactly when the University of Oxford was founded. However, the university grew rapidly from 1167 as English scholars returned from France to settle in Oxford, having been banned by Henry II from attending the University of Paris. Oxford's first known foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland, arrived in 1190.

Following disputes between Oxford students and townsfolk in 1209, some academics withdrew to Cambridge, where they established what became the University of Cambridge. The two ancient universities, often jointly referred to as 'Oxbridge', share many similarities and have a long history of rivalry.

During the mid-13th century Oxford was occupied by members of many religious orders (inluding Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites and Augustinians), who maintained houses for students as their power grew.

Around the same time, private benefactors established colleges to serve as self-contained scholarly communities. The earliest such founders included William of Durham, who endowed University College in 1249, and John Balliol, who Balliol College is named after. Another founder, Walter de Merton, devised a series of regulations for college life, with Merton College becoming the model for such establishments. From then on, students increasingly favoured living in colleges rather than halls and religious houses.

From the late 15th century onwards, teaching at Oxford was transformed from the medieval Scholastic method to Renaissance education. University scholars of this period included William Grocyn, who contributed to the revival of the Greek language, and John Colet, the renowned biblical scholar. With the Reformation and the breaking of ties with the Roman Catholic Church, recusant scholars left Oxford for continental Europe.

In 1636, Chancellor William Laud (who was also Archbishop of Canterbury) codified the university's statutes, which broadly remained its governing regulations until the mid-19th century. Laud also granted a charter acquiring benefits for the University Press and made considerable contributions to the university's Bodleian Library.

During the English Civil War the university supported the Royalist party, while the town favoured the Parliamentarian cause. However, after the mid-18th century the university had little involvement in political conflicts.

The 19th century saw various administrative reforms, including the replacement of oral exams with written entrance tests, greater tolerance for religious dissent, and the establishment of four women's colleges. In the middle of this century the university felt the impact of the Oxford Movement, of which John Henry Newman – Oxford academic and the future Cardinal Newman – was a leader. Also during this century the university's curriculum, which had traditionally focussed on classical knowledge, diversified to embrace scientific and medical studies.

The university further distanced itself from traditional belief and practice following a series of Privy Council decisions throughout the 20th century (including the abolition of compulsory daily worship, dissociation of the Regius professorship of Hebrew from clerical status, and the diversion of theological bequests to colleges to other purposes). During the mid-20th century, Oxford welcomed numerous eminent European students who had been displaced by Nazism and Communism.

1983 saw the enrolment of 12-year-old Ruth Lawrence, Oxford's youngest ever undergraduate. The child prodigy graduated in 1985 at the age of 13 with a starred first in Mathematics, making her Oxford's youngest known graduate and the youngest British person ever to achieve a first-class degree.

The University of Oxford boasts an impressive list of distinguished scholars, many of whom have made significant contributions to British politics, science, medicine and literature. The university's affiliates include more than 40 Nobel laureates and over 50 world leaders.