The Universities of Europe, 1100-1914

Book excerpt: All through history, certain human institutions have always reflected and focused the major social and intellectual issues of their times. Universities are a prime example, for through the Renaissance and the Reformation, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, they remained as vital and complex as the societies that created them. In "The Universities of Europe, 1100-1914: A History," Willis Rudy presents the first compact survey, in English, of the numerous historical currents the university experienced over eight centuries. The history of the rise of the universities is one of the most exciting chapters in the annals of world civilization, and Dr. Rudy's overview of their significant achievements provides a valuable and thought-provoking perspective on our cultural heritage.