Abstract

DIEDERICKS, Morné. Factors that contributed to the establishment of the Medieval university as an institution. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2024, vol.64, n.4, pp.531-543. ISSN 2224-7912.  https://doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2024/v64n4a1.

Over the centuries, institutions such as universities have often undergone reforms as a result of significant societal changes or instability. It can be compared to a school system which, when it is functioning well, undergoes no substantial change, but when there is disorder, reform becomes inevitable. The university is an age-old institution that has undergone several reforms to adapt to changing times and challenges. The most prominent university reforms occurred in the late 1800s during the development of the German or Von Humboldt university model. These reforms coincided with a reassessment of the origins and essence of the university, as outlined in Rashdall's major work, The Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages (1895), and Newman's The Idea of a University (1852). Towards the end of the twentieth century, a new wave of reform began, which continues to this day. These reforms were spurred on by factors such as the massification of universities, calls for decolonisation and significant technological changes of the 21st century. Questions such as What is a university? or What should a university be? arose as a result of these changes. This period of reform also gave rise to new historical studies on the origin and development of universities. A natural reaction for any institution drifting away from its core functions is to return to its origins. In this context, founding documents and background information regarding the establishment of an institution play a decisive role. In South Africa, with the significant increase in newly private established higher education institutions over the past decade, the question of the essence of the university is highly relevant. When examining the essence of a university, it is essential to consider Medieval universities. Although Medieval universities would not be considered universities in today's context, they were nevertheless indispensable for the scientific progress of that time. What made medieval universities unique was that they had designed a model that was used worldwide. Even ancient higher education institutions adopted the title of"university". Against this background, the research question of this article is: What are the factors that contributed to the establishment of the medieval university as an institution? A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine existing knowledge on the subject. This study included influential publications such as Rashdall's The Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages (1895), Haskins's The Rise of the Universities (1923), Cobban's The Medieval Universities: Their Development and Organization (1975), Rüegg's A History of the University in Europe (2004) and Janin's The University in Medieval Life (2014). Relevant background information on the social, economic and cultural context of the Middle Ages as well as the role of ecclesiastical and secular authority structures and the promotion of higher education in a period ofsocial and intellectual change were studied. Primary sources, such as the statutes and founding documents of the first medieval universities, have been analysed to gain insight into their structure, functions and tasks. Several factors, such as the guild system, economic prosperity and intellectual development in Europe during the later Middle Ages, recognition of the university by authorities and the stabilisation of the university through the formulation of rules and statutes on how a university should function, leading to the foundation of the medieval university have been identified by means of this research. These factors were also present during the founding of the first universities, and their effect on, for example, the oldest university, namely Bologna, is also discussed in this article.The concept, universitas magistrorum et scholarium - a community of students and masters - arose as a result of the guild system and formed an integral part of the original universities. Although modern universities offer a wider spectrum of disciplines and perform various other functions, such as research and public service, it is still crucial that the core, namely the exchange of knowledge, is preserved despite administrative and research pressure on lecturers, as well as technological changes, although technology can also improve the relationship between lecturers and students. As already indicated, the economic boom and intellectual development in Europe during the Middle Ages contributed to the establishment of the first universities. Economic prosperity of a community is extremely important as it provides financial support for the establishment and maintenance of a university, as well as for many prospective students and lecturers. Such an economic base creates a favourable climate for encouraging interest in culture and the acquisition of knowledge, emphasising the need for higher education, such as universities. Recognition of the university as an institution by the pope and emperors gave universities the opportunity to expand and develop their individuality as an institution. University regulation continues to play a crucial role in the integrity of a particular institution, emphasising the necessity of participation in quality assurance practices by regulatory bodies as these are of significantl benefit to a university. Finally, the medieval university would not have developed into today's unique, influential institution without going through the stabilisation phase, which was characterised by the formulation of rules and statutes. This phase is equally important for the modern university in continuing high quality teaching. The same applies to factors that contributed to the establishment of the medieval university which should be considered as minimum requirements. In summary, factors that influenced the development of the medieval university remain fundamental to contemporary universities, which should be preserved despite continuous changes and challenges.

Keywords : Authentica Habita; guild System; history of universities; Medieval University; University of Bologna; university system.

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