ABSTRACT
Universities developed as particular European institutions of higher education at the end of the twelfth century. They were generally founded or confirmed by the pope or, more rarely, the Emperor. Therefore, their members possessed universal privileges independent of the local or regional order and also obtained some form of self-government as a universitas, whence the name university. Furthermore, universities were entitled to confer degrees that were generally accepted all over Europe. In particular because of these degree privileges, universities soon eclipsed all other types of schools or academies in international prestige and attraction.1
