Prof. M A Shah
There is an ample evidence that universities and institutions of repute are built by hard labour, extreme sacrifice, utmost generosity, public confidence, and above alla long commitment to a shared vision. The history of great institutions teaches a simple lesson: a university begins as an idea, grows through discipline, and becomes a tradition when generations protect and nourish it.The oldest and most respected universities in the world began from modest and humble circumstances. Their growth came through commitment, determination, foresight, and institutional discipline. They became centres of knowledge because people invested wealth, land, time, intellect, and trust in them. This history deserves attention whenever societies speak of founding new universities or building institutions of national importance.
The Al-Azhar University earn a special mention in this context. Established in Cairo in the tenth century, it began as a madrasa and gradually became one of the most influential centres of Islamic learning in the world. Its long history shows how a place of learning can begin with a focused educational purpose and, through continuity and scholarship, acquire global significance. Over time, Al-Azhar came to represent learning, religious scholarship, intellectual exchange, and civilizational memory. The University of Malaya stands today as one of the most prominent symbols of Malaysia’s intellectual ambition and academic transformation. It grew through careful institutional development, expansion of teaching and research, and the desire to create a national university capable of serving a modern society.
What began through separate academic divisions in two territories and gradual restructuring eventually became a major centre of higher education. Its journey reminds us that world-class institutions are made step by step, through policy, planning, resources, and academic seriousness. The California Institute of Technology, commonly known as Caltech, offers another powerful lesson. It began in 1891 as Throop University, founded by the businessman and philanthropist Amos G. Throop in Pasadena. The early aim was practical and technical education for young people in Southern California. Its direction changed in the early twentieth century under the influence of George Ellery Hale, who believed that the United States needed a research institution of the highest scientific standard. Through the recruitment of outstanding scientists and a firm focus on research, the small school was transformed. In 1920, it became the California Institute of Technology (CIT).
Today, Caltech is one of the world’s leading science and engineering institutions, associated with remarkable research achievements and a distinguished community of scholars, faculty and alumni. The Harvard University provides an equally important example of humble beginnings and enduring institutional purpose. It is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States. It was established by the legislature of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to educate clergy and civic leaders for a growing settlement. In 1638, the young minister John Harvard left part of his estate and his library to the college, and in 1639 the institution was named Harvard College in recognition of his gift. The beauty of this story lies in the distance between its beginning and its present stature: classes started in a simple setting in Cambridge, while modern Harvard now educates students from around the world and is renowned for research, teaching, and global influence.
The Stanford University’s history is tied to personal grief, public generosity, and a vision for accessible higher education. Leland and Jane Stanford lost their only child, Leland Stanford Jr., to typhoid fever in 1884 while the family was travelling in Europe. In response to that tragedy, they decided to use their wealth for the benefit of society. Their resolve is remembered in the statement, “The children of California shall be our children.” In 1885, the Stanfords established the university by donating a large part of their estate, including thousands of acres of land in California. Stanford opened its doors on October 1, 1891, with an inaugural class of about 550 students. Tuition was free in the beginning because the founders wanted higher education to be widely accessible. Over time, Stanford’s faculty, students, and alumni contributed significantly to the development of what became Silicon Valley.
Today, it is known across the world for innovation, scholarship, entrepreneurship, and public impact. The Academy of Gondishapur, established during the Sasanian Empire, also deserves attention in any discussion of the civilizational roots of higher learning. It became an important centre for medicine, science, literature, translation, and intellectual exchange. Even after periods of political disruption, its legacy continued to influence the wider traditions of learning that later flourished across the region.
“Great universities—built on vision, sacrifice, and resources—evolve over generations from ideas into enduring traditions. Their long-term growth and strength rely on the continuous, collaborative dedication of both society and leadership.”
The story of Gondishapur shows that knowledge grows where rulers, scholars, physicians, translators, and communities create an environment in which learning is valued and preserved. Iranian universities and scholars have long contributed to science, medicine, philosophy, engineering, literature, and the wider culture of learning. In the modern period too, Iran has invested heavily in universities and professional education. Institutions such as Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Sharif University of Technology, Amirkabir University of Technology, Shahid Beheshti University, the University of Tehran, the Babol University and the Iran University of Science and Technology are recognized among the important centres of higher education in the region. Their histories, like those of other great institutions, show that academic strength is produced through sustained investment, trained faculty, students, laboratories, libraries, and a national commitment to knowledge.
The Indian Institute of Science is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious research institutions. Its establishment was the result of the combined efforts of the visionary industrialist Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, the Mysore royal family, and the British Indian Government. In the 1890s, Jamsetji Tata believed that India’s progress depended on scientific research and advanced education. He imagined a world-class institute that would train scientists and engineers to address the country’s industrial and social needs. He set aside a large part of his personal wealth for this purpose. In 1898, an endowment was created for the institute, though Tata passed away before his dream was fully realized. In 1911, the institute began its academic work. It started with only a small number of departments, yet it expanded over the decades into numerous fields of science and engineering. Distinguished scientists, including C. V. Raman, strengthened its research culture. Today, IISc Bengaluru is regarded as one of India’s leading institutions for scientific research and innovation. It is still remembered as the “Tata Institute” because it grew out of Jamsetji Tata’s vision, philanthropy, and commitment to India’s scientific future. For a long time it was steered by my beloved teacher Prof C N R Rao, President JNCASR, Bangalore.
Aligarh Muslim University is another powerful example from India. It is one of the country’s oldest and most respected central universities, and its origins are associated with the reformist vision of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. He wanted to modernize education for Indian Muslims while promoting scientific and rational thinking. He believed that modern scientific education, combined with cultural and intellectual self-respect, could uplift the community and contribute to India’s development. In 1875, he established the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh, drawing inspiration from the educational models of Oxford and Cambridge. From that foundation grew Aligarh Muslim University, which has made significant contributions to education, science, literature, law, public service, and national life. Its alumni include scholars, scientists, judges, diplomats, administrators, writers, and public figures.
The institution continues to carry the spirit of Sir Syed’s vision: to create a place where students acquire modern knowledge while preserving their cultural and intellectual heritage. These examples point to one common truth. A university is a living institution shaped by land, infrastructure, faculty, students, libraries, laboratories, hostels, traditions, regulations, endowments, and moral purpose. It requires patience from builders, seriousness from leadership, dedication from patrons, curiosity from community, and support from public. With these conditions, an aspiration becomes an institution, and an institution becomes a tradition.
The Bottom Line: The histories of Al-Azhar, the University of Malaya, Harvard, Stanford, Academy of Gondishapur, Caltech, IISc Bengaluru, Aligarh Muslim University, and the great centres of learning show that universities are created through vision, sacrifice, resources, and continuous work. They are established first as ideas, then as institutions, and finally as traditions. Their strength grows when society and leadership work together with patience and determination. The lesson is simple and strightforward: great universities are established, protected, developed, and nourished over generations.
( The author is Dean Alumni & International Affairs at NIT Srinagar . The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
