> Spanish Courses at Salamanca > University of SalamancaUniversity of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca was found in 1218 by King Alfonso IX. It is Spain’s oldest (still existing) university. The University received confirmation from the Papal Bulls of Alexander IV in 1255. This gave the University its own seal and validated the degrees given by the University. Throughout the 13th century the University gained a strong fortune and popularity, even among students from Paris and Bologna.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the University of Salamanca grew and began to progress towards new humanist methodologies; they used the example of Antonio de Nebrija and his teaching techniques (Nebrija was also a student at Salamanca). New degrees were added to the University’s curriculum, such as: Law and classical languages.
Between the 1980s and 1990s the student body population grew from 20,000 to 30,000. Many new investments were made to accommodate the growth. Today, there are around 32,000 students studying at the University of Salamanca. It is considered to have one of Europe’s best research institutes. Also, in 1989, in union with the University of Cambridge, the University co-founded the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE).
