Universities in the CG
Since classical times Hesket has been filled with schools and academies. Many are centered around a small number of teachers, with an informal curriculum; teachers speak on whatever interests them, and students come and go as they please. Many are "trade schools", giving instruction in a particular discipline, such as philosophy, alchemy, or magic. Some award a distinction upon graduation, but this is much like a high school diploma or graduation certificate.
Universities, as we think of them (large centers of learning; teaching in numerous disciplines; fixed curricula; fixed periods of matriculation; bachelor, masters, and doctorates), are a recent development in Hesket, and are still uncommon. There are less than 40 universities, with over half of them less than a century old – the oldest dating only to 7961. Three-quarters of them (and all of the older ones) lie on the southern coast of the Gulf (Allondell, Chardreau, Tamplona, Iñarra, Delona). The other nine (all less than 50 years old) are scattered between the other lands. Even still, Bilgosh and Kjolnir, having weaker central thrones, lack the royal resources to endow universities. Ragnorack, a country only fifty years old, has none as well.
In the European fashion, each university consists of a number of colleges, each with its own traditions, focus of studies, and religious patron. Many colleges choose Elune or an Elunian saint as their patron, although Sarana (as the goddess of scribes, tales and histories, and music) is also common, as is Furthane for colleges focusing on practical applications (what we'd nowadays call "the hard sciences", as opposed to literature, rhetoric or philosophy) and Majenir for chirurgeons (aka surgeons) and physickers (aka physicians or non-magical healers.) However, the newer universities are still small and getting off the ground, and are therefore unlikely to have many colleges yet.
Major universities of note:
University of Tolbury
Tolbury, Allondell
founded 821
Includes such colleges as King's, Queen's, Peacock, St. Ferdinand's.
University of Aurelius
Tolbury, Allondell
founded 849
As its name implies, this school is run by the Aurelians.
University of Terdosa
Terdosa, Tamplonia
Major funding from the Elunian church has made this a prestigious school.
University of Westdale
Westdale, Allondell
University of Alia
Hernohn, Kislevia
While this school is named a "university", and awards degrees, the University of Alia is really an Alian seminary, preparing the faithful for religious service.
Academia di Veneza
some city, Veneza
While not nominally a university (it is an academy, conferring only the rite of graduation, and not proper degrees), the Academia's prestige and reputation make it a peer of the major universities. The Academia is the foremost school in eastern Hesket. Some say this school is the most ancient; its scholars claim to be able to trace its origins back to Sturian times, though this hasn't been proven and can only be taken as tradition. However, none can dispute the quality of the education received by its students. Natural philosophy and arcane studies are pursued with equal skill by its scholars, and its chirurgeons are reputed to be the best non-magical healers in Hesket.
By Country
| Country | # | Examples |
| Allondell | 7 | Tolbury, Aurelius |
| Bilgosh | 0 | |
| Cadfaigh | 1 | Dubraugh |
| Chardreau | 5 | |
| Delona | 11 | |
| Iņarra | 5 | |
| Kislevia | 2 | Alia |
| Kjolnir | 0 | |
| Linneraigh | 1 | Carnwedd |
| Ragnorack | 0 | |
| Roudoigne | 1 | Mourange |
| Seiguntou | 1 | Jiyoma |
| Tamplonia | 3 | Terdosa |
| Valenne | 0 | |
| Zdunarova | 2 | Zdunarosk |
| total | 39 |
Universities in the South and East
Marakhin has no tradition of universities proper, though it has a strong scholarly tradition, and numerous schools and academies. Most of these are small, centered around a few teachers, and espousing a particular tradition or philosophy. Kiljukan also has numerous schools of this nature, but also has one major, central academy, the Imperial Academy, which turns out many scholars into the imperial bureaucracy.
The Yamamotoans also do not have a Hesketine-style university tradition; the University of Jiyoma (nee Gioma) dates from before the invasion. It maintains Hesketine traditions, teaching Hesketine disciplines; the Yamamotoans have established their own schools for their own studies.
1. Europe had about 40 universities in the year 1400, half of them less than a century old, and the oldest, Paris, dating from 1150. The older schools were in Italy, France, Spain, and England; the oldest school outside these was in Prague, dating only from 1365.