Some Brief History

The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University", or simply "Oxford"), located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ^[5] It is also regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. The name is sometimes abbreviated as Oxon. in post-nominals, from the Latin "Oxoniensis" although Oxf is sometimes used in official publications. The university has 39 independent Colleges and Halls.

The university traces its roots back to at least the end of the 12th century, although the exact date of foundation remains unclear. After a dispute between students and townsfolk broke out in 1209, some of the academics at Oxford fled north-east to the town of Cambridge, where the University of Cambridge was founded. The two universities have since had a long history of competition with each other (see Oxbridge rivalry).