University of Naples Federico II

The University of Naples Federico II is a public university in Naples, Italy. Established in 1224, it is the oldest public or state university in the world. Noted for being the world's oldest public or state-funded university chartered by the head of a state and one of the world's ten oldest universities in continuous operation, it is also believed to be the oldest secular or non-sectarian state university in the world. It was Europe's first university dedicated to training secular administrative staff, and is one of the world's oldest academic institutions in continuous operation. The university is named after its founder Frederick II. In October 2016, the university hosted the first ever Apple IOS Developer Academy and in 2018 the Cisco Digital Transformation Lab. History The university of Naples Federico II was founded by emperor of the Holy Roman Empire Frederick II on 5 June 1224. It is the world's oldest state-supported institution of higher education and research. One of the most famous students was Roman Catholic theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas. Political project of Frederick II Frederick II had specific objectives when he founded the university in Naples: first, to train administrative and skilled bureaucratic professionals for the curia regis (the kingdom's ministries and governing apparatus), as well as preparing lawyers and judges who would help the sovereign to draft laws and administer justice. Second, he wanted to facilitate the cultural development of promising young students and scholars, avoiding any unnecessary and expensive trips abroad: by creating a State University, Emperor Frederick avoided having young students during his reign complete their training at the University of Bologna, which was in a city that was hostile to the imperial power.