- The University of al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco, was founded by Fatima al-Fihriya in the late 9th century.
- Fatima al‑Fihriya, a woman of means, built the original mosque and learning centre in about 857–859 CE. That’s roughly about 1,160–1,170 years ago.
- The site later evolved into what is now considered one of the world’s oldest continuously operating institutions of higher learning. UNESCO and Guinness World Records have recognised al-Qarawiyyin as one of the oldest existing and continually operating educational institutions.
- Historical sources note Fatima’s personal role: she used her inheritance to establish the mosque in Fez, laying the foundation for the educational institution that followed.
- The oldest university in Morocco, built by a woman, is al‑Qarawiyyin, founded by Fatima al‑Fihriya in the 9th century.
