Alma mater

==Special use==
[[File:Archiginnasio-bologna02.png|thumb|The [[University of Bologna]] in Italy, founded in 1088, is the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|world's oldest university in continuous operation]].]]

Many historic European universities have adopted ''Alma Mater'' as part of the Latin translation of their official name. The Latin name of the [[University of Bologna]], {{Lang|la|Alma Mater Studiorum}} (nourishing mother of studies), refers to its status as the [[List of oldest universities in continuous operation|oldest continuously operating university in the world]]. Other European universities, such as the [[Leipzig University|Alma Mater Lipsiensis]] in Leipzig, Germany, or [[Jagiellonian University|Alma Mater Jagiellonica]], Poland, have used the expression similarly in conjunction with geographical or foundational characteristics. At least one, the [[Alma Mater Europaea]] in [[Salzburg]], Austria, an international university founded by the [[European Academy of Sciences and Arts]] in 2010, uses the term as its official name.

In the United States, the [[College of William & Mary]] in [[Williamsburg, Virginia]], has been called the "Alma Mater of the Nation" because of its ties to the founding of the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wm.edu/about/history/|title=William & Mary – History & Traditions|publisher=wm.edu}}</ref>

At [[Queen's University at Kingston|Queen's University]] in [[Kingston, Ontario]], and the [[University of British Columbia]] in Vancouver, British Columbia, the main student government is known as the Alma Mater Society.