University

====Academic freedom====
An important idea in the definition of a university is the notion of [[academic freedom]]. The first documentary evidence of this comes from early in the life of the [[University of Bologna]], which adopted an academic charter, the ''[[Authentica habita|Constitutio Habit]]a'',<ref>Malagola, C. (1888), Statuti delle Università e dei Collegi dello Studio Bolognese. Bologna: Zanichelli.</ref> in 1155 or 1158,<ref name="Rüegg, W. 2003 pp 4-34">{{cite book |last = Rüegg|first = W. |year =2003|chapter = Chapter 1: Themes|pages = 4–34 |editor-first= H. |editor-last=De Ridder-Symoens|title = A History of the University in Europe|volume= 1|publisher= Cambridge University Press|isbn= 0-521-54113-1}}</ref> which guaranteed the right of a traveling scholar to unhindered passage in the interests of education. Today, this is claimed as the origin of "academic freedom".<ref>Watson, P. (2005), Ideas. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, page 373</ref>  This is now a widely accepted concept in international research. On 18 September 1988, 430 university rectors signed the ''[[Magna Charta Universitatum]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.unibo.it/avl/charta/charta.htm |title=Magna Charta delle Università Europee |publisher=.unibo.it |access-date=28 May 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115001914/http://www2.unibo.it/avl/charta/charta.htm |archive-date=15 November 2010  }}</ref> marking the 900th anniversary of Bologna's foundation. The number of universities signing the ''Magna Charta Universitatum'' continues to grow, drawing from all parts of the world.