Etymology and Origins
– The word ‘academy’ comes from the Academy in ancient Greece, which was named after the Athenian hero Akademos.
– The Academy in ancient Greece was a center of learning dedicated to the goddess Athena.
– Plato developed a method of teaching philosophy in the Academy.
– The term ‘academia’ was used in the 17th century to describe institutions of higher learning.
– The site of the Academy was originally a sacred grove of olive trees dedicated to Athena.
Neoplatonic Academy of Late Antiquity
– The revived Academy in late antiquity was not a continuation of the original Academy.
– The last Greek philosophers of the revived Academy came from various parts of the Hellenistic cultural world.
– The emperor Justinian ended the funding of the Academy in AD 529.
– Some members of the Academy sought refuge in the pagan stronghold of Harran after the funding ceased.
– It is speculated that the Academy may have survived in exile and influenced the Arabic revival of Neoplatonism.
Ancient and medieval institutions
– In ancient Greece, spin-offs of the Academy were established, including the Middle Academy and the New Academy.
– The Musaeum, Serapeum, and library of Alexandria in Egypt attracted intellectuals from various regions.
– The University of Timbuktu in Mali was a medieval university with three schools.
– In China, the Shang Xiang and the Imperial Central Academy were early higher education institutions.
– South Asia had ancient centers of learning, such as Taxila in present-day Pakistan.
Ancient world
– In ancient Greece, Plato’s colleagues and pupils established spin-offs of the Academy, such as the Middle Academy and the New Academy.
– The Musaeum, Serapeum, and library of Alexandria in Egypt were important centers of learning.
– China had institutions of learning like Shang Xiang and Shuyuan.
– South Asia had ancient centers of learning, including Taxila in present-day Pakistan.
– The ancient universities in these regions had a significant impact on education and knowledge dissemination.
Takshashila and Nalanda
– Takshashila was a noted center of learning for several centuries BC.
– Chanakya, also known as Kautilya, studied at Taxila and composed the famous treatise Arthashastra there.
– Nalanda, established in the 5th century AD in Bihar, India, was devoted to Buddhist studies.
– Both Takshashila and Nalanda offered a multidisciplinary approach to education, covering subjects such as fine arts, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, politics, and the art of war.
– Both institutions emphasized holistic development and the promotion of diverse disciplines. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academia
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An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece.
The Royal Spanish Academy defines academy as scientific, literary or artistic society established with public authority and as a teaching establishment, public or private, of a professional, artistic, technical or simply practical nature.
