Collegium Scientificum

The Collegium Scientificum is a system of semi-public institutions of higher education in Urcea and serves as its national university system. It is centered on the original institution of the Abbey of St. John the Baptist in Urceopolis as well as the Imperial War College. The Collegium is also responsible for the supervision of Education in Urcea as its primary regulator and develops all standardized testing, as well as the production and administration of state tests and Regents Examinations. In addition, the Collegium oversees higher education, cultural institutions such as museums and libraries, and the licensing of numerous professions.

The Collegium is jointly administered by the Government of Urcea and the, which owns the Abbey and college grounds, and is headed by the Abbot-Rector of His Most Christian Majesty's Collegium Scientificum, who is always a Friar. The position of Abbot-Rector, currently filled by Fr. Seán Fox, OFM, is a Concilium Purpaidá-level position and is one of two non-partisan positions on the Purpaidá.

Institutions belonging to the Collegium system, besides those institutions in Urceopolis itself, are typically prefixed by the initials "CS".

History
The current form of the Collegium was established during the Aedanicad as part of an overall period of reform in Urcea. The Collegium existed as a loosely-aligned assembly of Urceopolis-area educational institutions operated by the Catholic Church prior to the 19th century. Aedanicus VIII, following negotiations with the Pope and leadership of the, decreed a reorganization into a more formal hierarchy in 1850. Although modern public schooling had not been established throughout the country at the time, Aedanicus also invested the Collegium with authority to develop a central curriculum for use in newly built schools throughout the country. The Imperial War College, one of only a handful of institutions of higher education chartered by the Emperor of the Levantines, was merged into the Collegium as part of the Recess of the Julii. Following two decades of successful operation, Aedanicus folded all Royal chartered institutions of higher education in the Archduchy of Urceopolis - most of which had been built within the last century and many of which were agricultural schools - into the Collegium. During the Crown Regency, there were multiple plans to reform the Collegium, including the potential removal of the education oversight responsibility and creation a new, secular Ministry of Education within the Concilium Purpaidá. There were also calls for many of its institutions to be transferred to new Provincial University systems in conjunction with the Administrative Reorganization Act of 1892. The secularization plan was controversial and multiple, competing plans were debated by the Concilium Daoni by the time of the restoration of Patrick III. During the restoration, the Abbot-Rector of the Collegium was elevated to the Concilium Purpaidá as part of the Constitutional Settlement Act of 1902, and the mandate of the Collegium expanded nationwide as all remaining Royal-chartered institutions were included within its scope. Additional institutions were constructed and added by the Collegium, especially during the period between 1902 and 1960.

Office for Primary and Secondary Education
Within the Collegium Scientificum, the Office for Primary and Secondary Education is the primary public education department and handles the vast majority of the Collegium's ministerial responsibilities and regulatory duties. It is housed in a large office complex on the grounds of the Abbey of St. John the Baptist.

Agency for Education Aid
The Agency for Education Aid under the Office for Primary and Secondary Education (OPSE) is responsible for calculating the formula of apportionment of education aid to Urcea's K-12 public schools.

Agency for National Academic Standards
The Agency for Academic Standards is the part of the Office for Primary and Secondary Education (OPSE) responsible for creating academic standards and regulations for every public school in Urcea, which are administered by local authorities. The head of the Agency, the Superintendent of National Academic Standards, is appointed by the Abbot-Rector with the approval of the Chancellor and Temporary President of the Concilium Daoni. The Agency promulgates annual rules and regulations for conditions in Urcea's schools, minimum performance standards, and established general guidelines for curriculum in consultation with the Chamber of Regents of the Collegium Scientificum. The curriculum standards imposed by the Agency are not specific beyond general concepts and ideas that must be taught, though the standards include a short list of works of literature that must be included in an education at various grade levels, such as Republic, Utopia, and other fundamental classics. Since the abolition of the , the Agency has also issued lists of books which should not be kept in school libraries depending on the level of education. The Collegium Scientificum itself specifically retains copies of these "regulated books" in its campus libraries, albeit in a specifically marked section of said libraries.

Notable alumni and faculty

 * Martin St. Clair