Collegium Scientificum
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| Motto | Sapientia et veritas |
|---|---|
Motto in English | Wisdom and truth |
| Type | Public university system and education department |
| Established | 1331 (Abbey University) 1850 (Modern) |
Religious affiliation | Catholic Church (OFM) |
| Budget | $1,890,597,782,212.45 (2014) Includes Ministry funding for all public education |
| Abbot-Rector | Fr. Seán Fox, OFM |
Academic staff | 2,664,672 (2026) |
Administrative staff | 52,405 (2026) |
| Students | 25,256,041 (2026) |
| Location | Urcea |
| Campus | 432 campuses |
| Colors | White and purple |
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 Order of Friars Minor, which owns the Abbey and most of the 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 Conshilía Purpháidhe-level position and is one of two non-partisan positions on the Purpháidhe.
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 Order of Friars Minor, 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 Conshilía Purpháidhe. 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 Conshilía Daoni by the time of the restoration of Patrick III. During the restoration, the Abbot-Rector of the Collegium was elevated to the Conshilía Purpháidhe 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.
Notable campuses
Abbey of St. John the Baptist
The Abbey of St. John the Baptist (sometimes referred to as simply "the Abbey") is the original home to the Order of Friars Minor in Urceopolis and serves as the administrative headquarters of the entire Collegium system. Although described as a campus, the Abbey is closer to a government complex, with only a small number of classes held within its facilities.
St. John's University
St. John's University is the largest Collegium Scientificum campus and is a direct offshoot of the Abbey Campus. It is located a half mile from the Abbey and is considered, along with the Abbey, the "original institution" - classes and academic activities which were originally held at the Abbey were gradually shifted to the University grounds in the early modern period.
Imperial War College
The Imperial War College was chartered in 1728 by Emperor Aedanicus III as a school for applied military sciences within the Collegium. It is the oldest Urcean service academy and educates cadets for commissioning into the Royal and Imperial Army.
The College remains a pan-Levantine institution. It is one of the few institutions that remains tied to the Holy Levantine Empire by means of the Empire-in-fact.
St. Andrew's Seminary
Buildings and facilities
Organization
Abbot-Rector
Chamber of Regents
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 Conshilía 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 Index Librorum Prohibitorum, 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.
