The University of Oxford is a prestigious collegiate research university located in Oxford, England, recognized as the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest surviving university globally, with evidence of teaching activities dating back to 1096. It evolved from a loose association of scholars and grew significantly after 1167, when King Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris, leading to an influx of scholars to Oxford. Tensions between students and local townspeople in the early 13th century prompted some academics to flee and establish the University of Cambridge in 1209, resulting in the shared 'Oxbridge' identity. By 1201, the university was led by a 'magister scholarum Oxonie,' with the title of Chancellor conferred in 1214, and in 1231, it was formally recognized as a universitas or corporation. The university's structure includes a central administration with academic departments, research centers, libraries, and museums, alongside independent colleges that handle undergraduate admissions, tuition organization, and provide residential, dining, social, cultural, and recreational facilities for members. Oxford operates as a lay corporation established by common law and later incorporated by statute, without a single founder or charter, emerging organically from medieval groups of masters. Its colleges, which began as endowed medieval halls of residence in the 13th century under the supervision of a Master, now number over 30, with Green Templeton College formed in 2008 via merger and Reuben College established in 2019 as the newest. The university is world-renowned for academic excellence, particularly in humanities, social sciences, and public policy, and boasts the largest endowment among UK universities at £8.708 billion. Fellows and tutors, known colloquially as 'dons,' play a central role in teaching, while graduate responsibilities fall to departments. As the alma mater to numerous world leaders and thinkers, it counts Rupert Murdoch among its alumni; he studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics there and earned a Master of Arts degree. Oxford's contributions to research, scholarship, and historic architecture, along with its significant influence in global academia, policy, and elite networks, continue to make it a global leader in higher education. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the world.