The Contemporary Educational Significance of Historic European Residential Colleges: A Study of Spanish Colegios Mayores

Abstract

The European residential colleges, which originated in the Middle Ages, are institutions that had a major impact on the evolution of the Western university. Throughout the centuries, and especially in the Modern Age, they played a decisive role in educating many who went on to occupy important political, ecclesiastical, and academic positions. Vestiges of these residential colleges still survive today in institutions such as the Italian Collegi di Merito, the Hungarian Szarkollegiums, the Spanish Colegios Mayores Universitarios, or the Portuguese republicas de estudantes. However, despite their great historical importance, the educational value of these institutions is largely unknown. This research investigates the educational value of historic Spanish Colegios Mayores and their differential value compared to other residential alternatives. To this end, a cross-sectional quantitative study was carried out with the participation of 393 students using the validated CUEVU questionnaire. The results indicate that students in Colegios Mayores perceive greater educational opportunities regarding comprehensive education than those in other types of accommodation. The effect size was also larger when students attended public universities. No significant differences were found according to the type of Colegios Mayores in which the students resided. To sum up, centuries after their creation, the Colegios Mayores continue providing much more than mere accommodation, offering valuable educational space to those living there.