A Nizamiyya ( , from Arabic , short for , ) was a type of institution of higher education established by Nizam al-Mulk in the 11th century across regions of the Seljuk Empire (corresponding to greater Iranian cultural and political influence). The word Nizamiyya derives from Nizam al-Mulk's name. These Sunni theological schools are considered to have been models for later Islamic universities, or schools.
The Nizamiyyas were among the first well-organized institutions of higher learning in the world. The quality of education was among the highest in the Islamic world, and they were even renowned in Europe. They were supported financially, politically, and spiritually by the royal establishment and the elite class. Some scholars have suggested that the establishment of the Nizamiyyas was in fact an attempt to thwart the growing influence of another group of Muslims, the Ismailis, in the region. Indeed, Nizam al-Mulk devoted a significant section in his famous Siyasatnama (Books of Politics) to refuting the Ismaili doctrines.
The most celebrated Nizamiyya was the Nizamiyya of Baghdad (established 1065), where Nizam al-Mulk appointed the distinguished philosopher and theologian, al-Ghazali, as a professor. Persian poet Sa'di was a student of the Baghdad Nizamiyya. Other Nizamiyyas were located in Nishapur, Amol, Balkh, Herat and Isfahan.
The curriculum initially focused on religious studies, Islamic law, Arabic literature, and arithmetic, and later extended to history, mathematics, the physical sciences, and music.