Monastic universities were educational institutions established by religious communities, particularly during the Middle Ages. These universities were often affiliated with monasteries, where monks would teach and study various subjects, including theology, philosophy, and the liberal arts. The primary goal was to educate clergy and laypeople, promoting spiritual and intellectual growth within the community. As centers of learning, monastic universities played a crucial role in preserving and transmitting knowledge during a time when many classical texts were at risk of being lost. They laid the groundwork for later universities, such as those in Paris and Oxford, influencing the development of higher education in Europe.