Exarhi University (ɛkˈsäːr̥i)
...so we may bask in [our God-Creator's] reflection and become creators ourselves. Heed my word: thou cannot control that which is unknown. Thus it shall be that through knowledge, [mortalkind] shall inherit the world...
The Exarhi University of Magical and Mundane Research is considered by all the most developed academic institution of the Meridian plane.
Its creation was the byproduct of the Continental Magical Alliance of 198 NE, which sought to restrict and regulate the free use of magic in an attempt to scale down the destruction caused by powerful mages.
The University, alongside its sister organization, the Exarhi Council, was founded in order to bring the mage community closer; both of them act as authorities and work together and alongside the goverments of the Meridian plane to ensure magic is not misused by the corrupt.
The Exarhi Plane
The University, alongside the Council, can be found on what is known as the Exarhi Plane, a pocket dimension carved into the Meridian plane by the legendary Kohimo the Spatiomancer, one of the founding members of both the University and the Council. The Exarhi Plane contains a stretch of floating island, big enough for one mid-sized university town, formally known as Exarhi City, housing the sister organizations, alongside various other buildings such as shops, houses, squares, inns, places of worship etc.Access to the Exarhi Plane is done through portals that connect the university town to the mainland. These portals, according to the Continental Magical Alliance legislation, are maintained both by the Council and by the country that controls the territory surrounding the portal. For each gateway, upkeep costs are split between the Council and its neighboring country in a 1:3 ratio. Each government must pay three fourths of the expenses for the maintenance of their portal, while the Exarhi Council provides servicing and protection.
The Exarhi Plane is an independent territory, its right of self-governance acknowledged by the nations of the Meridian. The City maintains a neutral position in every political discussion, thus upholding its legacy of impartiality during such debates. As the motto of the University implies, everything inside Exarhi City is tailored towards academic research, was born because of scientifical advancements, or simply exists to satisfy the scholars' various needs.
School life
EUMMR prides itself in the rigorous learning experience it provides; from application to graduation, a student must work hard in order to succeed, sometimes alongside their fellow students, sometimes against them, and sometimes completely alone, depending on the tasks and challenges presented. From group learning and friendly competitions to student-managed extracurricular clubs, the university welcomes those who harbor both an inquisitve mind and an open heart, for those who succeed harbor not only the desire to reach higher, but the strength to help the ones below them too.The admittance process is notoriously harsh, requiring a passing grade on the yearly entry exam, as well as a recommendation from a mage that has already achieved exaltation (graduation and approval by the Council). This barrier prevents most people from even entering the university, and while this form of exclusivity contributes to the prestige and influence of the university, it also restricts the flow of information outside the Exalted community.
What? Study for Divination? 'Course not. That damn Alkohori can kiss a halpurgian's ass for all I care... What? Yeah, he caught me cheating last time... Still have no clue how he knew...Classes are structured in three main categories, based on whether or not students are required to attend them:
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Mandatory classes: these make up 60% to 70% of all courses an undergraduate attends in a year; they usually belong to a Department and are held by a Pillar of its respective Department.
Pillars are professors that have contributed to the growth of their Department, either by teaching for a long period of time or by research in that field.
Every student must enroll in one Department, and each Department has its own curriculum tailored around the general field of study; because of this, mandatory classes are considered the most important part of a student's life and are treated accordingly by the teachers.
Some popular mandatory courses include: Exotic Botany and Zoology (Dept. of Natural Research),Construction of Magical Arrays (Dept. of Analytic Magic) and Free-Form Combat (all Dept.). -
Optional classes: depending on the year of study, each undergraduate is required to attend optional classes in order to meet their credit quota; most people attend up to three of them per year, while the scholary types and the students who barely pass their mandatory classes attend four or even five.
This category includes most, if not all of the profession-oriented subjects, such as Blacksmithing and Cooking; it also includes Geopolitics and History, courses known to attract students of royal or noble heritage. -
Elective classes: these classes offer no credits and, consequently, are considered of lesser priority by a majority of undergraduates.
These subjects require at least fifteen students to submit a formal request to the respective teacher; otherwise, the class is not officially recognized or endorsed by the University.
Each professor has the freedom to hold any number of elective courses, as long as they don't violate the Code of Conduct and have enough time in their respective schedule.
If the minimum requirement of student attendance is not met every half-semester (two and a half months), the class is considered "unworthy of academical pursuit" and is dissolved by the EUMMR Bureau.
In practice, some of the most beloved subjects in the Exarhi University are elective; they are kept alive by the love, passion and dedication of the students and teachers alike. Some noteworthy classes include: Beast Taming, Ancient Archaeology and Foreign Linguistics.
The greater the teacher, the greater the students
"I hope you studied for this test"... is what I would've liked to say. Truth is, I knew you wouldn't. I'm looking at you, Mixen.
History
The history of the Exarhi University is deeply entwined with the wars and political games of the Meridian plane, since the Exalts represent the most powerful and knowledgeable mages, being the pinnacle of study and mastery of the magic crafts.
From its conception to the present day, Exarhi and the Exalted as a whole have represented an attempt to bridge the mundane and the magic facets of the world, to show that through learning we can understand and accept each other.
The founding members of Exarhi were regarded at the time as the most dangerous mages in history, simply because of their unparalleled mastery over the arcane.
Many historians consider Myrciel and Artiella Exhaasi as the driving force that led to the creation of the Exarhi plane, with help from other incredible mages, such as the aformentioned Kohimo.
In the Name of Knowledge
Mundane Research (full name)
EUMMR (acronym)
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I enjoyed how thoroughly you've developed this university! What kind of topics should applicants study and prepare in advance for the difficult entry exam?
I just finished some new art in my latest article: Pinecrest College of Aviation!
Thanks for checking my article out! I will come back after the competition is finished to add more details, so if you liked reading it, be sure to come back later. ^^ Each Department of the University is responsible for preparing their admittance exam. However, every year so far, the admittance exam had a combat test, an aptitude test to show the innate talent of the future student, and a test based on that specific field of study. These may be subject to change from year to year, but the choice of exams are publicly displayed half a year in advance.