Education

Being a high renaissance level world, the cities have the most interesting people, money and complicated societies that require specialized people to run them. Superstition is still powerful. Magic being real means that it is blamed for commonplace problems, and seen as a menace or solution to those problems. Commoners in rural area usually receive no formal education, most adults are illiterate. In these areas mages, clerics and other learned people will write letters or write accounts to record events such as marriages, births, land sales, deaths, and other events. There may be other limited scribes, accountants and book keepers in the employ of lords and land owners. In most cities there is compulsory education, and adult literacy rates are much higher, but also because there are more laws to follow. The minimum is usually a 5th grade education in one or more languages, basic math, rudimentary natural philosophy and their city’s or nations history. An education beyond that usually costs money and only the wealthy pay for that, or adults who choose to learn more with their earnings. At around 11 or 13 years old the vast majority of children are indentured to a guild to learn a trade. Depending on the guild they may receive more education, but mostly surrounding their industry.
There are universities in the major capitals. They are by appointment only, so a minimally educated child who has a tremendous talent or skill may be accepted, while a well-educated but uninteresting student is rejected. The universities are often run by either Philosophical traditions or Mage traditions. They typically have three levels; Mundanities, Enlightenment, and Exultant. Universities obtain income to operate from many sources, grants from nobles, services they can render to those outside the university, and those that obtain a writ or mark pay a monthly fee to their college for life. (though a big enough grant can be negotiated to consider that paid in full. Like a relic.) The mundanities cover basic education, introductory studies of literature, philosophy, history, military tactics, magic, accounting, engineering, art, music and politics. Many stop with a writ of Mundane achievement, which is good enough to get you a job managing government, business or teaching compulsory education. (or become a level 1 mage etc.) To accomplish a mark of Enlightenment you select three or four areas of expertise and spend years writing papers. These papers are peer reviewed and as your peers laud your work and findings. Over the years you build a portfolio. At any point you may ask to have your portfolio reviewed in it’s totality and granted a Mark of Enlightenment. Your university’s mark is branded or tattooed on to your forehead. Most enlightened stay at the university and continue their work, others will become advisors to nobility, tutors to the children of the powerful or go on to study more. Some go on to lead expeditions to uncover lost knowledge or study deeper levels of magic. The Exultant are true sages who spend decades studying and experimenting. Exultant become university leaders or start their own schools. Exultant are often asked to be advisors to kings and lords, sit on privy counsels and may have appointments to things like running a special project.