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Throughout Star Trek, the majority of scientists / officers / political figures all appear to have either graduated from Starfleet Academy, or from a graduate program such as those as the Daystrom Institute, or from the Vulcan Science Academy.

Why aren't more current top schools represented throughout the various Star Trek series (i.e. MIT, Harvard, Yale)? Some of these schools have been around for 300+ years already and so it seems fairly reasonable that they would continue to exist. In "All Good Things" (TNG series finale), we do see the University of Cambridge, where Data holds the Lucasian Professorship of Mathematics.

But why do we hear about so few others? Is there an in-universe explanation for this?

I understand that many characters have worked exclusively in Starfleet and that, accordingly, most of the officers would have graduated from Starfleet Academy, but it still seems reasonable that other schools should be represented.

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    You kinda answered your own question by mentioning Data at Cambridge :P. Maybe WW3 has something to do with the lack of mention of the American institutes?
    – Junuxx
    Commented May 3, 2015 at 2:24
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    This list of schools may be useful.
    – Xantec
    Commented May 3, 2015 at 2:54
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    What is it that you're wanting to know that isn't already covered in your question? Clearly there are institutes of higher learning and at least one of the reasons we don't see them more often is because we're focused on Starfleet vessels.
    – Valorum
    Commented May 3, 2015 at 22:09
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    @Richard, I was just curious if they ever did reference other institutes aside from Starfleet and Cambridge (which they only did once in an alternate time line)... the focus isn't just on Starfleet, throughout the series Picard/Kirk/Janeway interact with top scientists, researchers, politicians, and explorers outside of SF- It just seems strange that there are never any references to other universities... or even in the context of research, wouldn't these schools still be conducting research that would impact space exploration?
    – Ghost Koi
    Commented May 4, 2015 at 4:15
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    How many scientists do you meet from Earth who aren't in Starfleet? It doesn't need an explanation. You answered it yourself. Commented Jun 19, 2015 at 23:12

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No explanation required: plenty of colleges / universities are mentioned in Star Trek.

Here is a listing of all of the colleges, universities, and degree-offering institutes mentioned in Star Trek television series and films.

Real universities and colleges (i.e. ones that exist today on Earth):

  • California Institute of Technology
  • University of Cambridge
  • Indiana State University
  • Kent State University
  • Princeton University
  • Stanford University
  • Trinity College Dublin
  • University of California at Berkeley
  • University of Manitoba
  • University of Mississippi
  • University of Nairobi
  • University of Texas at Austin

Universities and institutes that only exist in the Star Trek universe:

  • Denebian Academy of Science (Deneb IV)
  • Aldebaran Music Academy
  • Andorian Academy
  • Banean Engineering Institute
  • Central University of the Cardassian Union
  • Daystrom Institute
  • Regulus III Science Academy
  • ShiKahr Academy
  • Starfleet Academy
  • Starfleet Medical Academy
  • University of Alpha Centauri
  • University of Bajor
  • University of Betazed
  • University of Copernicus
  • University of Culat
  • University of Hurkos
  • University of Orion

For the exact appearances of each of these universities and institutes in the Star Trek universe, see Memory Alpha here.

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  • If Starfleet Academy (officer training) counts, then Starfleet Technical Services Academy definitely should.
    – OrangeDog
    Commented Nov 21, 2019 at 14:57

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