factors that has led to the rise of medieval universities

Many factors led to the rise of medieval universities.  Rising population growth led to a need for more clergymen--the first goal of medieval universities was to produce well-trained members of the clergy.  Universities by the Central Middle Ages produced able bureaucrats and lawyers who got their position by merit and would be able administrators for governments.  Rulers such as Frederick Barbarossa also gave protection to traveling university students, which helped unite Europe culturally as more people looked at traveling between kingdoms as "normal."  As more families grew rich in the Central Middle Ages, they could afford to send their more intellectually able sons to school, thus giving them greater opportunities.  The universities themselves often improved the finances of the cities in which they were located, as students sought out housing, food, and entertainment, similar to how cities benefit from having universities today.