Nominated for the As d'Or Game of the Year Expert Category 2025

A dynamic, interactive, mid-weight eurogame for one to four players, following the rise in fortunes of the prestigious University of Sankoré in 14th-century Timbuktu.

Tasked by the emperor, Mansa Musa, with spreading knowledge throughout West Africa, players must each manage a prestigious school within the Sankoré Madrasa as this great university is raised around them.

By enrolling and graduating your pupils, teaching classes, adding to your curriculum, and filling the great library with books, you will advance knowledge in four main disciplines: theology, law, mathematics, and astronomy. Once construction of the university is complete, the value that the empire places on each discipline will dramatically affect how you score the knowledge you have passed on.

In a dedicated solo mode, you will be competing against a distinguished scholar, a passionate, and ambitious academic controlled by an elegant automated system. They may not be as nimble as you, but they are focused and driven and will strive to produce the best possible students.

Can you navigate the corridors of academic competition and bring renown to Mansa Musa's prized university?

Ages: 14+
Players: 1-4
Playing Time: 150-180 minutes
Contents: Main Board, 4 Player Boards, 260+ Wooden Pieces, 190+ Tokens, 25+ Cards