University - what's the point?

[EvilNed]

College of Surgeons is also good for fighting off disease, such as the plague.

[sir_schwick]

do multiple universities/college of surgeons increase the effect, or is one enough?

[Empirate]

Military Academy is good mainly for one thing: When you play the Turks, it allows you to build Janissary units. Those are among the best infantry in the game. IMO, Janissary Heavy Infantry is the best melee unit and Janissary Infantry is the best archer (NOT the best missile) unit, while Janissary Archers are a little redundant (but slightly cheaper and easier to build than JI).
Using those units, your Turks will conquer everything they want to. I once used JHI against the Mongols: I had to cross a bridge against missile fire and Mongol Heavy Cavalry. One unit of JHI marched across the bridge, killed one unit of Mongol Heavy Cavalry, marched uphill, was rushed by more MHC, killed those, too, and killed some Mongol Warriors rushing their flanks for good measure, then waited for the rest of my army to get across!
Janissary Infantry are like Futuwwas, only they have good defense and armor: like FMAA in melee, but can shoot!

[bluebird]

should all these academic buildings be in the same province or dotted around the place>

[Zarax]

They can only be built in the same place as the cathedral.

[Kralizec]

Yes, but once you've built your militairy acadamy you can demolish the cathedral, rebuild it elsewhere and then get another MA. Useful for the Turks so you can build janissaries faster.

[Duke of Gloucester]

Yes, but once you've built your militairy acadamy you can demolish the cathedral, rebuild it elsewhere and then get another MA. Useful for the Turks so you can build janissaries faster.

Now this is what the forum is all about. I hadn't worked this one out, but know GS has suggested it, its obvious, isn't it!