Comparing "f"ATPL or ATPL with a University Degree?
In my recollection having done the ATPL theory 10 years ago now (BGS DL, revision in Cheddar, exams at CAA Gatwick), there was nothing in it above early perhaps mid secondary school level. Hard work, but for just a couple of months and nothing really hard compared to serious studying for several years for a solid university engineering degree.
By contrast I find that during flight training and further flying, whether professionally or privately, you never stop learning, e.g. about how weather works.
In
Source (in Spanish)
I believe the full ATP Licence is declared equivalent to a university degree (in Spain), and not just a pass in those 14 subjects.