python is thought, and javascript will get more important through IOT. But you learn haskell as well and C. it depends on the university and what you're specializing on.
java is taught because it supports the current dominating paradigms and is used in the industry as defacto standard for business-applications. Banking systems use java and antlr4 for example can be used to teach the basics of language synthesis and so on....
java has a GC and simplifies a lot of problems while still using sophisticated techniques like JIT and inheritances.... in the end as everything it's about popularity and taste :)