Universiti Sains Malaysia ( 'Science University of Malaysia';
abbreviated as USM) is a public research university in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. Founded on 1 June 1969 as a statutory body with its own constitution, it is among the oldest institutes of higher learning in Northern Malaysia. It has three campuses: a main campus on the island of
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, a health campus in
Kelantan
Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode").
Kelantan is located in the ...
, and an
engineering campus
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Engineering Campus ( ms, Kampus Kejuruteraan) is located in Transkrian, Nibong Tebal, South Seberang Perai, Penang. The campus covers an area about 320 acres. It is located approximately 45 km from the ...
in
Nibong Tebal
Nibong Tebal ( Jawi: نيبوڠ تبل) is one of the major towns of the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River in South Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Pena ...
. There is currently an overseas collaboration with KLE University,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
offering the Doctor of Medicine (USM) undergraduate degree. USM plans to open a Global Campus (Kuala Lumpur Campus) in Kuala Lumpur Education City (KLCE).
With around 28,300 postgraduate and undergraduate students in 2009, USM is one of the largest universities in terms of enrollment in Malaysia. The number of
lecturer
Lecturer is an List of academic ranks, academic rank within many universities, though the meaning of the term varies somewhat from country to country. It generally denotes an academic expert who is hired to teach on a full- or part-time basis. T ...
s is about 1,479, which leads to a student-lecturer ratio of around 19:1.
USM is the only Accelerated Programs for Excellence (APEX) government-funded
autonomous university
An autonomous university typically refers to a university that exercises independent control over its day-to-day operations and curriculum, as opposed to a university in which the government or a government agency controls the academic programs.
...
in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
.
History
The idea of a university in Penang was first mooted by
D. S. Ramanathan
D. S. Ramanathan (Tamil language, Tamil: டி. எஸ். ராமநாதன்) was a Malaysian politician, mayor, teacher, unionist , Malayan Army and educationist of Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora, Ceylonese origin. He was a member as well as ...
in 1959 in the State Assembly and later crystallised when he was nominated chairman of the Penang University Project committee. The acquisition of a piece of land in Sungai Ara was then followed by the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Y.T.M Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj on 7 August 1967.
USM was established as a statutory body in 1969 as the second university in Malaysia. It was first known as the University of Penang ( ms, Universiti Pulau Pinang). The university operated on borrowed premises at the Malayan Teachers' Training College at Gelugor. In 1971, it moved to its present 239-hectare site at Minden (formerly
Minden Barracks
Minden Barracks was a military barracks located in the south-eastern town of Gelugor in Northeast Penang Island District, Penang, Malaysia. It was operational from 1939 to 1971 and the site now houses the main campus of Universiti Sains Malaysia ...
of the
British Far East Command
The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. These were firstly, 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command ( ABDACOM), and secondly, 1963–1971 succeeded ...
) in
Gelugor
Gelugor is a southern suburb of George Town in Penang, Malaysia. Named after a plant species, Gelugor lies along the eastern seaboard of Penang Island, between Jelutong and Sungai Dua, and nearly south of the city centre.
Gelugor had been po ...
, 10 kilometres from the city of Georgetown.
Apart from the main campus, there are two other USM campuses: one at
Kubang Kerian
Kubang Kerian is the royal town of Kelantan and also a parliamentary constituency in Kota Bharu District, Kelantan, Malaysia. The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Health Campus is located here. This campus is also referred to as USM Health Campus. ...
in
Kelantan
Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode").
Kelantan is located in the ...
, known as the Health campus, and the other at Seri Ampangan,
Nibong Tebal
Nibong Tebal ( Jawi: نيبوڠ تبل) is one of the major towns of the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River in South Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Pena ...
in
Penang
Penang ( ms, Pulau Pinang, is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, by the Malacca Strait. It has two parts: Penang Island, where the capital city, George Town, is located, and Seberang Perai on the Malay ...
, known as the Engineering campus. The former houses the School of Medical Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and the School of Dental Sciences, while the latter houses the six engineering schools.
Universiti Sains Malaysia offers courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as conducting research in the fields of Pure Sciences, Applied Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Building Science and Technology, Social Sciences, Humanities and Education.
On 3 September 2008, the
Ministry of Higher Education
{{Unreferenced, date=March 2019, bot=noref (GreenC bot)
A Ministry of Higher Education is a government department that focuses on the provision or regulation of institutions of higher education. In some countries these exist as ministries compounde ...
under Dato’ Seri
Mohamed Khaled Nordin
Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin ( Jawi: محمد خالد بن نورالدين; born 30 November 1958) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Higher Education for the second term in Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration under Pr ...
selected USM to implement the Accelerated Programme for Excellence (APEX), a fast track development programme created to enable institutions of higher education to be recognised as world class entities.
Logo
The logo of Universiti Sains Malaysia consists of a coat of arms and a logotype.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms of Universiti Sains Malaysia features a crescent moon and a fourteen-pointed federal star, two tigers holding palm fronds, a shield and a motto. The shield itself contains an open book, a pair of
kris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
(Malay dagger) and the national flower – a ''
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
''Hibiscus rosa-sinensis'', known colloquially as Chinese hibiscus, China rose, Hawaiian hibiscus, rose mallow and shoeblack plant, is a species of tropical hibiscus, a flowering plant in the Hibisceae Tribe (biology), tribe of the family (biol ...
'' flower.
It is
blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vis ...
ed:
Shield: Purpure in base a ''Hibiscus rosa-sinensis'' flower and in chief an open book superimposed on a pair of kris all proper.
Torse: Argent and Orange''
Crest: A crescent and a fourteen-pointed federal star Or.
Supporters: Two tigers rampant both grasping a palm frond proper.
Motto: ''Kami Memimpin'' (We Lead in Malay)
The list of vice-chancellors of the Universiti Sains Malaysia
Organisation
The management of the university is carried out through the executive power of the Board of Directors, made up of members chosen from the university, representatives from government departments and those appointed by the Ministry of Higher Education. There are three Deputy Vice-Chancellors led by the Vice-Chancellor.
Ombudsman
In August 2011 USM created a new role of Ombudsman to deal with staff issues and protect whistleblowers. The USM Ombudsman is Prof. Dato' Seri Dr. MD.
Salleh Yaapar, who is a former staff of the USM and is on a rolling 2-year contract.
Chief Integrity Officer
In July 2012, following a presentation by the Chief of
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission ( ms, Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia), abbreviated MACC or ''SPRM'', (formerly known as Anti-Corruption Agency, ACA or ''Badan Pencegah Rasuah'', ''BPR'') is a government agency in Malaysia that ...
, the VC of USM promises to create a new role of Chief Integrity Officer to cultivate academic integrity among students, lecturers and staff.
The current Chief Integrity Officer is Dr. Khairul Anuar Che Azmi, the university's first ombudsman and is also the Legal Advisor.
Mission & Vision
Mission
Transforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow
Vision
USM is a pioneering, transdisciplinary research intensive university that empowers future talents and enables the bottom billions to transform their socio-economic well-being.
Value
Quality, Equality, Availability, Accessibility, Affordability, Appropriateness
Thrust
Knowledge, The Future, Uniqueness, Sustainability, Humanity, Universality, Change, Sacrifice, Wellness
Academic programmes
Twenty four academic schools, 14 centres and 7 units have been established. Of the schools, 12 are applied science and technology-based schools: Civil Engineering, Aerospace Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Housing, Building and Planning; Industrial Technology; Medical Sciences; Dental Sciences; Health Sciences; and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The three liberal arts schools are Educational Studies, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The pure science schools are Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Computer Sciences, and Physics, all of which offer courses that are similar to those available in other universities. There is offshore collaboration with KLE University,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
offering the Doctor of Medicine(USM) undergraduate degree. This offshore five-year M.D. programme is conducted at the
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (Belgaum)
Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum (JNMC) is a constituent medical school of KLE University. It is located at Belgaum in Karnataka state. The college was earlier affiliated to the state unitary Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science ...
, KLE University, Belgaum,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. In
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, USM also has a collaboration with the James Lind Institute for conducting
Translational Medicine Translational medicine (often called translational science, of which it is a form) is defined by the European Society for Translational Medicine as "an interdisciplinary branch of the biomedical field supported by three main pillars: benchside, beds ...
programs.
In December 1989, the School of Management was set up, having evolved from the Management program within the School of Social Sciences. As part of its continuing expansion, the university established the School of Computer Sciences and the School of Communication as of March 1995.
In 2008, Professor
Maqsudul Alam
Maqsudul Alam (14 December 1954 – 20 December 2014) was a Bangladeshi-born life-science scientist who is known for his work on genome sequencing. His work on genome sequencing started with bacteria '' Idiomarina loihiensis'' in 2003. He came in ...
, set up the Centre for Chemical Biology (CCB) where he became its first Chief Executive Officer and Director, and sequenced the genome for rubber in Malaysia.
The centres and ancillary services include the Centre for Languages and Translation, the National Poison Centre, the Doping Control Centre, the Centre for Archaeological Research Malaysia, the Centre for Educational Technology and Multimedia, the Computer Centre, the Centre for Knowledge, Communication and Technology and the Islamic Centre. There are research centres, namely the Centre for Policy Research, the Centre for Drug Research and the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies. The distance education program offered through the School of Distance Education was adopted by the university in 1971.
![Main gate at the Universiti Sains Malaysia](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Main_gate_at_the_Universiti_Sains_Malaysia.jpg)
USM is one of five universities in Malaysia that have been identified as
research
Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...
-intensive universities, with the other being
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya ( ms, Universiti Malaya, UM; abbreviated as UM or informally the Malayan University) is a public research university located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the oldest and highest ranking Malaysian institution of highe ...
,
Universiti Putra Malaysia
University of Putra Malaysia ( Malay: ''Universiti Putra Malaysia''), abbreviated as UPM, is a Malaysian public research university located in Serdang, Selangor. Formerly it was named Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (Agricultural University of ...
,
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
, image_name = UTM-LOGO.png
, image_size =
, caption = Seal
, latin_name =
, motto = Kerana Tuhan Untuk Manusia
, mottoeng = In the Name of God for Mankind
, established =
, closed =
, type = Public research university
, affiliatio ...
and
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
The National University of Malaysia ( ms, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, abbreviated as UKM) is a public university located in Bandar Baru Bangi, Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Its teaching hospital, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia ...
.
Campuses
The Main campus has the name of a German city (
Minden
Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the greatest town between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district (''Kreis'') of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detm ...
) because the campus was built on the territory of the former British
Minden Barracks
Minden Barracks was a military barracks located in the south-eastern town of Gelugor in Northeast Penang Island District, Penang, Malaysia. It was operational from 1939 to 1971 and the site now houses the main campus of Universiti Sains Malaysia ...
, which themselves were named after the
Battle of Minden
The Battle of Minden was a major engagement during the Seven Years' War, fought on 1 August 1759. An Anglo-German army under the overall command of Prussian Field Marshal Ferdinand of Brunswick defeated a French army commanded by Marshal of Fr ...
.
Besides the main campus in Minden, USM has one at
Kubang Kerian
Kubang Kerian is the royal town of Kelantan and also a parliamentary constituency in Kota Bharu District, Kelantan, Malaysia. The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Health Campus is located here. This campus is also referred to as USM Health Campus. ...
in
Kelantan
Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode").
Kelantan is located in the ...
known as Health Campus and another at Seri Ampangan,
Nibong Tebal
Nibong Tebal ( Jawi: نيبوڠ تبل) is one of the major towns of the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River in South Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Pena ...
in mainland Penang known as
Engineering Campus
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Engineering Campus ( ms, Kampus Kejuruteraan) is located in Transkrian, Nibong Tebal, South Seberang Perai, Penang. The campus covers an area about 320 acres. It is located approximately 45 km from the ...
.
Started as a USM hospital in 1982, the Health campus has expanded after the School of Medical Science was moved from the main campus to the present site which is 73 hectares. The School of Medical Science was moved from the main campus in June 1984. There are two other schools in the health campus — the School of Dental Science and the School of Allied Health Sciences.
The
Engineering Campus
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Engineering Campus ( ms, Kampus Kejuruteraan) is located in Transkrian, Nibong Tebal, South Seberang Perai, Penang. The campus covers an area about 320 acres. It is located approximately 45 km from the ...
was originally located at
Tronoh
Teronoh (or Tronoh, Ternoh) ( Jawi: ترونوه; ) is a small tin-mining town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia.
The tin-mining industry boom during the early 20th century saw Tronoh, a town believed to be old, grow from a small village in ...
, Perak, and named Perak Branch Campus (KCP). After operating in the state for 15 years (1986–2001), the
Engineering Campus
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Engineering Campus ( ms, Kampus Kejuruteraan) is located in Transkrian, Nibong Tebal, South Seberang Perai, Penang. The campus covers an area about 320 acres. It is located approximately 45 km from the ...
moved to the present site in
Nibong Tebal
Nibong Tebal ( Jawi: نيبوڠ تبل) is one of the major towns of the city of Seberang Perai, Penang, Malaysia. Located at the northern bank of the Kerian River in South Seberang Perai District, it is the southernmost populated place of Pena ...
, Penang.
Schools
USM is the one of the Malaysian public universities to use the term
school
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compuls ...
(in Malay; ''Pusat Pengajian'') instead of the term
faculty that is used in other Malaysian public universities.
Technology-based schools
All located at the
Engineering Campus
The Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Engineering Campus ( ms, Kampus Kejuruteraan) is located in Transkrian, Nibong Tebal, South Seberang Perai, Penang. The campus covers an area about 320 acres. It is located approximately 45 km from the ...
except the School of Housing, Building and Planning (main campus) and The School of Industrial Technology (main campus).
* School of
Aerospace Engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is si ...
* School of
Civil Engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...
* School of
Chemical Engineering
Chemical engineering is an engineering field which deals with the study of operation and design of chemical plants as well as methods of improving production. Chemical engineers develop economical commercial processes to convert raw materials int ...
* School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
* School of Materials and
Mineral Resources
Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. O ...
Engineering
* School of
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering is the study of physical machines that may involve force and movement. It is an engineering branch that combines engineering physics and mathematics principles with materials science, to design, analyze, manufacture, and ...
* School of Housing, Building and Planning
* School of Industrial Technology
Liberal arts schools
All located at main campus, island of Penang.
* School of
Arts
The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...
* School of
Communication
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
* School of Educational Studies
* School of
Humanities
Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture. In the Renaissance, the term contrasted with divinity and referred to what is now called classics, the main area of secular study in universities at the t ...
* School of
Social Sciences
Social science is one of the branches of science, devoted to the study of societies and the relationships among individuals within those societies. The term was formerly used to refer to the field of sociology, the original "science of soci ...
* School of
Management
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
* School of Languages, Literacies and Translation
Science Schools
All located at main campus, island of Penang.
* School of
Biological Sciences
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary ...
* School of
Chemical Sciences
Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, properties, ...
* School of
Mathematical Sciences
The mathematical sciences are a group of areas of study that includes, in addition to mathematics, those academic disciplines that are primarily mathematical in nature but may not be universally considered subfields of mathematics proper.
Statisti ...
* School of
Computer Sciences
Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines (such as algorithms, theory of computation, information theory, and automation) to practical disciplines (including ...
* School of
Physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which r ...
Health Science Schools
All located at Health Campus,
Kelantan
Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode").
Kelantan is located in the ...
except The School of Pharmacy (located in main campus) and Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (located in Bertam outside Penang Island
AMDI) which is more commonly referred to using its Malay acronym IPPT (Institut Perubatan dan Pergigian Termaju) Bertam.
*
School of Medical Sciences
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compul ...
* School of Dental Sciences
* School of
Health Science
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to health sciences:
Health sciences are those sciences which focus on health, or health care, as core parts of their subject matter. Health sciences relate to multiple acad ...
s
* School of
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Pharmacy is the science and practice of discovering, producing, preparing, dispensing, reviewing and monitoring medications, aiming to ensure the safe, effective, and affordable use of medicines. It is a miscellaneous science as it links healt ...
* Advanced Medical and Dental Institute (AMDI)
Research
![USMDewanTuanku](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/USMDewanTuanku.jpg)
The Science Fund funding is the main source of R&D for USM. However, to promote research, the university allocates money from its operating funds annually as incentive and for short-term research purposes. External funds, mainly in the form of research grants, awards and consultancies won by individual academic staff members, also feature prominently. There are external sources of funding as well, but these are largely ad hoc and do not, as a rule, result in the development of major research facilities. Some external research links have been established through individual and through institutional networking arrangements.
Research areas
Research areas at USM include brain and neuroscience, environmental science, aquaculture, biomedical and pharmaceutical studies, natural language processing and computer aided translation, information technology, food technology, polymer science and technology, biotechnology, distance education, geographical information system, structure analysis, materials science, engineering, surface chemistry, and robotic vision. Penang has research facilities for collaborative search, particularly in coastal pollution, mangrove ecosystem and marine aquaculture.
Education
Graduate studies
![USMInternational](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/USMInternational.jpg)
USM offers three modes of study for the graduate programmes, i.e., by research, by a combination of coursework and research (mixed mode), or by coursework. In 2009, there were 9,011 students in the master's and doctoral level programmes with 24.9% of them nationals from more than 40 countries. The majority of the foreign students are from other parts of Southeast Asia as well as the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
.
Undergraduate studies
Almost all undergraduate degree programs at the university require a minimum full-time residence of three years. Degrees in engineering, health sciences, pharmacy, medicine and dentistry require minimum periods of study between four and five years. Most undergraduate courses are taught in English, especially in science courses, except for humanities and social science. International students have to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the national language as part of the entrance criteria. However they will be taught as one of compulsory subjects once they enroll as a student.
Other study programmes
USM has programmes for foreign students, and they can undertake one or two semesters. These students are considered full-time and enjoy the benefits of USM's academic and physical facilities.
The School of Distance Education was established in 1971 to provide opportunities for local working adults to obtain a tertiary qualification. These students are able to undertake undergraduate courses while they are in full-time employment. At present four undergraduate degree programmes are available through distance learning: Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Management.
Collaboration with Overseas Universities
The University and the
University of Indonesia
The University of Indonesia ( id, Universitas Indonesia, abbreviated as UI) is a public university in Depok, West Java and Salemba, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of the oldest tertiary-level educational institutions in Indonesia (known as the Dut ...
(UI) collaborates with the
Singapore University of Social Sciences
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borderin ...
(SUSS) on SUSS's BA Malay Language and Literature, University of Glasgow, Institute Technology Bandung (ITB) and many more to come.
Departments
Library of Universiti Sains Malaysia Library was established in 1969 known as the Library of the University of Penang at the Malayan Teachers College, Gelugor, Penang. Library was moved to Minden (temporary buildings) in 1971 and occupy the new building in 1979. Main Library 2 has bee ...
Activities
![USMFootball](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/USMFootball.jpg)
USM has facilities for student accommodation, sporting and recreation. The university offers housing for approximately 75% of its students. They are known as student villages or hostels (''Desasiswa'' in Malay), and they are on campus. Cafeterias can be found all around the university area.
USM provides sporting facilities such as archery range, cricket, football field, badminton courts, tennis courts, hockey ground, rugby field, softball, squash courts, and basketball courts. Its ground was used for the
2008 U/19 Cricket World Cup
The 2008 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup was held in Malaysia from 17 February 2008 to 2 March 2008. The opening ceremony took place on 15 February 2008. The final was played between South Africa and India, which India won by 12 runs on the Duckwo ...
.
Other activities include cultural activities, leadership programs, community service programs and excellence programs with the co-operation of the Student Advisory and Development Unit, the Sports Unit, the Arts and Cultural Development Unit, Hostel Management. Activities are realised through societies, clubs, sports and cultural activities, motivation workshops and debate competitions. Among others, USM has a jazz orchestra called the USM Jazz Band that is composed of student musicians from various schools in the university.
There are annual activities such as forums, workshops and programs in conjunction with the National Day celebrations such as the Ambang Merdeka Night and the Merdeka Campus Walk, and religious activities such as Qur'an Recitation and Ramadhan Appreciation Month in the holy month of Ramadhan.
Hostels
The hostels known as student villages or (''Desasiswa'' in Malay) under the property of the University of Science Malaysia are as follows:
;Main Campus:
* Aman Damai Fajar Harapan
* Bakti Permai Cahaya Gemilang
* Indah Kembara
* Restu
* Saujana
* Tekun
The names of the hostels indicate a merger between formerly separate hostels. For example, "Aman Damai Fajar Harapan" was formerly four separate hostels, each having its own administration under a hostel warden ("Penggawa" in Malay) and assistant warden.
;Engineering Campus:
* Jaya Lembaran Utama
;Health Campus:
* Murni Nurani
Ranking
The university was ranked 111th in th
World University Rankings 2004published by the ''
Times Higher Education Supplement
''Times Higher Education'' (''THE''), formerly ''The Times Higher Education Supplement'' (''The Thes''), is a British magazine reporting specifically on news and issues related to higher education.
Ownership
TPG Capital acquired TSL Education ...
''. However, it dropped out of the list of top 200 universities in the world in 2005.
In 2019, however, the University placed 601–800th in the World University rankings. It also placed 49th in University Impact Rankings and 151 – 200th in the Young University Rankings.
USM's then vice-chancellor Prof Tan Sri Dato' Dzulkifli Abdul Razak said that the addition of new criteria such as the employer survey could have contributed to the sharp drop in the university's integrity: "Our poor standing could also be attributed to the fact that we are a relatively young university compared to UM which is 100 years old. They have built up a stable reputation in that time." Prof. Dzulkifli also cited the poor staff-student ratio in Malaysian universities: "Over the past years we have doubled our intake. USM now has 35,000 students including 28,000 undergraduates but the number of lecturers, about 1,400 has not increased in tandem."
On 3 September 2008, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) was declared the Apex (Accelerated Programme for Excellence) University by the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia. In 2010, USM achieved the position of 123 under the category of Life Sciences and Biomedicine (''Times Higher Education'' QS World University Rankings).
For the 2010
QS Asian University rankings
''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for the ...
, USM was at 69th place. For particular subjects, the rankings were as below:
On 2015, USM was ranked 87th in Best Global Universities for Engineering of U.S. News & World Report College and University Ranking.
QS World University Rankings
Notable alumni
File:Chow_Kon_Yeow_2019.jpg , alt=Chow Kon Yeow , Chow Kon Yeow
Chow Kon Yeow ( zh, s=曹观友, t=曹觀友, p=Cáo Guānyǒu, c=, poj=Chô Kuan-iú; born 14 November 1957) is a Malaysian politician who has served as 5th Chief Minister of Penang since May 2018, Member of the Penang State Legislative Assem ...
, current Chief Minister of Penang
The Chief Minister of Penang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Penang. According to convention, the chief minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The chie ...
.
File:Yusril_Ihza_Mahendra,_medcom_id,_01.49.jpg , alt=Yusril Ihza Mahendra , Yusril Ihza Mahendra
Yusril Ihza Mahendra (born 5 February 1956) is an Indonesian lawyer, politician and academic, who is currently serving as the leader of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) since 2015. Previously, he served as the leader of the PBB from 1998 until 200 ...
, current general chairman of the Indonesian Crescent Star Party.
The alumni of Universiti Sains Malaysia include politicians such as Tun Seri Setia Haji
Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam
Tun Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohd. Ali bin Mohd. Rustam ( ms, محمد علي بن محمد رستم, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 24 August 1949) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 7th Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca ...
, current
Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca
The Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca or Malacca Governor is the ceremonial head of state of the Malaysian state of Malacca. The Yang di-Pertua Negeri is styled Tuan Yang Terutama (TYT) (''English: His Excellency'').
The current office bearer, A ...
,
Chow Kon Yeow
Chow Kon Yeow ( zh, s=曹观友, t=曹觀友, p=Cáo Guānyǒu, c=, poj=Chô Kuan-iú; born 14 November 1957) is a Malaysian politician who has served as 5th Chief Minister of Penang since May 2018, Member of the Penang State Legislative Assem ...
, current
Chief Minister of Penang
The Chief Minister of Penang is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Penang. According to convention, the chief minister is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Penang State Legislative Assembly. The chie ...
, Dato' Sri
Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail
Wan Rosdy bin Wan Ismail (born 1 October 1958) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 14th Menteri Besar of Pahang since May 2018 and Member of the Pahang State Legislative Assembly for Jelai (MLA) since March 2004. He served as Membe ...
, current
Menteri Besar of Pahang, Dato' Seri Haji
Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor
Dato' Seri Haji Muhammad Sanusi bin Md Nor ( ms, محمد سنوسي بن مد نور, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; born 4 August 1974) is a Malaysian politician who has served as the 14th Menteri Besar of Kedah since May 2020 and M ...
, current
Menteri Besar of Kedah
The Menteri Besar of Kedah or the First Minister of Kedah is the head of government in the Malaysian state of Kedah. According to convention, the Menteri Besar is the leader of the majority party or largest coalition party of the Kedah State Legis ...
and
Yusril Ihza Mahendra
Yusril Ihza Mahendra (born 5 February 1956) is an Indonesian lawyer, politician and academic, who is currently serving as the leader of the Crescent Star Party (PBB) since 2015. Previously, he served as the leader of the PBB from 1998 until 200 ...
, current general chairman of the
Indonesian Crescent Star Party.
Movies and television
Movies filmed on or near USM's campus include:
* ''
Ali Setan'' (1985)
* ''
Soalnya Siapa'' (2002)
* ''
Vennira Iravuggal
''Vennira Iravuggal'' () is a 2014 Malaysian Tamil romantic comedy film written, directed and produced by R.Perakas. Starring Vikadakavi Magen in the lead role with Sangeeta Krishnasamy. The film revolves around a journey of love which begins ...
'' (2014)
* ''
The Sleep Curse
''The Sleep Curse'' is a Hong Kong horror film directed by Herman Yau.
Wong announced that ''The Sleep Curse'' would be his last performance in horror and thriller films, stating he no longer enjoyed making them.
Plot
The film alternates betwe ...
'' (2017)
Television shows have used USM's campus, including:
* ''Layang-layang terputus talinya''
* ''Spektra''
Partner Institution
Australia
*
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...
*
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Perth, the state capital, with a secondary campus in Albany, Western Australia, Albany an ...
*
University of Queensland
, mottoeng = By means of knowledge and hard work
, established =
, endowment = A$224.3 million
, budget = A$2.1 billion
, type = Public research university
, chancellor = Peter Varghese
, vice_chancellor = Deborah Terry
, city = B ...
*
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensive ...
Hong Kong
*
University of Hong Kong
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) (Chinese: 香港大學) is a public research university in Hong Kong. Founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, it is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. HKU was also the fi ...
Japan
*
Hokkaido University
, or , is a Japanese national university in Sapporo, Hokkaido. It was the fifth Imperial University in Japan, which were established to be the nation's finest institutions of higher education or research. Hokkaido University is considered ...
*
Kyoto University
, mottoeng = Freedom of academic culture
, established =
, type = National university, Public (National)
, endowment = ¥ 316 billion (2.4 1000000000 (number), billion USD)
, faculty = 3,480 (Teaching Staff)
, administrative_staff ...
*
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
, often referred to as TUFS, is a specialist research university in Fuchū, Tokyo, Japan.
TUFS is primarily devoted to foreign language, international affairs and foreign studies. It also features an Asia-African institution.
History
The Uni ...
*
Hiroshima University
is a Japanese national university located in Higashihiroshima and Hiroshima, Japan. Established in 1929, it was chartered as a university in 1949 following the merge of a number of national educational institutions.
History
Under the Nationa ...
*
University of Tsukuba
is a public university, public research university located in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Ibaraki, Japan. It is a top 10 Designated National University, and was ranked Type A by the Japanese government as part of the Top Global University Pro ...
*
Doshisha University
, mottoeng = Truth shall make you free
, tagline =
, established = Founded 1875,Chartered 1920
, vision =
, type = Private
, affiliation =
, calendar =
, endowment = €1 ...
*
Riken
Malaysia
*
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (abbreviated as UTAR; ) is a non-profit private research university in Malaysia. It is ranked top 100 in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2018 and top 1200 in the Times Higher Education Wor ...
Singapore
*
National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore (NUS) is a national public research university in Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest autonomous university in the c ...
*
Nanyang Technological University
The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a national research university in Singapore. It is the second oldest autonomous university in the country and is considered as one of the most prestigious universities in the world by various inte ...
Taiwan
*
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University (NTU; ) is a public research university in Taipei, Taiwan.
The university was founded in 1928 during Japanese rule as the seventh of the Imperial Universities. It was named Taihoku Imperial University and served d ...
*
National Chiao Tung University
National Chiao Tung University (NCTU; ) was a public research university located in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Established in 1896 as Nanyang Public School by an imperial edict of the Guangxu Emperor, it was one of China's leading universities. After th ...
References
External links
Universiti Sains MalaysiaEngineering campusHealth campusMyUSMinfoIPv6 Centre of Excellence (NAv6)School of Languages, Literacies and Translation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sains Malaysia, Universiti
Universities and colleges in Penang
Educational institutions established in 1969
Northern Corridor Economic Region
*
Art schools in Malaysia
Business schools in Malaysia
Design schools in Malaysia
Technical universities and colleges in Malaysia
Engineering universities and colleges in Malaysia
Information technology schools in Malaysia
Medical schools in Malaysia
Nursing schools in Malaysia
1969 establishments in Malaysia
Distance education institutions based in Malaysia