Established as the second university in the country in 1969, University Sains Malaysia (USM) was first known as the University of Penang, before the University’s Act came into effect on 4th October 1971.
The university has been developing and expanding since its inception, which started with the enrolment of 57 science based students. Now, USM offers courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to approximately 20,000 students. USM has also become a well-known university locally and internationally.
USM was founded after an agreement made on a resolution approved by the Penang State Legislative Council in 1962, which suggested that a university college be established in the state. An area in Sungai Ara was identified and later the foundation stone was placed by the then Prime Minister, Y.T.M Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj on the 7th of August 1967.
In 1969, the University of Penang was established in response to the need for a larger campus with a more conducive environment, appropriate to the needs of the future of the country.
In April 1969, Professor Hamzah Sendut was elected the Vice-Chancellor. Two months later, a group of 57 students was accepted to begin their studies. Since the area of Sungai Ara could not be developed as fast as required, the group was placed at the Malayan Teachers’ Training College at Bukit Gelugor on loan from the Education Ministry. In 1971, the campus, which was originally planned to be situated in Sungai Ara, moved to its present site, Minden, a beautiful location with an area measuring 500 acres. The green and hilly scenery facing the sea is truly captivating.
Since its beginning, USM has implemented a school system, as opposed to the traditional faculty system. What is unique about this system is that each school could fulfil the needs of a more focused degree in the chosen area of study and at the same time, students could have the opportunity to explore other areas of study offered by another school. The interdisciplinary approach ensures that USM, the first in the country to adopt this system, would produce trained, multi-skilled graduates.
USM main campus is located within a tropical island of Penang, Malaysia with a land area of 591.72 acres (240.13 hectares). There are two USM branch campuses, one at Kubang Kerian in Kelantan (approximately 300km from the main campus) known as Health Campus and the other at Nibong Tebal (approximately 50km from the main campus), known as Engineering Campus. The former houses the School of Medical Sciences, School of Health Sciences and School of Dental Sciences, while the latter houses the six Engineering Schools. To date, the total enrolment is more than 30,000 students.
Right from the time of its establishment USM has adopted an innovative approach to higher education and of significance is its departure from the traditional faculty system of academic organisation. In its place, USM implements the broad-based School system where related subjects are grouped into schools of study and within each school, the policy combines subjects and to organise courses in such a manner that a degree of specialization in a chosen subject was possible.
From the outset, USM was given the mandate to provide, promote, and develop higher education in the fields of Natural Sciences, Applied Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Building Sciences & Technology, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education, as well as to provide for research and advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of such knowledge in these fields of study.
As one of the four Higher Institutions of Learning recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education as a Research Intensive University, USM offers educational and research opportunities to both students and staff. One of the key elements in the development of academic excellence at USM is the establishment of its research centres and units. This is due to the fact that the University has always been aware of the need for both research and teaching to remain as receptive as possible to the demands of society, and that the centres and units would provide better opportunities for integration and networking.
In addition, USM also provides consultancy, testing, and advisory services to industry. These services come under the ambit of USAINS Holdings Sdn Bhd, the University’s commercial arm.
We have 3 campuses. We offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that are conducted by the following Schools:
Main Campus ( Penang Island )
- School of Arts
- School of Biological Sciences
- School of Chemical Sciences
- School of Communication
- School of Computer Sciences
- School of Distance Education
- School of Educational Studies
- School of Housing, Building and Planning
- School of Humanities
- School of Industrial Technology
- School of Management
- School of Mathematical Sciences
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- School of Physics
- School of Social Sciences
- School of Languages, Literacies and Translation
Engeenering Campus ( Nibong Tebal : Penang )
- School of Aerospace Engineering
- School of Chemical Engineering
- School of Civil Engineering
- School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
- School of Mechanical Engineering
- School of Materials & Mineral Resources Engineering
Health Campus ( Kelantan )
- School of Dental Sciences
- School of Health Sciences
- School of Medical Sciences
The list of Research Centres, Services Centres and Units at USM are listed as follows:
Research Centres
- Advanced Management Centre
- Advanced Medical and Dental Institute
- Biomedical and Health Sciences Research Platform
- Centre for Archaeological Research Malaysia
- Centre for Drug Research
- Centre for Education, Training and Research in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency
- Centre for International Studies
- Centre for Islamic Development Management Studies
- Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies
- Centre for Policy Research & International Studies
- Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Centre
- Doping Control Centre
- Engineering and Technology Research Platform
- Fundamental Sciences Platform
- Human Genome Centre
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine
- Malaysia Institute of Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals
- National Advances IPv6 Centre
- National Higher Education Research Institute
- National Poison Centre
- Platform for Clinical Sciences Research
- Platform for Information and Communication Technology Research
- Platform for Life Sciences Research
- Platform for Social Transformation Drainage Research Centre
- River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre
- Women’s Development Research Centre
Service Centres
- Centre for Instructional Technology and Multimedia
- Centre for Knowledge, Communication & Technology
- Cultural Centre
- Hamdan Tahir Library
- Hamzah Sendut Library
- Islamic Centre
- Museum & Gallery Tuanku Fauziah
- USM Press
- Technical Facilities Centre
We provide facilities such as:
- Warm and cozy cafeterias, as well as well-designed pavilions
- An impressive Museum filled with world-class displays & a state-of-the-art
- Art Gallery with fine art pieces.
- Lecture theatre and halls to facilitate classroom learning and teaching.
- Banks, bookshop, pharmacy, a post office and retail outlet to cater to the needs of students
- Anoutstanding research library of over one million items and an extensive network of electronic databases and internet access.
- Students’ residences that accommodate their stay on campus.
- Sport Centre that is equipped with indoor and outdoor facilities that caters to students’ sporting events and games.
USM provides various services for its students such as hostel accommodation, counseling/motivational guidance, sport and recreational amenities like soccer fields, 8-lane synthetic running track, an Astroturf hockey stadium and an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Cultural events/activities are organised at the Cultural Hall to foster closer ties among students. There are also various clubs and societies that cater to a wide array of interests. These include the Political Science Society, Computer Science Club, Indian Cultural Club, Navigator Society, Astronomy Club, Debating & Public Speaking Club, and Mass Communication Club to name a few.
The Counseling Unit at USM offers support services to help develop students’ potential and capabilities.
Besides contributing to the national research effort and advancement of knowledge in general, the University has also taken steps to identify and periodically assess areas of research which are deserving of special support in order to compete more effectively for external funds. In USM’s bid to provide better incentives for the development of new products and processes by its staff, it has recently drawn up specific rules governing the patenting and commercialization of research results
