Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare Services: Free Access for Students and Staff

Universiti Sains Malaysia is committed to providing accessible, comprehensive, and confidential healthcare services for its students and staff. Among these, sexual and reproductive health care represents an essential part of USM’s holistic health framework and is offered free of charge to all registered students.

Through its main health facilities, the Hospital Pakar Universiti Sains Malaysia (HPUSM) and the Pusat Sejahtera USM, the university provides on-campus access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. These include obstetric and gynaecological consultations, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment, pregnancy testing, and contraceptive counselling and family planning services. All services are delivered by qualified healthcare professionals in a safe, confidential, and supportive environment.

USM also places strong emphasis on education and awareness through regular seminars, health campaigns, and educational programmes designed to enhance students’ understanding of reproductive health, safe sexual practices, and personal well-being. Informational materials and peer-led learning sessions are also available to help students make informed and responsible decisions regarding their health.

To support emotional and psychological well-being, counselling and crisis response services are available at Pusat Sejahtera USM. Students can seek confidential guidance related to relationships, contraception, sexual orientation, or issues involving sexual violence and harassment. These services provide integrated support that includes counselling, medical care, and assistance with reporting procedures.

USM further collaborates with community organisations such as the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) and Reproductive Health Association of Kelantan (ReHAK) to strengthen outreach, improve service quality, and extend access to specialised resources for students and staff.

Through these efforts, USM demonstrates its commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive campus environment that empowers students to take responsibility for their sexual and reproductive health, aligning with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

Sustainable Food Purchases at Universiti Sains Malaysia

 Universiti Sains Malaysia is committed to sustainable food procurement by prioritising the purchase of products from local and environmentally responsible sources. This practice supports local economies, reduces carbon emissions, and promotes ethical and sustainable consumption in alignment with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

USM’s commitment is outlined in the USM Sustainability Policy (Revised 2025), where Section 7.3.1 (pp. 8-9) emphasises the priority to source from sustainable and local vendors to minimise environmental impact and strengthen local supply chains. In addition, Section 6.4 highlights efforts to promote sustainable agriculture and local food systems to ensure safe, nutritious, and affordable food access for all.

Supporting this framework, the Governance Guidelines for Sustainability Best Practices recommend prioritising suppliers located within a 50-kilometre radius and engaging vendors with recognised eco-labels and sustainability certifications, ensuring that all food and supply purchases meet high environmental standards.

The USM Green Procurement Policy (Revised 2025) (pp. 1-3) further ensures that all purchasing decisions consider both environmental and social impacts, encouraging collaboration with suppliers who practise sustainability in food production and distribution.

Through these coordinated policies, USM has institutionalised responsible and sustainable procurement as part of its campus culture, reducing environmental impact, supporting local producers, and contributing to a sustainable and resilient food ecosystem.

Sustainable Food Choices on Campus

Universiti Sains Malaysia is committed to fostering a healthy, inclusive and environmentally responsible dining culture by ensuring that it provide sustainable food choices for all on campus, including vegetarian and vegan food across all food outlets such as Desasiswa dining halls, cafeteria operators, kiosks, franchise outlets, cafés and the various canteens located at the Main Campus, Engineering Campus and Health Campus. As part of this commitment, USM offers a diverse range of more than 20 food and beverage menu options throughout its outlets, with all vegetarian and vegan items clearly indicated on each menu so students and staff can easily identify suitable choices before visiting. These plant-based meals are thoughtfully crafted to meet a variety of dietary needs by incorporating protein-rich ingredients such as tofu, tempeh, legumes and eggs for vegetarian selections, complemented by whole grains, fresh vegetables and herbs to provide essential nutrients including proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals that support daily energy, focus and overall well-being.

Popular dishes such as nasi putih with tofu sambal and vegetables, nasi lemak served with sambal, peanuts and either boiled egg or tempeh, nasi kerabu with ulam and grilled mushrooms, vegetable curry with chickpeas and salad and nasi goreng kampung with tempeh and mixed vegetables reflect USM’s approach to nutritious, affordable and satisfying plant-based dining. These options also highlight USM’s commitment to sustainability because plant-based meals generally require fewer resources and produce lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to animal-based foods. All food outlets adhere to Halal preparation standards to ensure hygienic, ethical and high-quality food handling, while USM continues to promote the use of reusable containers, cups and cutlery to reduce single-use plastics. By making these nutritious, sustainable and accessible meals widely available, USM cultivates a campus environment that supports health, inclusivity and responsible consumption, empowering the university community to make daily food choices that benefit both personal well-being and the planet.

Example of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu:

Healthy and Affordable Food Choices

Universiti Sains Malaysia is committed to supporting the nutritional well-being of its community by ensuring that it provide healthy and affordable food choices for all on campus and that it provide healthy and affordable food choices across all food outlets on all campuses. This commitment is demonstrated through the Menu RAHMAH initiative, which offers balanced and nutritious meals priced between RM3.50 and RM5.00, making wholesome food accessible to both students and staff. These meals are designed to meet daily nutritional needs and to support energy, focus and overall well-being.

Examples of Menu RAHMAH meal sets include:
Set 1: Nasi putih (white rice), fish and vegetables
Set 2: Nasi kerabu (herb rice), salted egg and ulam (fresh herbs)
Set 3: Nasi putih, fried chicken and bean sprouts
Set 4: Nasi putih, egg, chicken and vegetables
Set 5: Nasi putih, chicken in soy sauce and vegetables.

These selections provide essential macronutrients and micronutrients, ensuring that affordability and nutrition are made available to everyone on campus.

In addition to the Menu RAHMAH initiative, USM expands access to nutritious meals through a wide network of food outlets across all campuses, where operators highlight healthier options and focus on preparing meals with fresh, high-quality ingredients. These outlets provide a variety of meal choices that encourage balanced eating habits and support the dietary needs of the campus community. Through ongoing improvements in menu diversity, pricing strategies and the overall nutritional quality of food served, USM reinforces its commitment to healthy and affordable food choices, ensuring that balanced, nourishing and cost-effective meals remain accessible to all members of the university throughout the year.