Built Environment

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) provides public access to buildings, monuments and natural heritage landscapes of cultural significance, and offers free access to all significant buildings, monuments and heritage landscapes on its Minden campus. The campus occupies the former Minden Barracks, and its historic buildings are not set apart from everyday life: they continue to be used and conserved through adaptive reuse. This keeps old structures in service, reduces the need for new construction, preserves a sense of place and lets visitors see how the site changed from a military barracks into a university.

Visitors can walk freely through the heritage landscape and view every significant building and monument from the outside. The public-facing heritage buildings, the Tuanku Fauziah Museum and Art Gallery, the Galeri Adiwarna and the Archaeology Gallery, are open to visitors free of charge. Inside buildings that also house offices, residences and laboratories, access follows operating hours, office functions and security requirements, and permission from the responsible centre is needed to enter working areas.

Landmarks of the Minden campus

Other former residences, guest houses, galleries, schools and recreational facilities, including the swimming pool, its changing room and the Target Theatre, complete the historic landscape of the campus. Locations are mapped by zone on the interactive heritage map.

Visitor information: how to visit

The table below sets out the access arrangements for the heritage buildings that visitors are most likely to enter. For all other buildings, visitors can view the exterior and surroundings freely, as set out in the guidance that follows.

Public guidance

• Use the interactive heritage map first. Buildings are grouped in Zones A, B, C, D, E and H, and selecting a map symbol shows the building’s name, photograph and location.
• Walking through the heritage landscape and viewing the buildings, monuments and the Water Tower from the outside is free and does not need booking.
• Entering working areas such as offices, residences, laboratories and stores follows the operating hours and security requirements of the occupant, and needs permission from the responsible school or centre.
• Group visits to the Archaeology Gallery are arranged in advance with CGAR, and visits to the Marine Invertebrate Museum and related collections are booked through the Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (see section 03).

Heritage map zones

USM provides public access to libraries, including books and publications, with automatic free access for the public to its library reading spaces, a free online catalogue and public membership for borrowing. Anyone can walk into the library reading spaces and read the books and publications on their shelves without registering or paying, and the KRISALIS Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) lets anyone search the collections online at no cost.

Free reading spaces

The reading spaces are designed for different readers. Taman Cerita (Story Garden) is a children’s reading space with picture books, low tables and stools, and board games. Taman Minda (Mind Garden) is a quiet reading nook beside the shelves of art catalogues, magazines and books of the art collection. These spaces carry the library’s books and publications to the public directly, and are open to visitors during library hours.

Online catalogue and public membership

KRISALIS OPAC gives free online access to search and locate books, theses, reference materials and other resources held across USM libraries. For borrowing and fuller use, members of the public may register as public members; registered public members use the open-shelf collection, magazines, newspapers, microforms and media materials, and may borrow four books for two weeks. Library services are provided at the Main, Health and Engineering campuses and at the Pusat Kanser Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, according to each library’s operating hours.

Library opening hours

Hours are published by the USM Library for each branch and change during semester breaks and public holidays. The table gives the hours published on the USM Library website (hours page last modified 1 October 2026) for the libraries at the Main Campus and the other campuses.

Enquiries about public access and public membership can be made at the Hamzah Sendut Library help desk, telephone +604-653 3720.

USM provides free public access to museums, exhibition spaces and galleries, including works of art and artefacts, across its schools and research centres. They bring together fine art, ethnography, archaeology and marine biodiversity, and they are open to the public and to the university community alike. The Tuanku Fauziah Museum and Art Gallery, the Galeri Adiwarna and the Archaeology Gallery all offer free access to the public.

Visitor information: museums and galleries

Guided by its “University in a Garden” concept, USM provides permanent free access to open spaces and green spaces across its campus. Gardens, tree-lined avenues, lakes and outdoor communal areas are open to the public and the university community for nature appreciation, recreation, informal learning and social interaction. They provide shade, reduce local heat, absorb rainwater and support campus biodiversity. Organised group activities and events may need prior approval.

Open spaces and green spaces

Access conditions

Free ordinary access to these spaces is permanent. It is available to the public and the USM community alike. Organised activities, events and group use may need prior arrangement or approval.

The interactive map shows 26 campus locations that are open to the public, 12 green-space points and 14 open-space points. Together these spaces show how USM’s landscape serves the wider community as well as the university.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) measures and sets targets for more sustainable commuting through the Mobility section of the USM Sustainability Action Plan 2021–2025 (pages 34 to 39). The plan aims to promote healthy living through sustainable mobility, to support walking, cycling and other lower-carbon ways of travelling, and to make campus roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. It sets short-term, medium-term and long-term targets for walking, cycling, work from home, electric and autonomous vehicles, and for reducing motor vehicle use.

Policy commitment

The commitment sits in USM’s overarching policy. The USM Sustainability Policy 2014 (Revised 2025), Section 7.3.4 (page 9), commits the university to promote zero waste, zero emission, green and renewable energies in campus development, and Section 7.3.5 commits it to minimise emission, pollution and wastage in university services. The Action Plan (page 21, Energy focus area) lists sustainable mobility initiatives, including hybrid and electric vehicle adoption, improved pedestrian pathways and campus shuttle services, among its practical actions.

Published commuting targets

The plan’s summary of targets (p. XI) also lists a 50% reduction in motor vehicles on campus, a 50% increase in rental and refurbished bicycles, 30% shaded pathways and 30% of staff working remotely by 2023, and vehicle control through traffic control systems by 2025.

How progress is measured

• Vehicle registration data, campus mobility surveys and participation tracking in BikeCommute@USM, Dr. Bike and Car-Free Campus Days, which give data on travel modes and participation trends.
• Perception surveys before the car- and motorcycle-free day and the work-from-home timetable, to gauge readiness and take-up.
• Participation and usage counts against each target, such as the share of the university population taking part in walking and cycling activities and the number of rental and refurbished bicycles.
• An audit of pedestrian pathways and potential cycling lanes to measure shaded-pathway coverage and signage.
• Analysis of carbon emission reductions from fewer private vehicle entries and bypass vehicles.
• Spatial analysis with simulation, modelling and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify pedestrian and walking zones.

USM promotes sustainable commuting through campaigns, student-led activities, public engagement and support for electric mobility, backed by walking, cycling, campus bus and public transport facilities on and around the campus.

Programmes reported in 2025

Campus bus services

USM operates its own campus bus service, which includes two electric (EV) buses that run daily, and is connected to the Rapid Penang public bus network. Buses let students and staff travel between residential colleges, lecture halls, libraries and the mosque without a private vehicle.

Electric and shared mobility

USM also supports electric and shared ways of travelling on the Main Campus, including options that users with disabilities can use:

Facilities and services that support sustainable commuting

USM promotes and allows telecommuting and remote working for employees as a matter of policy and standard practice, which reduces the need for staff to commute. The policy basis is the national Public Service Human Resource Circular (Pekeliling Perkhidmatan Sumber Manusia, PPSM) Waktu Bekerja Version 1.0 (2024), Section SR.4.1.2, the Work-From-Home Policy (Dasar Bekerja Dari Rumah), which USM adopts. The section begins on page 26 of the circular and took effect on 1 December 2024.

What the policy provides

How USM puts it into practice

The USM Sustainability Action Plan 2021–2025 (Strategy 2.1, p. 37) also sets a target for 30% of staff to maintain work from home, as shown in section 01.

At USM, walking is part of everyday campus life. Guided by the University in a Garden philosophy, the university prioritises pedestrian access as a practical, healthy and environmentally responsible way to move between learning spaces, workplaces, residential areas and shared facilities.

Pedestrian priority in campus planning

The USM Sustainability Action Plan 2021–2025 builds pedestrian priority into its mobility strategies:

• Pedestrian and walking zones (Strategy 3.2, p. 39). The plan identifies pedestrian and walking zones through spatial analysis, including simulation, modelling and GIS, and identifies traffic circulation that supports car-free days.
• Pathways (Strategy 2.2, p. 37). The plan audits pedestrian pathways and potential cycling lanes and expands shaded pathways, with 30% shaded pathways as the short-term target.
• Pedestrian days (Strategy 1.4, p. 36). Bike and pedestrian days replace motor vehicle trips, with targets to increase walking during office hours.
• Car- and motorcycle-free days (Strategy 1.3, p. 36). A monthly car- and motorcycle-free day or hour gives priority to people on foot.

The targets for these strategies are listed in section 01. Walking routes connect with campus destinations, shuttle services and public transport, so a journey can combine walking with other transport options.

Covered walkways and pedestrian infrastructure

Pedestrian routes link key academic, residential and administrative zones on all campuses. Covered walkways give shelter from sun and rain, and the walkways include tactile guiding paving for visually impaired users. Traffic management measures restrict motor vehicle access in high foot-traffic areas, and the plan sets a long-term target of 100% awareness of traffic and safety rules (Strategy 3.1, p. 39).

Engineering Campus covered walkway network

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) provides affordable housing for employees. The Housing and Accommodation Centre (HAC, Pusat Perumahan dan Penginapan Universiti) coordinates university-managed staff housing, on-campus residential quarters for designated personnel and temporary accommodation for academic staff, at rents published by the university. This section sets out the three elements THE Sustainability Impact Ratings assess under the existence of affordable housing: evaluating affordability, providing housing directly and providing financial support.

Evaluating affordability

USM evaluates the affordability of staff housing by publishing the monthly rent of each housing type and comparing it with national household income. Published rents for staff housing range from RM200 to RM350 per month at the Health Campus, and from RM350 to RM450 per month for temporary accommodation for academic staff. For reference, the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) Household Income Survey 2024 reports a national median monthly household income of RM7,017 and a Pulau Pinang median of RM7,386. Against the national median, a monthly rent of RM200 to RM350 equals about 2.9% to 5.0% of household income.

The comparison uses the national median household income published by DOSM. It is shown to evaluate affordability against a national benchmark and is not a statement of any individual employee’s income. Source: DOSM, Household Income Survey Report, Malaysia and States, 2024 (released 8 October 2025). For comparison, a house for rent outside the university is advertised at about RM2,200 per month in the private rental market.

Providing housing directly

USM provides housing directly through university-owned accommodation that eligible employees rent from the university.

Health Campus staff housing

The official staff housing information lists 110 residential units at the Health Campus. These published figures do not establish current occupancy or availability.

Source: USM Health Campus staff housing.

On-campus housing for designated personnel

A USM staff vacancy announcement dated March 2025 specified an on-campus residence for appointed assistant residential college wardens at RM200 monthly rent, together with an RM300 monthly allowance and specified utility support. Source: 2025 USM staff appointment announcement (PDF).

Temporary accommodation for academic staff

Electricity charges are excluded from the published rental rates. Source: USM staff housing services.

Providing financial support

USM supports employees’ housing costs financially in the following ways.

Employees can obtain current rates, eligibility and application procedures from the HAC.

Housing and Accommodation Centre

The Housing and Accommodation Centre coordinates accommodation services for students and staff. Address: Aras 1, Bangunan H23, Kompleks Cahaya Siswa, Bahagian Hal Ehwal Pembangunan Pelajar & Alumni, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 USM, Pulau Pinang. Telephone: 604-653 4459 / 4456.

USM provides affordable housing for students through its residential colleges, known as Desasiswa, on the Main Campus in Penang, the Engineering Campus in Nibong Tebal and the Health Campus in Kelantan. The Housing and Accommodation Centre (HAC), under the Division of Student Development and Alumni Affairs, publishes the room types and rates. This section sets out the three elements assessed under the existence of affordable housing: evaluating affordability, providing housing directly and providing financial support.

Evaluating affordability

USM evaluates the affordability of student housing by publishing a fixed daily and per-semester rate for each room type, and by charging students a rate well below the rate for non-students. The Main Campus Desasiswa pages publish RM5 per day for a twin-sharing room and RM6 per day for a single room, which is RM675 and RM810 per semester. At the Engineering Campus, the HAC publishes a postgraduate rate of RM5 per day for a double room and RM6 per day for a single room, against a non-student rate of RM20 per day for a double room and RM40 per day for a single room. The student rate is therefore 25% of the non-student rate for a double room and 15% for a single room. For comparison, a room for rent in the private market near the Main Campus is advertised at about RM690 per month. At the Desasiswa rate of RM5 per day, a 30-day month costs RM150.

Sources: Desasiswa Aman Damai, Desasiswa Cahaya Gemilang Harapan and Engineering Campus HAC, FAQ. The Engineering Campus FAQ lists the female postgraduate single-room rate of RM6 and the male double-room rate of RM5. Fees appear on the student’s ePayment portal.

Providing housing directly

USM provides housing directly through university-owned and university-managed residential colleges. All registered USM students are eligible to seek accommodation, subject to the availability of rooms. First-year undergraduate students at the Engineering Campus are placed automatically in Desasiswa, and postgraduate students can stay for their entire period of study. Undergraduate accommodation is offered on an annual basis.

Accessible accommodation

The HAC lists a special accommodation Desasiswa: Aman Damai caters to students with special abilities (PKU). The Division of Student Development and Alumni Affairs (BHEPA) engaged students with disabilities in May 2025, and the report is available at BHEPA, student engagement with students with disabilities.

Providing financial support

USM supports students who face financial difficulty through the SULUNG 3.0 Student Development Programme, the Student Welfare Fund and the USM Zakat Fund. In September 2024 the Vice-Chancellor announced that incoming students from low-income families could register at USM without payment through SULUNG 3.0 and pay their fees in instalments. Hostel rent is paid through the USM ePayment portal. New Straits Times, 19 September 2024. USM also channels eKASIH assistance to students: the USM Health Campus news report “21 pelajar terima manfaat program bantuan eKASIH”, reported from USM Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, on 16 January 2025, is available at USM Health Campus news.

Accommodation information and student services

Students can obtain guidance on services and placement from the HAC. At the Engineering Campus, the HAC office opens Monday to Friday, 8.10 a.m. to 5.10 p.m., excluding public holidays. Main Campus HAC telephone: 604-653 4459 / 4456. Hostel rental payment guide (May 2025): USM ePayment hostel rental payment guide (PDF).

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) promotes responsible land use by prioritising the refurbishment, adaptation and reuse of previously developed sites wherever practicable. This is especially important at its established Main Campus in Penang, where academic facilities, residences and infrastructure share limited space with valuable landscaped areas. Reusing existing buildings can accommodate changing university needs while reducing pressure to develop green spaces.

In line with the THE Sustainability Impact Rating definition, a brownfield site is previously developed land or a building that is currently underused or unused. USM applies this to existing buildings whose original function has ended, as the project below shows.

USM’s wider campus network, including the Engineering Campus in Nibong Tebal, the Health Campus in Kelantan and the Advanced Medical and Dental Institute in Bertam, provides different settings for future infrastructure planning. Development at every location must consider its existing land use, operational requirements and environmental safeguards.

The USM Energy Policy (Revised 2025) requires energy-efficiency considerations in renovations as well as in new buildings. Together with USM’s commitment to responsible land management, this supports a practical approach to campus development: assess the potential of existing facilities first, adapt spaces to changing functions, and preserve green areas where possible.

The main brownfield project is the conversion of the former Matriculation Centre, Building No. 88 (map code D33), into the Graduate School of Business. The building is previously developed land with a long history of use. It was first used as a male student hostel, was then adapted for School of Chemical Sciences use, and later served as USM’s Matriculation Centre. From May 2000, the implementation of the Matriculation Science Programme was taken over by the Ministry of Education, and the building’s role as the Matriculation Centre ended. USM has refurbished the existing building for a new academic purpose instead of building on undeveloped land, and no new land was cleared for the Graduate School of Business.

The photographs below show the existing building during refurbishment and after its conversion. The refurbishment kept the original building, so no land was cleared, and gave it a new use as the home of the Graduate School of Business.

Brownfield reuse is also how USM meets everyday space needs. Official USM procurement notices issued in 2025 show that the university continued to plan improvements within existing Main Campus buildings rather than on new sites.

These proposals reflect an approach to meeting institutional needs through existing developed sites: to assess the potential of existing facilities first, adapt them to changing functions and preserve green areas where possible.