Teaching, Learning & Research

USM’s Institutional Commitment to Meaningful Education for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) demonstrates its institutional commitment to providing meaningful education around the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the university, relevant and applicable to all students through the systematic integration of sustainable development across the full curriculum, including academic curriculum planning, course documentation and quality assurance processes.

Recognising that sustainable development is a shared responsibility across all fields of knowledge, USM promotes an educational approach in which sustainability is not confined to specialised programmes or individual disciplines. Instead, SDG considerations are incorporated into the university's formal academic curriculum framework, enabling students to understand sustainable development challenges within their respective fields of study.

This commitment is implemented through the Course Offering Form (Borang Penawaran Kursus, BPK), which provides an institutional mechanism for documenting SDG integration across academic courses.

1. University-Wide Integration of SDGs Through the Course Offering Form (BPK)

A central component of USM's institutional commitment is the integration of the SDGs into formal academic course documentation through the Course Offering Form (BPK).

The BPK serves as an academic planning document outlining course objectives, Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs), Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs), teaching and learning methods, assessment approaches and curriculum content.

Importantly, the BPK includes a dedicated section entitled “Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Keywords”, supported by a reference framework covering all 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Under USM's institutional curriculum requirements, lecturers are required to identify and document the SDGs relevant to their respective courses. This requirement encourages academic staff to establish connections between course content, learning outcomes and sustainable development priorities.

Rather than applying an identical sustainability curriculum to every discipline, the BPK framework allows SDG integration to reflect the academic context and learning objectives of individual courses. Sustainability considerations may therefore address environmental protection, social well-being, economic development, equality, responsible resource management or other relevant SDG themes.

Through this structured approach, USM promotes meaningful education for the SDGs across the full curriculum, ensuring that sustainability considerations are incorporated into formal academic planning rather than relying exclusively on voluntary educational activities.

2. Institutional Academic Quality Assurance and Curriculum Endorsement

USM strengthens the implementation of SDG education through institutional academic quality assurance processes involving the University Academic Quality Centre.

The centre reviews and endorses BPK documentation to ensure that courses meet the university's academic curriculum requirements, including the identification and integration of relevant SDGs.

As part of this process, lecturers are expected to demonstrate how SDG considerations are reflected within their course documentation. Where a BPK does not adequately address relevant SDGs, the lecturer is required to revise the document and resubmit it for review.

This mandatory review-and-revision mechanism reinforces USM's institutional commitment to meaningful SDG education. It establishes accountability within curriculum development and ensures that academic staff consider sustainable development when planning and documenting their courses.

The process also supports consistency across academic disciplines while allowing flexibility in how sustainability-related knowledge and competencies are incorporated into teaching and learning.

By integrating SDG considerations into established academic governance procedures, USM promotes continuous improvement in sustainability education beyond individual teaching initiatives.

3. Integration with Academic Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Development

USM's approach to SDG education is further supported by the BPK structure, which connects course content with formal academic learning outcomes and assessment requirements.

The BPK documents the relationship between Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) and Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs), alongside teaching activities and assessment methods. Its dedicated SDG keyword-mapping section complements these components by providing a common reference for identifying sustainable development themes relevant to course content.

This structure enables lecturers to consider how sustainability-related knowledge, skills and values contribute to the educational objectives of their courses and programmes.

Through discipline-specific integration, students can develop an understanding of how their academic knowledge relates to environmental, social and economic challenges.

This approach is particularly relevant to a comprehensive university such as USM, where students pursue studies across diverse academic fields. Meaningful sustainability education requires the SDGs to be connected to disciplinary knowledge and professional responsibilities rather than presented solely as general concepts.

By incorporating SDG considerations into curriculum documentation, USM supports the development of graduates equipped to recognise sustainability challenges and apply relevant knowledge in their professional and societal roles.

4. Alignment with National Higher Education Quality Assurance

USM's BPK framework also supports academic quality assurance and programme accreditation documentation.

The BPK incorporates academic components aligned with the Malaysian Qualifications Framework (MQF), including the mapping of Course Learning Outcomes and Programme Learning Outcomes against relevant learning outcome requirements.

The Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) oversees national quality assurance and accreditation processes for higher education programmes. USM prepares BPK documentation as part of its programme accreditation and academic quality assurance arrangements.

By incorporating SDG-related information into this established documentation framework, USM connects its institutional sustainability education commitment with formal curriculum planning and academic quality assurance.

The inclusion of SDG keywords within the BPK reflects USM's own institutional approach to sustainability integration, while MQF and MQA provide the broader national framework for academic quality and programme accreditation.

5. Sustaining Meaningful Education for the SDGs Across the University

USM's institutional commitment to meaningful SDG education is reflected in its integration of sustainability considerations into course documentation, curriculum review and academic quality assurance.

The BPK provides a common university-wide framework for identifying SDG relevance, while the requirement for lecturers to document relevant SDGs supports the incorporation of sustainability perspectives across academic disciplines.

The academic review and revision process further strengthens this commitment by establishing institutional oversight and accountability within curriculum planning.

Together, these mechanisms demonstrate USM's approach to making sustainability education a continuing institutional responsibility rather than an isolated initiative.

Through its academic curriculum and quality assurance framework, Universiti Sains Malaysia reaffirms its commitment to providing meaningful education around the SDGs across the university, relevant and applicable to all students, nurturing graduates equipped to contribute to sustainable development at local, national and global levels.

USM Advances Education for the SDGs Through Dedicated Sustainability Degree Programmes, Elective Courses and a Minor

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) demonstrates its commitment to Education for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the provision of dedicated courses, including full degree programmes and elective courses, that address sustainability and the SDGs. These are specific, catalogued academic offerings, including a full degree and electives that are not intended for all students at the university, and they complement the university-wide integration of the SDGs described above. They provide students with opportunities to develop specialised knowledge, interdisciplinary perspectives and practical competencies for addressing environmental, social and economic sustainability challenges.

USM's approach combines postgraduate education focused on sustainable development with specialised sustainability-related courses embedded within broader academic programmes. Complementing these offerings, elective courses provide undergraduate students with opportunities to explore sustainability beyond their principal fields of study.

1. Master in Sustainable Development Practice (MSDP)

The Master in Sustainable Development Practice (MSDP) is a dedicated interdisciplinary postgraduate degree programme designed to prepare graduates to understand and address complex sustainable development challenges.

The programme integrates four interconnected disciplines: health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences and management sciences. This multidisciplinary structure enables students to examine sustainability issues from different perspectives and develop solutions that consider environmental protection, social well-being, economic development and institutional governance.

The MSDP is offered by the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) and has been offered by USM in Kuala Lumpur since September 2014. It is part of a global network of 31 universities on six continents, and it consists of two years of coursework totalling 44 units (38 core and 6 elective), with a minimum of four semesters of study for full-time students.

The MSDP combines academic coursework with cross-sectoral field training, allowing students to connect theoretical knowledge with practical sustainable development challenges.

A distinctive component is Global Classroom: Foundations of Sustainable Development Practice, which facilitates international academic engagement through collaborative assignments, shared learning experiences and discussions with sustainability experts from different countries. Students around the world receive the same readings and join weekly live, on-camera sessions with global experts.

Through its interdisciplinary curriculum and international learning opportunities, the programme equips graduates with knowledge and competencies relevant to the SDGs, particularly poverty reduction, health and well-being, environmental sustainability and partnerships for sustainable development.

2. Master of Science (Tourism Development) – School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP)

The Master of Science (Tourism Development), offered by USM's School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP), incorporates sustainability education through its formal postgraduate curriculum, particularly in sustainable tourism planning and development.

The programme includes a dedicated course, RTK 534 – Sustainable Tourism Development (3 units), offered in Semester 2. This course provides a specific academic pathway for examining sustainability within the tourism sector.

The programme's curriculum also includes complementary courses such as:

Together, these courses provide a multidisciplinary foundation for understanding tourism development, policy, infrastructure and economic considerations, alongside the dedicated study of sustainable tourism.

The synopsis of RTK 534 aims to give students an understanding of the principles, concepts and approaches of sustainable tourism, and to build critical thinking and analysis of current trends, including culture and heritage tourism, community-based tourism, rural tourism and ecotourism.

The inclusion of RTK 534 demonstrates how sustainability is addressed through a specific, formally structured postgraduate course within a wider academic degree programme.

Sustainable tourism development is particularly relevant to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), reflecting the importance of responsible tourism practices, community development and sustainable resource management.

Through this academic offering, USM provides opportunities for postgraduate students to engage with sustainability issues within the tourism sector.

3. WSU 101 – Sustainability: Issues, Challenges and Prospects (Elective Course)

USM also offers WSU 101 – Sustainability: Issues, Challenges and Prospects, a dedicated elective course developed and taught by the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) and offered through the USM Co-Curriculum Centre.

As an elective, WSU 101 provides undergraduate students with an opportunity to study sustainability and sustainable development beyond their main academic specialisations.

The course introduces sustainability concepts and examines global environmental, social and economic challenges through international case studies and examples of sustainability initiatives.

Its learning approach includes group projects through which students demonstrate their understanding of sustainable development principles and explore their practical applications.

WSU 101 also exposes students to developments in sustainability studies and encourages the development of knowledge and skills relevant to sustainability-oriented initiatives.

By providing a dedicated sustainability elective, USM broadens opportunities for undergraduate students from different disciplines to engage with education for the SDGs within their university learning experience.

4. Minor in Sustainability

USM also offers a Minor in Sustainability, a package of courses offered by the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) since the 2015/2016 academic session. The minor is open to second- and third-year undergraduates from various USM disciplines and aims to help students identify, understand and promote sustainable development initiatives in higher education. The package amounts to 20 units or more, with three compulsory courses: WSU 101 Sustainability: Issues, Challenges and Prospects, HGG 250 Society, Space and Environment, and IEK 115 Environmental, Safety and Health Legislation. Elective courses are selected according to the University’s current sustainability needs.

5. Strengthening Education for the SDGs Through Dedicated Academic Offerings

USM's sustainability-focused academic offerings demonstrate the university's provision of dedicated courses, full degrees and electives that address sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Master in Sustainable Development Practice provides a specialised postgraduate pathway centred on sustainable development. The Master of Science (Tourism Development) incorporates a dedicated course on Sustainable Tourism Development, while WSU 101 and the Minor in Sustainability offer elective and minor pathways for undergraduate students to explore sustainability issues and challenges.

Together, these offerings provide distinct opportunities for students to engage with sustainability through full-degree specialisation, discipline-specific coursework and elective learning.

Through these dedicated academic pathways, Universiti Sains Malaysia strengthens its commitment to developing graduates equipped with the knowledge, interdisciplinary understanding and practical competencies needed to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Lifelong Learning Resources

Universiti Sains Malaysia is dedicated to fostering lifelong learning by making educational resources freely accessible to the public, extending its impact beyond enrolled students and supporting the local community’s educational needs. USM’s commitment to broadening educational access is founded on its core principles of “Quality Education,” “Sustainability,” “Accessibility,” and “Learning for Life.” This dedication manifests in multiple offerings designed to reach a diverse audience and nurture a culture of continuous learning.

This initiative demonstrates USM’s alignment with the principle of providing free access to educational resources for those not studying at the university.

USM provides this access in three ways: free courses leading to a certificate or award, free access to campus facilities and equipment, and free access to online resources.

1. Free Courses Leading to Certificates or Awards

USM offers a range of free online courses through MOOC@USM, open to the public, including people who are not studying at USM, and covering academic, professional, and general interest topics. Participants can earn certificates, supporting both skill enhancement and professional development. This initiative transforms traditional classroom learning into an open platform, making quality education accessible to all.

2. Free Access to Campus Facilities and Equipment

To support the broader community, including those not studying at USM, USM provides free access to on-campus facilities, including Wi-Fi, computer labs, and specialized equipment. Among these, the USM–SanDisk Centre of Innovation and Automation Lab (CiA Lab) stands as a model of industry-academic collaboration. Established through a partnership between USM and SanDisk Corporation, the facility is fully funded by SanDisk and serves as a hub for student apprenticeships, hands-on industrial training, and professional attachment programmes. The CiA Lab demonstrates USM’s commitment to providing inclusive, real-world learning environments that benefit both students and the wider community.

3. Free Access to Online Resources

USM’s library offers free access to its extensive collection of physical and digital resources through the Krisalis Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC), available both on-site and remotely through the library’s official website. The library’s resources include books, journals, and research databases, providing community members who are not studying at USM with the tools to pursue independent learning and remain informed across various fields.

Through these accessible resources, USM promotes an inclusive educational environment, empowering individuals to continue their learning journeys at every stage of life. This holistic approach aligns with USM’s mission to create a knowledge-based society that values education and lifelong learning.

Access & Admission

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) implements a targeted admission strategy to enhance access to higher education for students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. The strategy sets a bottom financial quintile admission target: a target to admit students who fall into the bottom 20% of the household income group in Malaysia, a more tightly defined group within the national bottom 40% (B40) category.

This commitment is supported by the USM Inclusive Education Policy for Marginalized Students 2025, particularly Section 6.1, which provides for targeted admission strategies and inclusive institutional practices for marginalized, underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. In alignment with the Malaysia Education Blueprint (Higher Education) 2015–2025, USM promotes equitable access and social mobility by addressing financial barriers to university entry.

Siswa SULUNG supporting university entry

The Siswa SULUNG programme 2025 supported university entry for 280 first-generation students from B40 families, with an allocation of RM2.8 million. The programme provides fee exemptions that reduce financial barriers to taking up university offers and pursuing undergraduate education.

Through targeted admission measures, the Siswa SULUNG programme and financial assistance at the point of entry, USM expands opportunities for financially disadvantaged students to access higher education and advance their social and economic prospects.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) provides schemes to support poor students from low or lower-middle income countries, reducing tuition and research-related barriers to postgraduate education. Administered by the Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS), the support extends to international students from low-income and lower-middle-income countries, as classified by the World Bank. The schemes are the USMCARE Scholarship, the Graduate Horizon Scholarship (GHS) and the Postgraduate Research Attachment (PGRA) scheme, and they are open to Malaysian students and to international students from the specified country income groups.

USMCARE Scholarship: continuing tuition support

The USMCARE Scholarship covers tuition fees for eligible registered full-time, research-mode PhD students for a maximum of 36 months, subject to renewal each semester based on satisfactory research progress. Tuition coverage reduces recipients’ financial obligations, helping them maintain enrolment and continue their doctoral research. Applicants must meet the stipulated academic and publication requirements. The scholarship does not provide a living allowance.

Graduate Horizon Scholarship: research attachment funding

The Graduate Horizon Scholarship provides up to RM5,000 for research attachments lasting one to three months. It supports eligible active, full-time research-mode master’s and PhD students undertaking research at a collaborating institution with an active agreement with USM. Eligible hosts include universities ranked within the QS World University Rankings Top 100 or overseas multinational industry partners. The assistance helps recipients access specialised facilities, resources and expertise that strengthen their ongoing research while reducing the costs they would otherwise have to finance independently. Applicants must provide an official invitation from the host institution. Recipients must produce an indexed journal publication co-authored with the host researcher within one year of completing the attachment.

Postgraduate Research Attachment: support for research progress

The PGRA scheme provides up to RM4,000 for research attachments lasting one to three months. Eligible applicants are registered research-mode master’s or PhD students with good research progress. Attachments take place at universities or research institutions with an active memorandum of understanding or agreement with USM. Funding helps recipients undertake research activities and access resources and expertise needed to advance their studies. Applicants must submit an official invitation from the host institution. Recipients must produce an indexed journal publication co-authored with the host researcher within one year of completing the attachment.

Through these complementary schemes, USM reduces educational costs that can hinder postgraduate progress, helping recipients sustain their studies, advance their research and work towards completing their qualifications.

Student Support

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) provides support for students from low-income families to enable them to complete university. This support includes financial assistance, free food and affordable meals, and addresses essential living and educational expenses so that students remain enrolled and work towards completing their university education.

Direct financial assistance

On 11 April 2025, USM facilitated the distribution of RM122,000 in alumni-funded zakat assistance to 302 students from low-income B40 households, including first-generation students, orphans and eligible asnaf recipients. Coordinated through the Division of Student Development Affairs and Alumni (BHEPA), the initiative mobilised alumni contributions to help students meet their educational and essential living expenses.

Free food and food bank support

At the School of Health Sciences, HELP@PPSK provides food and drinks free of charge through Almari HELP. Students can collect supplies directly from the food cupboard, which is replenished through contributions.

At the School of Medical Sciences, the B40 Student Food Bank supports medical students facing financial difficulties. On 15 December 2025, the school received RM4,700 from three contributors to sustain this food assistance initiative. USM also expanded its Food Bank services in 2025 to include additional daily necessities for students experiencing financial hardship.

Dapur Siswa at the Engineering Campus

On 3 October 2025, USM launched Dapur Siswa @ Engineering Campus, led by BHEPA, to support students from B40 households, asnaf groups and other disadvantaged backgrounds. The initiative introduced ready-to-eat retort meals to improve access to nutritious staple food and was expected, at its launch, to benefit at least 200 students. Dapur Siswa improves access to affordable meals, while the campus Food Bank helps students obtain essential food supplies. Student representatives support these initiatives by communicating welfare needs and feedback to the university administration.

Affordable meals and access to welfare assistance

In July 2025, USM expanded Menu Rahmah to all residential college cafeterias, offering quality meals at affordable prices, particularly for students from B40 households. This provision complements the University’s free food and charitable financial assistance. Students requiring urgent support can approach BHEPA’s Student Welfare and Persons with Disabilities Unit, while the Zakat, Waqf and Infaq Office (ZAWAIN) provides targeted financial assistance.

Together, these services provide practical support for students from low-income families whose financial circumstances could otherwise interrupt their studies.

As part of its commitment to students in the bottom financial quintile, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) implements the Siswa SULUNG programme (Sustained Support towards Graduation), a programme to assist students from families experiencing poverty to overcome financial and academic barriers and successfully complete their studies. The programme combines fee exemptions throughout the period of study with mentoring, academic guidance and personal development.

Targeted support for students experiencing poverty

Applications are open to first-generation students from B40 households. For the 2025 selection, the Division of Student Development Affairs and Alumni (BHEPA) identified recipients from poor families who were the first in their families to enter university. This approach considers both financial disadvantage and first-generation status when selecting students for support. Recipients must meet the programme’s funding eligibility requirements, including conditions concerning full scholarships and sponsorship from other providers, such as JPA and MARA.

Financial support throughout undergraduate study

Covered fees include:

• Registration fees;
• Tuition fees;
• Student welfare fees;
• Health fees; and
• Convocation fees.

The exemptions cover recurring and one-off university fees within the programme’s scope. Residential college fees remain the responsibility of students, and the programme does not provide a monthly living allowance.

Coordinated academic and personal development support

Siswa SULUNG complements financial assistance with mentoring, support from academic fellows, leadership training, personal development activities and engagement with the SULUNG community. Through the Modul Pembangunan Insaniah Siswa Sulung, students receive guidance to strengthen their confidence, resilience and capacity to manage university life. Academic fellows and mentors help students navigate academic requirements and challenges during their studies. USM also provides accessible facilities and emotional support for participants with disabilities, recognising that financial hardship may intersect with additional barriers to participation and academic progress.

By combining financial support throughout undergraduate study with academic and personal guidance, Siswa SULUNG provides a continuous, targeted and coordinated approach to helping students from poor families remain engaged in their education and progress towards graduation.

References

• Bernama, 20 September 2025. “USM Peruntuk RM2.8 Juta Bagi Bantuan Pendidikan Siswa Sulung Tahun Ini.”
• RTM, 17 October 2025. “SULUNG USM, bantu pelajar generasi pertama keluarga B40 capai kejayaan.” Open the RTM report.
• Ihsan MADANI. “Program SULUNG.” Open the programme page.

Gender Equality

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) systematically measures and tracks women’s application rate, and acceptance or entry rate. The University keeps its student data by gender for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, full-time and part-time, as required by the Gender Equality Policy (Section 3.7 and Action 7.1.1), which calls for consistent gender-disaggregated data for every academic programme. This gives USM a basis for monitoring women’s access to higher education and for identifying programmes in which one gender is under-represented.

The tracking shows that female students make up the majority of USM’s student population. Female students accounted for 61.2% of all students in 2023, 60.8% in 2024 and 61.2% in 2025, across undergraduate and postgraduate and full-time and part-time study.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has established a clear bottom financial quintile student success focus to ensure that students from the bottom 20% of the household income group in the country, or a more tightly defined target, are able to successfully complete their studies. USM identifies this group within the national B40 category and explicitly links its student-success strategy to improving Graduation on Time (GOT) outcomes for financially disadvantaged students. This directly addresses the requirement for graduation/completion targets for students who fall into the bottom 20% of household income group.

USM's approach goes beyond admission. Between 2020 and 2024, the University implemented targeted financial assistance, academic counselling and dedicated learning resources to reduce financial and academic barriers that could delay or prevent completion. USM also monitors the academic performance and completion trends of low-income students, enabling the University to assess whether students admitted from financially disadvantaged backgrounds are progressing towards timely graduation.

The available outcome data demonstrates substantial improvement in the Graduation on Time (GOT) rate of B40 students. USM reports that 63.7% of B40 students graduated on time in 2020, while the rate increased progressively to 87% in 2024. This represents an improvement of 23.3 percentage points, equivalent to approximately 36.6% relative growth in the proportion graduating on time compared with 2020.

For 2023, USM reports a particularly useful completion statistic: 2,895 low-income students graduated, of whom 2,197 completed their studies on time. This means approximately 75.9% of the reported low-income graduates achieved timely completion in 2023. The figure provides direct evidence that USM was monitoring completion outcomes for economically disadvantaged students rather than relying solely on access or admission statistics.

USM Bottom Financial Quintile Student Success Statistics

The progression from 63.7% GOT in 2020 to 87% in 2024 demonstrates sustained improvement in student success among the targeted low-income group. The 2023 figure further shows the scale of students reaching completion, with 2,895 low-income students graduating and 2,197 completing on time. USM therefore demonstrates both a graduation/completion target and measurable evidence of progress towards that target.

The University's support mechanisms are also designed to address the practical circumstances that can affect completion. USM reports structured financial assistance through the Sponsored Unit, Welfare and Health Fund under the Student Development Affairs and Alumni Division (BHEPA), while the Student Financial Management Unit under the Bursary Department manages university loans, short-term assistance, zakat distribution and fellowship disbursement. At faculty/school level, targeted welfare funding is also available for low-income students. These mechanisms support the University's objective of ensuring that financial hardship does not interrupt students' academic progression.

USM's 2025 public reporting also shows that the University's equity approach continued to be actively implemented. Its Empowering Student Success Through Equity reporting specifically identifies the bottom 20% household-income group and states that USM monitors completion trends for this population. The 2025 institutional framework therefore connects the target, support mechanisms, monitoring and measurable completion outcomes, rather than treating the bottom financial quintile solely as an admissions category.

Taken together, USM's evidence demonstrates a sustained commitment to bottom financial quintile student success: students from economically disadvantaged households are targeted for access, supported throughout their studies and monitored through graduation outcomes. The increase in B40 Graduation on Time from 63.7% in 2020 to 87% in 2024, together with the 2,197 on-time completions among 2,895 low-income graduates in 2023, provides measurable evidence of progress towards ensuring that socioeconomic disadvantage does not prevent students from successfully completing higher education.

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has measurement and tracking of women’s likelihood of graduating compared with men’s. Through its Centre for Research on Women and Gender (KANITA), USM publishes gender-disaggregated student statistics covering student participation and graduation outcomes, and it records the number of male and female graduates each year at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

In 2025 USM recorded 9,406 graduates, of whom 5,809 were women and 3,597 were men. Women made up 63.4% of undergraduate graduates and 59.9% of postgraduate graduates.

Set against the number of enrolled students of each gender, women’s graduation level was higher than men’s in each of the three years. In 2025 there were 29.3 graduates per 100 enrolled women, against 28.6 per 100 enrolled men. The tracking therefore shows no gap that disadvantages women. USM continues to monitor graduation by gender each year, and the student-success measures described above, including targeted support for students from the bottom financial quintile, are open to all students regardless of gender.

Universiti Sains Malaysia is committed to strengthening sustainability literacy by equipping students with the knowledge, attitudes and practical competencies needed to address environmental, social and economic challenges. Recognising sustainability literacy as an essential component of education for sustainable development, USM promotes students’ understanding, retention and application of sustainability concepts through academic learning and sustainability engagement.

In both assessments, results are reported as the share of respondents who answered a knowledge question correctly, agreed or strongly agreed with an attitude statement, or reported a behaviour often or always. Attitude and practice results are self-reported. The two assessments were analysed separately and their results are not pooled. Duplicate submissions in the Post-Program Assessment (72 entries) were removed, keeping each student’s first submission, and no personal information is reported.

The knowledge dimension measures students’ understanding of sustainability principles, awareness of environmental challenges, ability to retain previously learned concepts and capacity to apply sustainability knowledge in academic and real-world contexts. It was measured through self-rated statements, scenario-based questions that require students to apply sustainability knowledge, and factual questions on sustainability concepts.

Self-rated knowledge (Post-Program Assessment, 1,013 students)

Between 79.6% and 86.3% of students agreed or strongly agreed with each knowledge statement. The highest results were for understanding the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services (86.3%), describing the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources (85.3%) and understanding the link between human activities and climate change (85.2%). 83.2% reported awareness of USM’s sustainability policies and programmes, and 83.5% could explain how sustainable development applies to their field of study. The lowest results were for familiarity with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (79.6%) and explaining the concept of sustainable development (80.8%).

Application of knowledge in real-world scenarios (Post-Program Assessment)

Students answered an average of 5.8 of the 7 scenario-based questions correctly (83.4%). 542 students (53.5%) answered all seven correctly, and 764 students (75.4%) answered at least six correctly. Between 82.8% and 86.5% of students answered six of the seven scenarios correctly. The lowest result, 73.2%, was for responding to a donation from a company known for polluting the environment.

Understanding and retention of sustainability concepts (new undergraduates, 630 students)

New undergraduates answered an average of 10.3 of the 12 knowledge questions correctly (86.0%), and 88.1% answered at least nine correctly. The highest results were for the meaning of biodiversity (97.5%), the aim of a circular economy (94.0%) and how to improve recyclate quality on campus (93.2%). The lowest result was for the order of the waste hierarchy (58.4%), followed by the action that most reduces waste (73.2%) and the focus of SDG 12 (75.7%).

The attitudes dimension evaluates students’ perceptions of sustainability, personal responsibility, concern for environmental and social challenges, and willingness to contribute to sustainable development.

Sustainability values and responsibility (Post-Program Assessment, 1,013 students)

The assessment demonstrates positive sustainability attitudes among participating students. Between 85.6% and 88.5% of students agreed or strongly agreed with each statement. 87.6% supported including sustainability in all university programmes, 87.0% felt responsible for protecting the environment, and 85.8% believed they have a role to play in promoting sustainability. 87.3% trusted that higher education institutions such as USM can influence positive change, and 88.5% believed that sustainability should be a core part of Malaysia’s national policies.

Attitudes towards campus recycling (new undergraduates, 630 students)

86.8% of new undergraduates agreed that recycling on campus makes a meaningful environmental difference, and 84.3% found using a campus recycling point convenient. 83.7% said that clear pictorial signage would make them more likely to recycle. The lowest result was for the perception that most students like them recycle on campus (73.3%).

The practices dimension examines students’ self-reported environmentally responsible behaviours, participation in sustainability initiatives and consideration of environmental impacts in everyday decision-making.

Reported practices in the previous month (new undergraduates, 630 students)

The findings indicate that 73.8% of new undergraduates often or always checked signs or instructions before choosing a bin, and 72.4% often or always brought a reusable bottle or cup. 62.5% encouraged friends or family to recycle, and 60.5% refused single-use items when a practical alternative was available. Practices requiring more effort were reported less often: 57.3% rinsed containers before recycling, 57.0% carried recyclables to a proper collection point, 56.5% separated paper, plastics and metals, and 55.9% kept small e-waste for proper drop-off.

Intended practices (Post-Program Assessment, 1,013 students)

Between 85.7% and 88.1% of students intended to take each action. 87.7% planned to reduce food waste, 87.0% planned to reduce their use of single-use plastics, and 86.9% planned to apply sustainability concepts in their coursework or assignments. 86.1% planned to join sustainability-related programmes at USM and 85.7% intended to volunteer for community or environmental initiatives. Among new undergraduates, 69.4% (437 of 630) said they would use an automated drive-through recycling point if it were available in the semester.

The KAP assessments provide USM with an evidence-based understanding of students’ sustainability literacy across three interconnected dimensions: what students know, how they perceive sustainability and what they report practising. The findings demonstrate strong sustainability awareness and positive attitudes among participating students, alongside opportunities to strengthen knowledge of waste management concepts, the translation of positive intentions into regular practice, and active participation in sustainability activities.

By systematically measuring students’ sustainability literacy, USM establishes a quantitative baseline to inform future sustainability education, experiential learning, student engagement and continuous improvement initiatives. Through this approach, Universiti Sains Malaysia reinforces its commitment to developing graduates who understand sustainability challenges, recognise their responsibilities and possess the knowledge and competencies needed to contribute to a more sustainable future.