The first idea on the need for higher education for the Malays appears in the Conference of Rulers’ Meetings in 1903. Za’ba, a scholar, wrote about the idea in the Malay Board press in 1917. The ideas, debates and determination gave from the Malay scholars in establishing a university and the use of the Malay language as a medium of communication in higher education institutions began in 1923 when Abdul Kadir Adabi, another Malay scholar submitted a memorandum to the Sultan of Kelantan. However, such thinking and determination cannot be developed and implemented because of the various obstacles and challenges under the pressure of colonialism.
From 1957 to 1967, the struggle for the establishment of a national university became increasingly popular as it met the demands and spirit of national independence. Accordingly, in 1968, Malay scholars had formed a sponsoring committee with the role of planning the establishment of a national university. The various cultural and political forum was held to gain support from the government and the people, in order to introduce a higher education institution which upholds the Malay language as the medium of communication in all areas of study and knowledge. The never-ending struggle culminated with the establishment of the National University of Malaysia (UKM) on 18th May 1970, which began its first operation in the Kuala Lumpur Coastal Valley. The first group consisting of 192 undergraduate students and two (2) graduates began enrolling in three faculties namely the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Islamic Studies. In 1974, UKM had established the UKM’s Sabah Campus in the Kawang Gardens, Papar. The name was later changed to Limauan by Tun Datu Mustapha Datu Harun who was then, the Chief Minister of Sabah.
The campus, which housed the Faculty of Science and Natural Resources moved to Bukit Padang, Kota Kinabalu in 1980. Then moved to Menggatal, Tuaran in 1990 with the Faculty of Development Science originally located in Bangi Main Campus. With the establishment of Sabah University Malaysia in 1994, the UKM’s Sabah Campus officially closed in 1996 and the two faculties were transferred to the Bangi Main Campus, Selangor. During its 45-years of establishments, UKM has produced 170,112 undergraduate and graduated students. The university continues to grow rapidly as a public university with thirteen (13) faculties and thirteen (13) research excellence institutes currently. UKM also owns a commercially operated entity, namely UKM Holdings Sdn. Bhd. and UKM Technology Sdn. Bhd. as an approach to commercialize and personalize the acquired expertise while generating University’s funding.
The UKM main campus in Bangi which started its operations in 1977 expands to 1,096.29 hectares. Bangi Main Campus houses nine (9) faculties, and eleven (11) research institutes. In addition, UKM also has a campus on Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur on a 20 hectares site that houses the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Faculty of Dentistry, the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Institute of Ear, Hearing and Speech (I-HEARS). Meanwhile, the UKM Medical Center (PPUKM) which occupies 22.3 hectares in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur houses the Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Chancellor Tunku Muhriz and the Molecular Medical Institute (UMBI). Based on excellence in research for over four decades, UKM was selected as one of the leading research universities in Malaysia in 2006. The process of streamlining research was followed by the creation of projects focused on the twelve (12) niches known as the Nation Building Challenge; Regional Sustainable Development; Renewable Energy; Health & Medical Technology; Climate change; Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials; Biological Diversity in Biotechnology Development; Content Informatics; Economic, Financial and Business Research; Education and Civilization; Politics and Security; and Rural Transformation Research.
Dewan Canselor Tun Abdul Razak, UKM Bangi
Chancellor Tun Abdul Razak Hall, UKM Bangi
The University was also a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Quality Award 2006 and was awarded the year’s Self-Accreditation in 2010 and was given the status of an Autonomous University in January 2012. This award is a recognition of UKM’s excellence in academic and governance. UKM has maintained its excellence through the UKM Strategic Plan 2000-2020 (PS2020). Currently, UKM is focusing on the six (6) Priority Areas that are expected to continue to excel. The focus given includes the National Aspirated, Competent, Competitive and Innovative Graduates; High Impact Research and Innovation; Smart Sharing and Strategic Engagement; Excellent Human Resources and Institutions; Optimal and Strategic Wealth Generation; and a conducive Knowledge Environment and Infrastructure. In order to maintain the struggles of UKM pioneers stays fresh, the awareness of its establishment history is constantly restored.
Recognizing that UKM is the institution of community’s hopes, all university students including the workers and students themselves are invited to learn and understand the needs of the people through questions that are rooted in the life of nationals in line with UKM’s role as the National Trust Leader. But this does not limit the university’s reach to all developments and international upheavals. A University with a wide range of disciplines is believed to be able to transcend the psychology line that allows them to compete quickly in the global arena as well as provide answers and solutions to problems that hinder global life.