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USM.....
Background of Institution
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.
What Makes Us Special?
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.
Program Outline
USM offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that are conducted by the following Schools:
| Main Campus |
Engineering Campus |
- 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 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
-
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 Language and Translation
- 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
Units
- Astronomy and Atmospheric Science Research Unit
- Basic Education Research Unit
- Computer-Aided Translation Unit
- Engineering Innovation and Technology Development Unit
- Laboratory Animal Research Unit
- Research and Education for Peace Unit
- Student Development and Advisory Unit
- Vector Control Research Unit
Academic Facilities & Resources
The facilities that USM provides for its students are delineated below:
- 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.
Students Support Services & Students Development Activities
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.
