Introduction to the Universities of Malaysia

• Main Author: Ungku Abdul Aziz, Ungku Abdul Hamid
• Format: Article
• Published: 1979
• Subjects: L Education (General); LA History of education
• Online Access: http://commonrepo.um.edu.my/12487/1/Malaysia%3B%20Ungku%20Aziz%3B%203%20Nov%201978%3B%201979%20Commonwealth%20Universities%20Yearbook.pdf; http://commonrepo.um.edu.my/12487/

The first attempt to establish a higher education in Malaya was dated back to 1889, a first training course for assistant surgeons. With the public funds, King Edward VII Medical School and King Edward VII College of Medicine were established to meet the local needs. Raffles College was then established a few years later to provide courses in art and science and with the hope that these colleges would form the nucleus of the future university. In 1947, the King Edward VII College was amalgamated with Raffles College to form the University of Malaya, which was located in Singapore. Following the declaration of independence by Malaya and the perspective of expansion of the University in Kuala Lumpur, the committee has agreed to establish two largely autonomous divisions of equal status in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, with a vice chancellor to be based in Kuala Lumpur. After the formation of Malaysia, the rapid expansion in the social and economic has boosted the number of population. University of Malaya alone could no longer meet the increasing demand for higher education facilities. This led to the establishment of another four universities to accommodate the needs of higher education. Various events that happened have influenced the admissions, teaching and language policies of the universities. In order to restructure the society, the universities have set up the pre-university courses for the bumiputera students to prepare them better for the university courses and thus trying to reduce the higher failure rates among the group. The main medium of communication in the universities has been set as Bahasa Malaysia to promote unity and harmony of the society. The five universities, which are University of Malaya, University of Science, the National University of Malaysia, the University of Agriculture and the University of Technology have their own focus in their respective field of expertise. The University and University College Act was enacted to guide the directions of the universities as well as to restrict the students’ activities. As the effect, the universities in Malaysia share the similar administrative pattern. And all the universities are funded by the government. Prior to the admission to the universities, the students need to go through the primary education, lower secondary education (LCE) and upper secondary education (MCE or SPM). Those who pass well in the exams may gain admission to the 2 years of sixth form (HSE), which is set as the university admission requirement. The courses offered in the universities range from certificate to postgraduate studies, in part time or full time. Students’ Representative Council (SRC) consists of a representative from each faculty, institutions and all the registered students. The objectives of SRC are to foster a spirit of corporate life among students, to organize and supervise students’ welfare activities, to represent students in dealing with the vice-chancellor regarding the living and working conditions of the students and to undertake activities as may be determined by the council from time to time. The tuition fees and the accommodation fees vary from university to the others.