University of Nottingham Malaysia

The University of Nottingham Malaysia is a private university branch campus of the University of Nottingham. The university is situated in Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia. The university is rated ‘Competitive’ in the SETARA 2025 rating system by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).^[4]

University of Nottingham Malaysia

Universiti Nottingham Malaysia (Malay)
Former names	University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC)
Motto	Latin: Sapientia urbs conditur[1]
Motto in English	A City is Built on Wisdom[1]
Type	Private
Established	2000
Chairman	Admiral Tan Sri Dato' Setia Mohd Anwar Bin Hj Mohd Nor (Retired)
Chancellor	Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE
Vice-Chancellor	Professor Shearer West
Provost	Professor David FitzPatrick Interim Provost and CEO
Students	4,300 [2]
Undergraduates	4,016[2]
Postgraduates	955[2]
Doctoral students	232
Location	Semenyih , Selangor , Malaysia 2.945°N 101.874°E / 2.945; 101.874
Campus	48-hectare
Colours	The University: Notts Blue House of Arts House of Social Science House of Medicine House of Engineering House of Divinity House of Science
Nickname	"Notts"
Affiliations	Universitas 21,[3] Sutton 13. ACU, EUA. Universities UK
Website	nottingham.edu.my
Branch campus of the University of Nottingham

The university is also ranked 136th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025, placing it among the top institutions out of 2,092 ranked universities worldwide.

In 2025, the university of ranked 136th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025.^[5]

The campus is run as a company called The University of Nottingham Malaysia Sdn Bhd (473520-K) with the provost being dual hatted as the CEO. The majority shareholder is Boustead Holdings.

The Malaysia campus was the first campus of a British university in Malaysia and one of the first to open outside Britain thus earning the distinction of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2001 and the Queen's Award for Industry (International Trade) 2006.^[6][7][8]

The University of Nottingham's other overseas campus is located in Ningbo, China.

History

Following an invitation from the Ministry of education to establish an overseas campus, a partnership between Boustead Holdings Berhad, YTL Corporation Berhad and the University of Nottingham was formally announced in 1998.

This development was the first ever branch campus of a British University established outside of the UK.

The University of Nottingham welcomed its first 89 students in September 2000 in Kuala Lumpur. In 2005, the university relocated to 48-hectare (0.48 km²) campus in Semenyih, in the valley of Broga Hill. In 2006, the campus reopened a Kuala Lumpur branch in Chulan Tower on Jalan Conlay to teach MBA students.^[9]

Campus

Semenyih campus

The Malaysia campus is primarily based at a 48-hectare (0.48 km²) plot situated in Semenyih, Selangor. It was voted one of the 9 most beautiful university campuses in Malaysia by Tatler Asia.^[10]

KL Teaching Centre (KLTC)

Besides the main campus in Semenyih, a city teaching facility is maintained in Chulan Tower in Kuala Lumpur's central business district. Postgraduate programmes such as International Relations, Management Psychology and MBA are taught at the KLTC.

Future Students Centre

In 2023, UNM unveiled a one-stop hub called Future Students Centre (FSC) located at Menara Axis in Petaling Jaya. The centre offers a spacious and convenient location for programme counselling. It also has an accommodation showroom and a campus-scale model, which allows students and parents to understand the UNM campus better.^[11][12]

Academic

Being a branch campus of the University of Nottingham, students are not necessarily taught with similar course materials and generally do not sit the same exam papers as those in the UK, but are still under the jurisdiction of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).^[13] Upon completing a degree at the Malaysia campus, students are awarded a University of Nottingham degree certificate at a convocation held locally which is indistinguishable from the certificates awarded at the Nottingham campus. The degrees that are awarded are accredited by international professional bodies such as the Association of MBAs and the UK Engineering Council.

The Engineering Degree courses are accredited by the Board of Engineering Malaysia (BEM) and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

Research

The university was given a five-star rating in the Malaysia Research Assessment (MyRA) for research excellence in 2020. The only foreign university in Malaysia to be awarded two consecutive MyRAs.^[14]

Comprising 280 academic staff, the university's research focuses on future food Malaysia and developing sustainable societies, nanotechnology, inclusion in the workplace, data analytics and artificial intelligence, among others.^[14]

Some of the leading organisations that UNM collaborates with in research include Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Sime Darby Foundation, WWF, YTI, Petronas Research and Cancer Research Malaysia.^[15]  

Apart from the taught undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, the university conducts projects for research-based postgraduate studies. There are more than 20 research programmes being carried out at the Malaysia Campus.^[16][17]

Biotechnology Research Centre

The Biotechnology Research Centre is a 986-square-metre (10,610 sq ft) research centre specialising in the applied research of biotechnology products, specifically palm oil crop. The building cost RM3.5M, excluding internal fittings and scientific equipment.^[18] Inside the main research building there are two labs, one for the teaching of UNMC biotechnology students and the other for research.

The research centre is operated as a joint collaboration with Applied Agricultural Resources Sdn. Bhd (AAR), a start-up company.^[18][19][20]

Partnerships

UNM has academic and research collaborations with CNN Academy in Abu Dhabi to provide postgraduate students with journalism education and training.^[21]

UNM also partnered with the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) since 2020 focusing on talent development, education and training placements and also driving innovation through research and development.^[22]  

Student life

Block E

Mobility programme

As part of Nottingham's advantage scheme, students may be exchanged to other campuses. In the words of Vincenzo Raimo, director of Nottingham's International Office “Students can continue studying exactly the same modules available at Nottingham in the UK but overseas instead — experience the excitement of Asia but within the familiar academic setting of Nottingham University, ... Transfers are open to anyone getting good grades and whose degree subject is among those taught overseas. Air fares may not be cheap, but the cost of living is — and anyone spending the full year at a branch pays just half the UK tuition fee. "^[13][23]

Besides exchanging to the UK campus or the China campus, students may also take part in Universitas 21 mobility programme in which students may also be exchanged with universities partner to Universitas 21 in Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Denmark, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Japan, China, and South Korea. ^[24]

These exchanges are not guaranteed but subject to agreement by the exchange partners at the time.

Transportation

Semenyih campus

v t e KTM Kajang Campus Shuttle Bus
Legend
min 1 9  ETS  45 Kajang station 44 New Era College 43 Bank Islam 40 Syabas Building 30 Pangsapuri Damai Mewah 22 Sunway Semenyih 21 HSBC Kajang Prima 19 Billion Supermartket 17 Sunway Semenyih 15 Semenyih Town 07 Taman Tasik Semenyih 00 University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus

Shuttle bus services are offered free as a university incentive to alleviate on-campus parking issues. However, shuttle bus services are by regulations restricted to students and staff of the university. The nearest public bus route is at the nearest town of Semenyih, approximately 3 kilometres (2 mi) from campus.

The university provides free transportation to the nearby Tesco super store and IOI City Mall which located in Putrajaya, special bus service to the Semenyih mosque for Friday prayers, and a shuttle bus service for students living in the student town of Taman Tasik Semenyih or Semenyih Lake park. A pedestrian bridge connects the neighbouring Taman Tasik Semenyih to the North entrance.

Notable alumni

• Ben Hunte – British investigative journalist, presenter and Global Correspondent at Vice News

See also

• List of University of Nottingham people
• University of Nottingham Ningbo, China

References

1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. "Covid-19: Experiences, optimism of University of Nottingham Malaysia — Graham Kendall | Malay Mail". www.malaymail.com. 6 April 2020.
3. "The University of Nottingham". Universitas 21. Archived from the original on 5 November 2007. Retrieved 10 November 2007.
4. "University of Nottingham Malaysia's Ranking & Reputation".
5. "University of Nottingham". Times Higher Education (THE). 9 January 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
6. "Malaysia Campus - The University of Nottingham". Nottingham.ac.uk. The University of Nottingham. Archived from the original on 22 September 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
7. "It's in the bag ... Firms and uni win recognition from Queen". TMCNet. Northcliffe Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
8. Baker, R. "Nottingham Evening Post Business Awards: Our Sponsors". This is Nottingham. Nottingham Post. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
9. "Malaysia Campus History - The University of Nottingham - Malaysia Campus". www.nottingham.edu.my.
10. Jayatilaka, Tania. "9 beautiful university campuses in Malaysia". Tatler Asia. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
11. "University of Nottingham Malaysia launches Future Students Centre to boost Malaysia's appeal to international students". The Star. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
12. Tan, John Peter (27 September 2023). "University Of Nottingham Further Grows Malaysia's Higher Education With New Future Student Centre | TRP". www.therakyatpost.com/. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
13. Gosden, Emily (3 June 2009). "Good University Guide 2010: Studying overseas". The Times. Archived from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
14. "Five-stars for research | The Star". www.thestar.com.my.
15. Morhan, Sivanisvarry. "Malaysian scientist wins coveted award for groundbreaking breast cancer strategies". thesun.my. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
16. News, The PIE (27 April 2018). "Global events mark int'l impact of University of Nottingham Malaysia". thepienews.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
17. "Zero-waste palm oil industry on the horizon with new technology". Retrieved 25 May 2018.
18. Dr. Wong Wei Chi. "Opening of Applied Agricultural Research Research Centre". Applied Agricultural Research. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
19. Dr. Sandy Hwei San Loh. "The AAR - UNMC Biotechnology Research Centre". Nottingham Website. Nottingham University. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
20. Kang, Soo Chen. "Right on track". Star Online. The Star. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
21. "Varsity in partnership with CNN Academy for future of journalism". The Star. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
22. "The University of Nottingham Malaysia, Pikom renew collaboration to enhance technology ecosystem in Malaysia". Digital News Asia. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
23. "The Malaysia Campus". Impact Magazine. The University of Nottingham. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
24. Theophilus, Claudia (29 January 1999). "Move to limit foreign university branch campuses to prevent competition". Malaysiakini.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011.