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Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang. Malaysia
About USM
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) established in 1969, is a comprehensive research university with 24 Schools, 14 Centers and 7 Units. The academic programmes are offered through its school system that allows students to combine subjects from a few schools and organize courses in such a manner that a degree of specialization in a chosen field is possible.
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 fulfill 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.
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is the sole Malaysian university holding the prestigious Accelerated Program for Excellence (APEX) and one of the three research-intensive universities in Malaysia. USM has three campuses; the Main Campus is located on the island of Penang while the Engineering Campus is located on the mainland side of the state of Penang. The third campus, which houses three health related programmes (Medicine, Health and Dentistry) is in the State of Kelantan--on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
Set in luxuriant foliage of trees and kaleidoscope of colourful flowering plants, USM has aptly taken the cue from the treasures of its natural surroundings to gain momentum in positioning itself as a research intensive university in the global arena. Like nature which flourishes and survives by optimizing each separate ecological entity, USM has built an academic-cum-research ecosystem of excellence by synergizing its academic expertise, solid research environment, managerial aptitude and infrastructural resources into a framework that epitomizes the essence of nature.
At the international level, the University has been identified as one of the Regional Center of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development, has for three consecutive terms been elected as representative of Asia in Commonwealth Universities for Study Abroad Consortium (CUSAC) and houses a number of research centers that receives international recognition.
About Penang
Before Penang, the Pearl of the Orient, was known to the world as a beautiful, exotic holiday destination, she was Pulau Pinang – a virgin paradise that got her name from the abundance of betel nut palms scattered across her soft, sandy beaches.
Literally translated, Pulau Pinang means the “Isle of the Betel Nut” in Malay – Malaysia's national language. Steeped in history, “ Penang” was born when charismatic English captain Francis Light persuaded the Sultan of Kedah to cede Pulau Pinang to the British East India Company.
In 1786, Light landed on what is known as the scenic Esplanade today. Local folklore tells of how he fired gold coins into the surrounding jungle to induce his men to clear the area. Fourteen years later, the Sultan of Kedah further ceded a strip of land on the mainland across the channel to a very persuasive Light.
The state of Penang then comprised of an island originally named Prince of Wales Island, after George V, and the strip on the mainland which was christened Province Wellesley, after the Governor of India. The former was later named George Town, after King George III.
In 1832, Penang formed part of the Straits Settlement with Malacca and Singapore. The Penang maritime port was among the busiest in the region, attracting rich merchants involved in the lucrative trade of tea, spices, porcelain and cloth.
Settlers and fortune-seekers from the all over called Penang home and it was from this interesting mix of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Siamese (to name a few) cultures that Penang became a melting pot for hybrid communities – the most famous being the Baba Nyonya, Jawi Peranakan and Eurasians.
For more than a century, the major trading post remained under British colonial rule until 1957, when Malaysia gained independence. George Town was accorded city status by Queen Elizabeth II on January 1, 1957, thereby becoming the first town in the Federation of Malay – after Singapore – to become a city.
Although she is Malaysia's electric and electronic manufacturing hub, Penang has successfully retained her old world charm. As recognition of her rich heritage, George Town, together with Malacca, was listed as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site on July 7, 2008.
