University of Malaya
University of Malaya, or UM, Malaysia’s oldest university, is situated on a 922 acre (373.12 hectare) campus in the southwest of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.
It was founded on 28 September 1905 in Singapore as the King Edward VII College of Medicine and on 8th October 1949, it became the University of Malaya with the merger of the King Edward VII College of Medicine and Raffles College (founded in 1928).
The University of Malaya derives its name from the term ‘Malaya’ as the country was then known. The Carr-Saunders Commission on University Education in Malaya, which recommended the setting up of the university, noted in its Report in 1948: “The University of Malaya would provide for the first time a common centre where varieties of race, religion and economic interest could mingle in joint endeavour … For a University of Malaya must inevitably realise that it is a university for Malaya.”
Institute of China Studies (ICS)
On June 16th 1962, University of Malaya celebrated the installation of its first Chancellor, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, who was also the country’s first prime minister. The first Vice-Chancellor was Professor Oppenheim, a world-renowned Mathematician.
Currently, His Royal Highness The Sultan of Perak Darul Ridzuan, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah is the Chancellor of the University of Malaya.
YBhg. Datuk Ir. (Dr.) Abdul Rahim Hj. Hashim was appointed as the twelfth Vice-Chancellor of the University of Malaya on 1 November 2017.
The setting up of the Institute of China Studies (ICS) was proposed by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi after his visit to China as the Deputy Prime Minister in September 2003. The Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia then directed the University of Malaya to prepare a proposal, leading to the establishment of the ICS on 5 December 2003.
The ICS, as the first research institute in the country with specific focus on China, serves as a resource centre and policy adviser to the Government, corporate sector and diplomatic corps on issues related to business political economy and strategic or bilateral relations.
While the primary focus of the ICS is on research involving mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, the institute also encourages the study of economic, political, social and cultural development involving ethnic Chinese communities, with a specific focus on Southeast Asia and Malaysia.
The ICS will encourage academic exchange programmes on issues of importance to the ICS, University of Malaya. The ICS will initiate and undertake joint research projects with foreign institutions, with particular emphasis on forging collaborative ties with members of the academia in China.
