University of Malaya

From Freepedia

University of Malaya Universiti Malaya
Image:UMlogo.gif
Motto	Ilmu Punca Kemajuan "Knowledge is the Key to Success"
Established	1905
Chancellor	Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Yusuff Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah
Vice-Chancellor	Captain Dato' Professor Dr. Hashim Yaacob
Location	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Students	N/A
Homepage	www.um.edu.my

The University of Malaya (Universiti Malaya in Malay) is the first university in Malaysia, and is situated on a 750 acre (3.0 km²) campus in southwest Kuala Lumpur, the capital city.

The University of Malaya grew out of a tradition of service to the society. Its predecessors, the King Edward VII College of Medicine established in 1905 and Raffles College in 1929, had been established to meet urgent demands, one in medicine and the other in education. When the two came together to form the University of Malaya in October 1949, this was so that they might perform together an even greater service - to help lay the foundations of a new nation by producing a generation of skilled and educated men. Hence the University of Malaya was established on 8th October 1949 as a national institution to serve the higher education needs of the Federation of Malaya and Singapore.

The growth of the University was very rapid during the first decade of its establishment and resulted in the setting up of two autonomous Divisions in 1959, one located in Singapore (later becoming the National University of Singapore) and the other in Kuala Lumpur (retaining the name University of Malaya).

In 1960, the government of the two territories indicated their desire to change the status of the Divisions into that of a national university. Legislation was passed in 1961 founding the University of Malaya on 1st January 1962.

The University motto, "Ilmu Punca Kemajuan" (Knowledge is the Key to Success), reflects the philosophy of the University in its constant endeavour to seek knowledge in all fields to produce successful graduates and a successful nation.

The University is currently ranked 89th in the World University Ranking 2004 published by the Times Higher Education Supplement. In updated ranking of 2005 however, it has dropped to 169th spot from previous 89th spot.