In the face of increasingly challenging global developments, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) aims to continue to be a driver of change through high-quality research, innovative teaching and contributions to society, said its Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor.
Prof Kasim said this is especially since this year marks the institution’s 30th anniversary, highlighting that the university has recorded many successes and achievements in the past three decades, despite starting from humble beginnings with only 205 students for its first intake in 1995.
He said in the context of academic excellence, UMS increased its position in the QS World University Rankings (Sustainability) 2025 to 792 from the 1001-1200 group, while for the QS Asia Rankings 2025, it has jumped to 243 compared to 271-280 in 2024.
Until now, a total of 185 of the university’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes have been certified by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA), while 17 others have received recognition from professional bodies and another 15 achieved international accreditation.
In 2023 and 2024, UMS researchers were listed in the top two percent of the world’s best scientists by global analytics company Elseiver, proving the institution’s contribution to global research as well as its reputation of a world-class university.
From 2012 to 2023, UMS also got 25 recognitions in various categories at the National Book Award, highlighting its focus on publications as a platform for documentation and disseminating knowledge while strengthening research credibility.
UMS graduates’ employability rate has also increased from 54.7 percent in 2014 to 98.5 percent in 2023, whereby the latter year also saw the university recording its highest number of PhD and Masters graduates with 97 and 131 respectively.
And with 169 active agreements covering 17 countries, UMS strengthens its international visibility through Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), Memorandums of Agreement (MoA) and Letters of Intent (LoI).
In addition, UMS has also developed 22 Living Labs to date, each with different focuses but the same aim of solving social, economic and environmental challenges in a practical and sustainable way.
“When UMS started its journey in 1994 with only 50 academic and administrative staff, it was their enthusiasm and perseverance that paved the way to pioneering a path that was once wilderness.
“After 30 years, the number of UMS staff is reaching 2,800 while Hospital UMS staff has 665, catering to close to 18,000 students including 648 foreign students, with 91,630 alumni worldwide.
“In this regard, I am calling on all UMS staff, from lecturers, administrators to students, to work together to elevate the name of our institution with dedicated and quality work.
“Let us unite to ensure that this university continues to progress, becoming a symbol of excellence, not only at the national level but also in the international arena,” he said.
Prof Kasim said this when delivering his inaugural lecture titled “Pearl in the Ocean of Knowledge: Navigating Excellent Aspirations” in conjunction with the UMS Pearl Jubilee celebrations at the campus here on Thursday.
Meanwhile, he also announced that special tuition rates will be given to the children of UMS staff furthering their studies at the university, as well as staff who wish to pursue theirs.
Prof Kasim said they also plan to provide health insurance to UMS retirees to reduce their medical burdens, through establishing a retirees association to take care of their welfare.
Also present was UMS board of directors’ chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
.
