Kangar: Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) remains committed to strengthening its position as a leading technical university by producing high-quality and highly employable graduates to meet future industry needs. Its vice-chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Zaliman Sauli announced that after 25 years of establishment, the university had embarked on a new phase with the UniMAP Strategic Plan 2026-2030. This plan aligns with the Malaysia Higher Education Blueprint (RPTM) 2026-2035, the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), and the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the strategic plan aims to increase student enrolment to 18,000 by 2030 and boost graduate employability beyond 99.5 per cent through industry-driven education. "Our focus is not only to maintain a high graduate employability rate but also to ensure more UniMAP graduates secure quality jobs with competitive salaries, contribute to strategic sectors, and create value for the industry and the country," Dr Zaliman stated in an exclusive interview during UniMAP's Silver Jubilee celebration.
Dr Zaliman highlighted that UniMAP's Industry-Driven Education approach has notably increased graduate employability from 87.9 per cent in 2020 to 99.4 per cent in 2025, positioning the university third highest among public universities nationwide. This success also earned UniMAP the Multinational Corporation (MNC) Preferred Graduate Award for two consecutive years. The achievement is attributed to industry collaboration through initiatives like CEO@Faculty, Industrial Advisory Panel (IAP), Industrial Adjunct Professor programmes, work-based learning (WBL), professional certifications, and 12 Industry on Campus laboratories.
UniMAP collaborates with industry leaders such as Huawei, Keysight, Siemens, and Oppstar, and maintains a network of over 300 strategic partners, including Intel, Micron, Infineon, Silterra, B. Braun, Proton, Modenas, and CIDB. These collaborations enable UniMAP graduates to acquire skills aligned with market needs, particularly in the electrical and electronics, semiconductor, and high-technology sectors.
Reflecting on UniMAP's evolution, Dr Zaliman noted that the university was established on July 25, 2001, as Kolej Universiti Kejuruteraan Utara Malaysia (KUKUM), starting with two academic programmes and over 100 students. Today, UniMAP boasts nearly 16,000 students, more than 50 academic programmes ranging from diploma to PhD levels, and a robust alumni network of over 45,000 serving in local and international companies. UniMAP graduates are particularly prominent in the engineering, E and E, and semiconductor sectors, contributing significantly and proving the confidence employers place in their skills.
To stay relevant amidst evolving economic and technological landscapes, UniMAP plans to expand its academic offerings to 50 programmes by the 2026/2027 academic session, introducing new courses such as TVET Accounting, Data Science (Artificial Intelligence), and Applied Science. Besides fortifying its expertise in E and E and semiconductors, UniMAP is also venturing into strategic areas like Advanced Packaging Semiconductor, electric vehicle technology, cybersecurity, and logistics to meet future industry demands.
Dr Zaliman also emphasized that internationalisation efforts are being ramped up, with the university aiming to attract 800 international students this year and 1,000 by the end of 2027. This is supported by over 200 memoranda of understanding (MoU) and memoranda of agreement (MoA) with institutions across West Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. UniMAP's achievements have garnered global recognition, with the university listed in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 for Materials Science and Engineering-Electrical and Electronic.
"In conjunction with the Silver Jubilee celebration, these achievements are not the end goal but a strong foundation for UniMAP to advance further as the country's preferred technical and TVET university, as well as a respected global player," Dr Zaliman concluded.