About Universiti Putra Malaysia

Dear Undergraduate Students,

Here is some information about Universiti Putra Malaysia. This is important for you to know about UPM for UPCOMING ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AUDIT (APA).


1. When was UPM established?
UPM was established on 4 October 1971. Before it was known as Universiti Putra Malaysia, the university was called Universiti Pertanian Malaysia. The name change took place on April 3 1997.

2. How many campuses are there?
There are two campuses. The main one is in Serdang, while the branch campus is located in Bintulu, Sarawak

3. What is the name, title and designation of UPM’s Chief Executive Officer?
Prof. Datuk Dr. Nik Mustapha bin R. Abdullah, Vice Chancellor

4. What is the UPM Senate?
The Senate is the highest academic body of the University and is responsible for the general direction of instruction, research and examination, and the conferral of degrees, diplomas, certificates and other academic distinctions. The Vice Chancellor chairs the Senate meetings.

5. What is UPM’s vision?
The vision of UPM is to become a university of international repute

6. What is UPM’s mission (statement of purpose)?
The mission of UPM is to be a leading centre of learning and research, contributing not only towards the creation of wealth and nation building but also towards universal human advancement and discovery of knowledge.

7. What are UPM’s goals?
UPM has established 10 goals to achieve its vision. These are as follows:

1. To produce quality graduates who are competitive and resilient
2. To enhance the quality of UPM students through inculcation of soft skills
3. To transform UPM into a renowned research university
4. To strengthen UPM as a centre of excellence in agriculture education and research
5. To broaden and strengthen UPM network with industry and society
6. To manage human capital and work environment effectively
7. To enhance a quality management system based on good practice
8. To efficiently generate and manage the financial resources of UPM
9. To make UPM fully connected based on information and communication technology
10. To strengthen UPM through alumni involvement

*The first four goals are educational goals.

8. Why has UPM emphasised on incorporation of learning outcomes (LO) in its teaching-learning activities?
The learning outcomes are expected to prepare UPM graduates to have sufficient breadth and depth of knowledge, appropriate technical skills to be productive at the workplace, and social skills to adapt to different work requirements and environments. There are nine learning outcomes. These are:

• Knowledge in the discipline
• Psychomotor/Practical/Technical skills
• Critical thinking and scientific approach
• Communication skills
• Social skills and responsibility
• Professionalism, values, attitudes and ethics
• Lifelong learning and information management
• Managerial and entrepreneurial skills
• Leadership skills

9. Is development of a student’s generic (soft) skills considered in the learning scheme?
Yes. UPM places special attention to enhancement of soft skills or generic student attributes: communication skills, critical thinking and problem solving, lifelong learning and problem solving, team work skills, entrepreneurship skills, morals and professional ethics, and leadership skills.

10. How many faculties are there in UPM offering undergraduate education?
16 faculties (including 1 in Bintulu) offering 81 undergraduates programmes

11. Who are involved when UPM designs an academic programme?
Various external stakeholders/parties contribute to UPM’s design and delivery of curriculum and co-curriculum. These include academic and non-academic staff, students, the Ministry of Higher Education, government agencies, employers, alumni, academic experts and statutory bodies.

Editor: MPPUPM(FSTM) _ 7 Sept 2009