Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Malaysia's eighth university was officially incorporated on 24 December 1992. A university that is contemporary in character and forward-looking in outlook, it is committed in providing the nation with leaders, managers, scientists and technical specialists as well as thoughtful citizens who are capable of handling the complex challenges of our common future - confidently, competently, and creatively.
With about 30 academic staff, the University opened its doors to the first batch of 118 students on 8 August 1993. The students were registered in the two pioneering faculties, the Faculty of Social Science and the Faculty of Resource Science and Technology. Two academic support centres were also established: the Centre for Applied Learning and Multimedia, and the Centre for Academic Information Services.
The following year (1994) saw four more faculties opening their doors for degree courses: the Faculty of Cognitive Sciences and Human Development, the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Information Technology. Staff and student numbers quadrupled. Meanwhile, the University also grew in profile as most faculties began to offer postgraduate programmes. Research activities began to take root with the establishment of the Institute of Biodiversity and Environment Conservation, which focuses on the myriad of flora and fauna in Borneo. Links with various universities abroad were also established. In the same year, the Centre for Technology Transfer and Consultancy UNIMAS, won the contract for EIA study of the Bakun Hydroelectric Project, the biggest ever EIA project in the country.
The period between January 1995 and the end of December 1996 saw further consolidation in the academic and research structure of the university. Two more faculties began taking in their pioneer batches of students; the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (1995) and the Faculty of Economics and Business (1996). These brought the total number of faculties to eight, as originally planned. The Centre for Language & Communication Studies began to offer the TESL programme, in addition to generic language courses. The Institute of Health and Community Medicine, and the Institute of Software Technology were then added to the list of research institutes.
www.unimas.my - 28564 - Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
