Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management & Technology
Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management & Technology, abbreviated TAR UMT, is a non-profit, private university in Malaysia. Named after the country's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, the school was founded in 1969 as Tunku Abdul Rahman College (or TAR College) by the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA). On 2 May 2013, it officially became a university college under the name Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC) until 2022, which it changed its name to TAR UMT. TAR UMT is one of the largest and oldest institutions of higher learning in Malaysia with more than 270,000 students having passed through its doors.
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Former names | Tunku Abdul Rahman College (1969–2013) Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (2013–2022) | ||||||
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Motto | Beyond Education | ||||||
Type | Private | ||||||
Established | 1969 | ||||||
Chairman | Tan Sri Dato' Sri Liow Tiong Lai | ||||||
President | Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei | ||||||
Students | About 28,000 | ||||||
Location | 3.215118°N 101.728345°E | ||||||
Campus | Kuala Lumpur Main Campus Penang Branch Campus Perak Branch Campus Johor Branch Campus Pahang Branch Sabah Branch | ||||||
Affiliations | ACCA,[2] CIMA,[3] MAICSA,[4] FPAM,[5] ICAEW,[6] CPA Malaysia,[7] CPA Australia,[8] FAA,[9] CILTM,[10] CIM,[11] BEM,[12] RISM,[13] BQSM,[14] BOVAEP, LAM, IKM | ||||||
Website | www | ||||||
Chinese name | |||||||
Simplified Chinese | 拉曼管理与工艺大学 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 拉曼管理與工藝大學 | ||||||
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Abbreviated name | |||||||
Simplified Chinese | 拉曼理工大学 | ||||||
Traditional Chinese | 拉曼理工大學 | ||||||
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TAR UMT's main campus covers 171 acres (69 ha) at Jalan Genting Kelang in Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. The university also has five branches across Malaysia, in the states of Penang, Perak, Johor, Pahang and Sabah. The first branch campus, in Penang, began at a temporary location in 1994 before moving to Tanjung Bungah five years later. The second and third branch campuses were founded in Kampar, Perak and Johor in 1998, and the Pahang faculty branch was established in 1999. The Sabah faculty branch was founded in 2002 in Sabah, East Malaysia.
The university has a student population of over 28,000, including international students from 24 countries including China, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, India, Algeria, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Pakistan, United Kingdom, Syria and Yemen etc. Over 50 years since its inception, TAR UMT has produced more than 270,000 alumni.
TAR UMT is the only institution in the world to conduct the Internally Assessed ACCA Fundamentals programme,[15] and the only institution in Malaysia to be granted the Graduate Gateway status by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.[16] TAR UMT obtained a SETARA 5-Star rating for the year 2018/2019 awarded by the Ministry of Higher Education, in its inaugural participation.

History
In the early years of Malaysian independence, there was a lack of opportunity to pursue higher education. An institution of higher learning was suggested by Malaysian Chinese Association president Tun Tan Siew Sin. Tan initially suggested the Chinese-language Merdeka University, which was rejected by the government. As a compromise, an English-medium college was proposed. In April 1968, Tan appointed a working team (chaired by Tan Sri Khaw Kai Boh) to make recommendations for an institution of higher learning.[17]
Its blueprint was submitted to the government, and received the support of Minister of Education Mohamed Khir Johari. The working team estimated that it would require RM 20 million to set up the college, and the government agreed to provide the financial assistance on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman consented to the college being named for him.
TAR College began operations on 24 February 1969 with its School of Pre-University Studies and an initial enrollment of 764 students. A 15 September 1972 Instrument of Government provided the legal framework for the administration of the college. Minister of Education Tun Hussein Onn presented the instrument to Tan Siew Sin, the first college president. To raise funds for a campus in Kuala Lumpur, the MCA launched a national fundraising campaign in 1972 led by MCA publicity director Lee San Choon.
In February 1973, the government approved the allocation of land for the main Kuala Lumpur campus in Setapak. The ground-breaking ceremony was officiated by Rahman in August 1973. Phase one, including an administrative building, a library, two laboratory blocks, one large and eight small lecture theatres and a canteen, was completed in 1976.
Fundraising activities in the 1990s, such as the nationwide TAR College Fund-Raising Campaign, Taxithon, Walkathon, TAR College Torch Run and Motorthon, were led by TAR College Council chairman Ling Liong Sik. Expansion continued under the leadership of TAR College Council chairmen Ong Ka Ting and Chua Soi Lek. Since its 2013 upgrade to a university college, TAR UC continued its steady development under the leadership of Liow Tiong Lai. The latest infrastructure development, a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a Student Centre at the Kuala Lumpur Main Campus was held on 30 October 2021.
Targeted to be completed in 2024, this Student Centre is a dedicated hub for students’ activities which will be equipped with many modern facilities and amenities and it is aimed at enhancing the multi-dimensional learning for students. The Student Centre is a 7-storey building with total built-up area of 1,470,832 sqft comprising 1,408 car parking lots.
Institutional Awards
Asia Pacific CSR Awards 2016
TAR UC was accorded the Excellence in Education Improvement award in the Asia Pacific CSR Awards 2016 under the award category of Socially Responsible Company in Education Improvement on 27 September 2016.[18]
Premier Digital Technology Institution
TAR UC was recognised with the Premier Digital Tech Institution status by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and the Ministry of Higher Education in 2017. This status was renewed again in 2019 and 2021.[19]
SETARA 5-Star Ranking
TAR UC obtained SETARA 5-Star rating for the year 2018/2019 under the University Colleges category by the Ministry of Higher Education, in its inaugural participation.
Faculties
Accreditation
TAR UMT is the only institution in the world to be accorded the exclusive privilege to run the Internally Assessed ACCA Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills level examinations where students of the Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) programme are granted exemptions from all 9 papers of this level upon completion of their second year of study.
TAR UMT students under the Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) programme are granted conditional exemptions for all the 9 Applied Knowledge and Applied Skills level papers upon graduation.
TAR UMT has also been recognised as a CIMA Global Learning Premium Partner where students under the Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) programme are granted the maximum exemption of 11 out of 16 papers of CIMA.
Additionally, TAR UMT is the first and only CIM Graduate Gateway accredited university in Malaysia where students under the Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Marketing programme are given exemption on Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) basis from one out of three modules of the CIM Diploma in Professional Marketing.
Centre for Postgraduate Studies and Research (CPSR)
The CPSR was founded in October 2013 to provide infrastructure and support to TAR UC to conduct postgraduate-level programmes and assist academic staff to pursue scholarly research. The centre is tasked with the admission of the college's postgraduate students (those studying for master's, PhD and other graduate qualifications).
The centre manages the college's research grants. In 2014, the college secured three Fundamental Research Grant Scheme grants from the Ministry of Education (totaling RM376,400) for 2014–2016.
Main Campus Facilities

The campus covers 186 acres of land and surrounded by hilly greenery
Notable alumni
- Chow Kon Yeow, Chief Minister of Penang (2018–Present)
- Chong Eng, Penang State Executive Councillor (2013–Present)
- Teresa Kok, Member of Parliament of Seputeh (1999–Present)
- Teo Kok Seong, Negeri Sembilan State Executive Councillor (2018–Present)
- Liow Cai Tung, Johor State Executive Councillor (2018–2020)
- Gan Mei Yan, actress & host
- Karen Kong Cheng Tshe (龚柯允), singer
- Wayne Chua Poi Suan (蔡佩璇), actress
- Roger Tan Kor Mee, lawyer
- Yeow Wah Chin, lawyer
- Michael 'Kael' Leo Chin, singer & actor
- Sofea Nursolehha Tun 'Fea', host Malaysia Hari Ini, 999 and former DJ Traxx FM
References
- "TAR UC Celebrated University Status with Logo Design Competition". TARC. TARC. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
- "ACCA Malaysia". ACCA Global. December 2018.
- "CIMA Global". CIMA. December 2018.
- "The Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators". MAICSA. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- "Financial Planning Association of Malaysia". FPAM. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- "Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales". ICAEW. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- "Certified Practising Accountant Malaysia". CPA Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- "Certified Practising Accountant Australia". CPA Australia. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
- "Finance Accreditation Agency". FAA. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- "Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Malaysia". CILTM. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- "Chartered Institute of Marketing". CIM. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- "Board of Engineers Malaysia". BEM. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- "Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia". RISM. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- "Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia". BQSM. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- "Kho Sok Kee, vice president of administration and facilities development, TARUMT | ACCA Global". www.accaglobal.com. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- "Liow: TARUMT hopeful of gaining university status". thestar.com.my. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
- Leo Suryadinata, ed. (30 December 2012). Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary. ISEAS Publishing. p. 403. ISBN 978-9814345217.
- "Welcome to Asia Pacific CSR Awards 2016!". www.csrasiapacificforum.org. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
- "Malaysia announces 3 new Premier Digital Tech Institutions". Study International. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
External links
