A Gift for Life
5 April 2023
‘Our annual student intake survey reveals that almost 80% of students choose UTP because of its academic quality and world-class education,’ says Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS Registrar Associate Professor Dr Ku Zilati Ku Shaari.
There’s a lot to consider when selecting the most suitable institution of higher learning for your child.
For many parents, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) remains a top choice for its quality in teaching, worldwide recognition and graduate employability.
Convinced by UTP’s impressive campus, Sundarajan Velayutham did not need much encouragement to enrol both of his sons in UTP.
After visiting the university, he saw what was on offer – an environment conducive to learning, a multicultural student and teaching community, state-of-the-art facilities and a dynamic curriculum designed to prepare students for the working world.
Velayutham did not hesitate to send his sons, Thaneswaran (far right) and Prasanth (far left) to UTP.
"Ranking-wise, UTP is a premier university and that too was a factor," says Velayutham, whose sons are studying Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology.
Ho Kum Foo, whose children are Civil Engineering and Electrical and Electronics Engineering graduates at UTP, also shares Sundarajan’s sentiment.
Ho’s family with his daughter, Agnes Ho Yin Yee (standing centre) and son Derek Ho Yong Hon (standing right) who both graduated from UTP.
"The reputation of the university, nurturing facilities and environment, as well as the location and security, were important factors," he said, adding that his children were the final decision-makers.
“But as parents, we have to constantly provide the information right from when they are still in secondary school, and then also visit UTP,” he said.
A leading university
UTP Registrar Associate Professor Dr Ku Zilati Ku Shaari points out that most prospective students are aware of the university’s unique selling propositions.
“Our annual student intake survey reveals that almost 80% of students choose UTP because of its academic quality and world-class education,” she says.
Parents tend to choose universities based on future employability. On the latter, UTP, which celebrates its 25th anniversary last year, delivers in spades.
UTP’s graduate employability rates remain impressive, with 95% of its graduates employed at government-linked companies, multinational corporations and the private sector.
Surveys over the years show that 88% hold skilled positions such as managers, professionals and engineers. In addition, 40% command salaries above the country’s national average.
UTP’s engineering degrees, which are accredited under the Washington Accord offer graduates tremendous opportunities to be employed globally.
The university has an ethos of producing well-rounded graduates with technical, communication and interpersonal skills, which parents have observed in their children.
“My sons are more hard-working and disciplined. They also gained confidence and speaking skills. So, the university is shaping them,” says Velayutham.
The university is recognised as the world’s most improved institution, among those with 10 or more ranked subjects, with an overall improvement of 82% in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2023.
This year UTP’s Petroleum Engineering broke into the top 20 in the world, while the Mineral and Mining Engineering programme also climbed into the world’s top 50 and Chemical Engineering into the top 100.
For Engineering and Technology broad subject areas, UTP is now ranked 200th globally and is the fourth highest-ranked university in the nation. It has also consolidated its position as the number one private university in Asean for Engineering and Technology broad subject areas.
UTP has strong industry connections to facilitate its seven-month internship programme, the only one of its kind in Malaysia. This ensures that UTP’s academic programmes are kept abreast with industry needs.
The university also prepares students for the working world through sports, extracurricular activities and technopreneur skills development.
International exposure through overseas internships and research attachments is another opportunity for UTP students. According to Dr Ku Zilati, by 2025 these global internships will be a graduation requirement.
All foundation and undergraduate students are guaranteed on-campus accommodation also goes down well with parents. About 10% of the campus population is made up of international students from more than 40 countries.
Despite these advantages, challenges exist. Dr Ku Zilati points out that interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education is on the wane. The pandemic, which forced much of the student development and experience activities online, also had an impact.
For tuition fees, Dr Ku Zilati corrects the perception that studying at UTP is unaffordable. There are ample funding avenues, scholarships and financial assistance available, each year more than 800 scholarships are available from the public sector and the industry.
To date, 72% of UTP students are sponsored and 41% from the B40 families category are financially assisted by Tabung Amanah Zakat UTP and several other sponsoring agencies.
Coupled with the world-class education offered, UTP is a value-for-money institution of higher learning.
Open day
The university undertakes engagement sessions involving parents and other stakeholders. Meet-and-greet sessions, which began in 2021, allow students and parents to interact with UTP’s ambassadors, including the academic staff, students and alumni.
"There is also a virtual and physical open day held each semester, which provides first-hand experience on UTP’s state-of the art facilities, vibrant campus infrastructure and well-rounded global community," said Dr Ku Zilati.
For more information and to apply for UTP’s foundation and undergraduate programmes this May intake, visit
www.utp.edu.my.
