25TH ANNIVERSARY OF TUANKU SYED SIRAJUDDIN ENGINEERING CAMPUS STRENGTHENS USM’S ROLE IN THE NATIONAL ENGINEERING AND SEMICONDUCTOR ECOSYSTEM

NIBONG TEBAL, 25 July 2026 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) today celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus (KKTSS).

The celebration marked a significant milestone for the campus, which has grown into one of the key contributors to the development of engineering and technology talent in the country, particularly in the electrical and electronics (E&E) and semiconductor sectors.

The campus, which began as the Perak Branch Campus (Kampus Cawangan Perak, KCP) in Seri Iskandar, Perak, relocated to Penang in 2001 and was subsequently known as the Engineering Campus before being proclaimed as the Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus (KKTSS) by the Chancellor of USM, His Royal Highness Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, on 22 January 2026.

Chairman of the USM Board of Governors, Emeritus Professor Dato’ Dr. Hassan Said, in his opening speech, said that KKTSS continues to strengthen its role as a hub for education, research and talent development in engineering and strategic technology fields.

He said the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Sains@USM, Bukit Jambul, is expected to accommodate an additional intake of approximately 200 students beginning in the 2026/2027 academic session to meet the needs of high-technology industries, particularly the semiconductor sector.

He also expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) for approving an allocation of RM55 million under the 13th Malaysia Plan, Rolling Plan 1 (RMK13-RP1), for the development of infrastructure for the offshore programme of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Sains@USM, Bukit Jambul.

He said talent development must be driven collectively by universities, industry and the government, as the semiconductor and E&E sectors require highly skilled talent capable of navigating advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, the Internet of Things (IoT), data centres and electric vehicles (EVs).

Meanwhile, USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed, expressed his appreciation to university staff, industry partners and alumni who have contributed to the development of the campus throughout its 25 years in Penang.

He said the campus’s achievements are not solely based on academic excellence, but also on its ability to connect teaching, research, innovation, as well as industry and community networks.

“Industry collaborations include the development of elective courses, joint research, laboratory improvements and equipment contributions, ensuring that the curriculum remains relevant while enhancing graduates’ employability,” he said.

He added that the celebration was not merely an occasion to commemorate the campus’s history and achievements, but also served as a platform to strengthen collaboration among the university, industry and government in addressing future technological challenges.

USM’s capabilities in research, innovation and international networking have also received recognition, with the university climbing six places to rank 128th globally in the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2027, making USM the second-best university in Malaysia.

In the E&E and semiconductor sectors, USM has been appointed as the lead coordinator of the E&E Consortium for the Ministry of Higher Education’s Research Incubator and Industry Absorption (MRI3) programme, involving 20 public universities.

He added that the campus’s research capabilities have also been strengthened through the USM Centre for Excellence in Microelectronic Design (CEDEC), particularly in the field of integrated circuit (IC) design, through strategic collaborations with global semiconductor industry players.

Moving forward, KKTSS has the potential to support the development of high-technology industrial areas in Kerian, northern Perak, particularly through its expertise in engineering, research and talent development to strengthen the E&E ecosystem and attract new investments.

Text: Siti Faizah Abd Halim / Photo: Muhammad Taufik Abdul Rahman