KUALA LUMPUR: The success of Malaysian universities in securing international rankings demonstrates the country’s capability to emerge as a globally respected hub of excellence in education, research and innovation, says Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
The Higher Education Minister said while rankings are not the ultimate goal of a university, they remain an important indicator of the quality, reputation and competitiveness of higher education institutions on the international stage.
“The achievements reflected the collective efforts of lecturers, researchers, students, alumni, staff and industry partners who have consistently worked to elevate the standing of the nation’s higher education sector,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday, Bernama reported.
“May this momentum of excellence continue to grow in producing the nation’s best talents and strengthening Malaysia’s position as a preferred destination for higher education,” he said.
Zambry also congratulated Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) for becoming the first Malaysian university to secure a place among Asia’s top 40 universities.
Zambry also commended the country’s public and private higher education institutions that have continued to strengthen their performance in the rankings.
These institutions include Universiti Malaya, Sunway University, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris and Universiti Tenaga Nasional.
UTP climbed to 35th place in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2026, up from 43rd position last year.
The report also noted that 27 Malaysian institutions were listed in this year’s rankings, with a record six universities placed among Asia’s top 100 and 11 local universities ranked within the top 200.
