8 Most Beautiful University Campuses in Malaysia to Study At

Malaysians (those who can afford it anyway) love to head overseas especially to the UK or Australia to further their studies after secondary school. However, Malaysia is also home to many outstanding higher learning institutions, with 28 ranked on the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2024, noted for their vibrant and inclusive learning environment.

Many of these educational institutions also boast beautiful campuses, because having a gorgeous place to study at will motivate you to attend class in the morning, right? Read on for our list of the most beautiful university campuses in Malaysia:

1. Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP)

A campus which earns a well-deserved place on this list is UTP, which is so cool, that you wouldn’t guess that it’s in Malaysia (yes, us Malaysians always have a penchant for underestimating our own country).  Its architectural design is so noteworthy that it has received rave accolades including the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2007. Last year, it was also ranked the best university in Malaysia on the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2023.

It is wholly owned by PETRONAS and the campus which took two years to construct is built on a whopping 400 hectares in the new township of Seri Iskandar, Perak. Here’s a map you can check out if you happen to be in town and want to visit the campus, some areas and buildings are open to the public but do note that certain places are restricted.

2. University of Technology Sarawak (UTS)

For this next spot, you’ll have to head over to East Malaysia to Sibu. Founded in 2013, it was formerly known as the University College of Technology Sarawak and is the only university which is wholly owned by the Sarawak State Government.

According to its website, they are the only university in the world to be awarded the prestigious Platinum rating in the Green Building Index (GBI) for its campus design in promoting sustainability in its built environment and energy utilisation which is also set within the enclosure of the rainforest.

Rain harvesting is carried out here and its smart lights even recognise when to brighten and dim the lights. Indoors, its stunning architecture is somewhat reminiscent of Jewel Changi Airport.

3. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia

This university campus with its lakeside setting has become a landmark of Putrajaya and is a part of Putrajaya Lake’s ‘green continuum’. Costing a whopping £35m (approximately RM205 million) to build, it spans 4.8 acres and was opened in 2014.

It also boasts the first living grass roof of its kind in Malaysia which is 300 metres long and 30 metres wide and is even accessible by a glass lift. Talk about the grass being greener on the other side! You can also take a virtual tour of the campus here.

4. University of Reading

This private university is in EduCity, Iskandar Puteri, Johor. The 30,000 square-metre site is made up of two buildings which are centred around a central atrium known as the 'Heartspace', an area inspired by the Whiteknights campus in Reading, UK which includes an amphitheatre. Its massive steel building is cutting-edge and modern, and its design made the finals at the World Architecture Festival Awards in 2013.

Its state-of-the-art sports facilities include a 12,000-seat stadium and indoor arena offering basketball, badminton, squash, volleyball, and futsal, plus an aquatic centre with an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Phew!

5. Taylor's University Lakeside Campus

This list wouldn’t be complete without the mention of this campus, which is known as the place where many rich kids (and we assume Datuk’s kids) go. Set on 27 acres of tropical greenery, the integrated purpose-built campus in Subang Jaya surrounds a 5.5-acre man-made lake as well as a picturesque landscape.

The RM450 million campus took three years to build, and they even received the Special Honour Award from the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia in Category 3: Professional Awards in Landscape Design and Planning.

6. Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Kampar Campus

While UTAR has two campuses, one at Sungai Long and the other at Kampar, we’re talking about the latter. We’ve visited this campus itself and while we can’t imagine studying here for four years because the town is so boring (sorry, Kampar folks), the campus was built on a 1300-acre piece of land which is flanked by picturesque mountains and dotted with scenic lakes.

We were really impressed by the main palatial grand hall with Forbidden City vibes which is fronted by a cascading fountain. To add to its China resort vibes is the UTAR Bird Sanctuary which is a heronry located on a small island in the middle of the lake on campus.

7. Wawasan Open University

Although this university in Penang is pretty small, it is located right by the sea and its modern 12-storey Al-Bukhary building is fronted by a mansion called Homestead, a restored residence of the late Yeap Chor Ee, a notable businessman who founded the Ban Hin Lee Bank and philanthropist. This makes it look like our local version of the White House although there definitely aren’t any prime ministers living in it!

8. Peninsula College, The Ship Campus

While this isn’t a university per se, The Ship Campus at the Batu Kawan Industrial Park, Penang will be Peninsula College’s national headquarters and will deliver University of Plymouth degrees across a range of subjects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The awesome part about this campus is that its building is modelled after a cruise and there are many nautical elements within like the ‘Brighton Beach Boxes’ where students can study in private. There is also a Bondi Beach Interactive Area with its walls painted to look like the Sydney location where students can chill. It can accommodate 4000 students across nine decks. You can also rent out the space for events.

Watch a walkthrough video of the campus here:

Writing this list has made us feel like going back to our university days already! Which campus do you think is the prettiest?

Image credit: utp.edu.my, set.uts.edu.my, reading.edu.my, hw.ac.uk, archify.com, facebook.com/wawasanopenuni, facebook.com/UTARnet/, pktgroup.com/education/the-ship-campus/