SIBU – Universiti Teknologi Sarawak (UTS) has reportedly exceeded the state government’s 2027 enrolment goal by recording 5,003 students as of the latest intake—achieving the target a full two years in advance.
According to Datuk Khairuddin Ab. Hamid, Vice-Chancellor of UTS, the September 2025 intake brought in 611 new students, comprising 588 undergraduates and 23 postgraduate candidates.
Of these, 590 hail from Sarawak, 13 come from other parts of Malaysia (including Labuan, Johor, Sabah and Selangor), while eight are international students representing China (4), Pakistan (2), the Netherlands (1) and Indonesia (1).
He emphasised that UTS, which is wholly owned by the Sarawak Government, functions as a state public university yet operates with flexibility akin to private institutions, notably without quotas or intake segregation.
The university’s mission centres on delivering internationally competitive education, fostering a harmonious multi-racial and multi-religious culture, upholding student welfare, and becoming a source of pride for Sarawakians.
The growth trajectory of UTS has been rapid: from just 1,368 students in 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, enrolment climbed to 2,229 in 2022, 2,794 in 2023, and 4,464 in 2024 before reaching the current 5,003.
This success is in line with earlier projections. Sarawak Deputy Minister Dr Annuar Rapaee had predicted that UTS would reach 5,000 students by the end of 2025.
The achievement also aligns with the university’s strategic drive to expand access, especially for students from lower-income families, through substantial scholarship and bursary support.
Looking ahead, the Sarawak Government is poised to introduce free tertiary education in 2026 for residents, with a budget allocation of nearly RM600 million. UTS is among the four state institutions slated to benefit from this initiative.
The early attainment of its enrolment goal underscores UTS’s growing influence in Sarawak’s higher education landscape and suggests rising confidence among prospective students in its academic offerings.
