Universiti Sains Malaysia (lit. 'Science University of Malaysia'; abbreviated as USM) is a public research university in Malaysia. Founded on 1 June 1969 as a statutory body with its own constitution, it is among the oldest institutes of higher learning in Northern Malaysia. It has three campuses: a main campus on the island of Penang, a health campus in Kelantan, and an engineering campus in Nibong Tebal.

USM is the only Accelerated Programs for Excellence (APEX) government-funded autonomous university in Malaysia.^[4][5] Like most of other universities in Malaysia, USM also used English as its medium of instruction.

The idea of a university in Penang was first mooted by D. S. Ramanathan in 1959 in the State Assembly and later crystallised when he was nominated chairman of the Penang University Project committee.^[6] The acquisition of a piece of land in Sungai Ara was then followed by the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone by Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman on 7 August 1967.

USM was established as a statutory body and the second university in Malaysia in 1969. It was first known as the University of Penang (Malay: Universiti Pulau Pinang). The university operated on borrowed premises at the Malayan Teachers' Training College at Gelugor, with only 57 science-based students in the beginning. In 1971, it moved to its present 239-hectare site at Minden (formerly Minden Barracks of the British Far East Command) in Gelugor, 10 kilometres from the city of Georgetown.

Apart from the main campus, there are two other USM campuses: one at Kubang Kerian in Kelantan, known as the Health campus, and the other at Seri Ampangan, Nibong Tebal in Penang, known as the Engineering campus. The former houses the School of Medical Sciences, the School of Health Sciences and the School of Dental Sciences, while the latter houses the six engineering schools.

On 3 September 2008, the Ministry of Higher Education under Mohamed Khaled Nordin selected USM to implement the Accelerated Programme for Excellence (APEX), a fast track development programme created to enable institutions of higher education to be recognised as world class entities.^[7][8]

The coat of arms of Universiti Sains Malaysia was first introduced in June 1972 and modernised in 2009. Its initial draft was designed by York Heralds of Arms in London, before being perfected by an artist and Penang Free School (PFS) teacher, Mr. G.S. Reutens.^[9]

The arms features a crescent moon and a fourteen-pointed federal star, two tigers holding palm fronds, a native shield and a motto. The shield itself displays an open book in front of a pair of crisscrossed krises (Malay dagger) in the chief (upper part) and the national flower Bunga Raya or Hibiscus rosa-sinensis flower in the base (remainder). The open book represents knowledge, the krises represent royalty, the crescent represents islam, the 14-pointed federal star represents the thirteen states and the Federal Territories, the tigers represent strength and courage and the palm fronds represents economic prosperity.^[10][11]

Although this arms contains much local symbolism, it generally conforms to traditional English heraldic principles, and may be blazoned as follows.

Shield: Purpure in chief in front of two krises in saltire an open book and in base a Bunga Raya or hibiscus flower all proper.

Crest: On a wreath of the Colours a crescent therefrom issuant a fourteen-pointed federal star Or.

Supporters: Two tigers rampant, each holding a palm frond proper.

Motto: "Kami Memimpin" (Malay: "We Lead")

Since 2003, the USM coat of arms is accompanied by the university's logotype designed by Anthony Tan Chee Kian, featuring the initials U, S and M attached to one another and the university's name in full written in capital letters –'UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA' as seen on its corporate logo.

Universiti Sains Malaysia is currently one of the three public universities in Malaysia to adopt its coat of arms, the other two are the University of Malaya and the National University of Malaysia.

The following is a list of vice-chancellors of Universiti Sains Malaysia.

The Main campus has the name of a German city (Minden) because the campus was built on the territory of the former British Minden Barracks, which themselves were named after the Battle of Minden.

Besides the main campus in Minden, USM has one at Kubang Kerian in Kelantan known as Health Campus and another at Seri Ampangan, Nibong Tebal in mainland Penang known as Engineering Campus.

Started as a USM hospital in 1982, the Health campus has expanded after the School of Medical Science was moved from the main campus to the present site which is 73 hectares. The School of Medical Science was moved from the main campus in June 1984. There are two other schools in the health campus — the School of Dental Science and the School of Allied Health Sciences.

The Engineering Campus was originally located at Tronoh, Perak, and named Perak Branch Campus (KCP). After operating in the state for 15 years (1986–2001), the Engineering Campus moved to the present site in Nibong Tebal, Penang.

The Library of Universiti Sains Malaysia is located within campus.

• Dewan Tuanku Syed Putra: The main auditorium of USM on the main campus on Penang Island
• The main gate of the main campus
• The international office of USM now known as International Mobility & Collaboration Centre or IMCC

USM provides sporting facilities such as archery range, cricket, football field, badminton courts, tennis courts, hockey ground, rugby field, softball, squash courts, and basketball courts. Its ground was used for the 2008 U/19 Cricket World Cup.

Among others, USM has a jazz orchestra called the USM Jazz Band that is composed of student musicians from various schools in the university.^[13]

The university was ranked 111th in the World University Rankings 2004^[14] published by the Times Higher Education Supplement.

On 2015, USM was ranked 87th in Best Global Universities for Engineering of U.S. News & World Report College and University Ranking.^[15]

The alumni of Universiti Sains Malaysia include politicians such as Mohd Ali Rustam, current Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Malacca, Chow Kon Yeow, current Chief Minister of Penang, Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, current Menteri Besar of Pahang, Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, current Menteri Besar of Kedah and Yusril Ihza Mahendra, current general chairman of the Crescent Star Party (Indonesia).

• List of Islamic educational institutions