Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) continues to make history and elevate the nation’s name on the international higher education stage through its outstanding performance in the global QS World University Rankings (QSWUR) and the QS World University Rankings by Subject (QSWUR by Subject) 2025. This success not only reflects UMT’s academic and research strength but also proves the effectiveness of the UMT Strategic Plan 2023–2027 (PSUMT5) in driving a comprehensive transformation of the university’s achievements..

In March 2025, UMT took a significant step forward when two academic fields, namely Agriculture and Forestry, and Economics and Econometrics, successfully secured a place in the QS World University Rankings by Subject. Agriculture and Forestry achieved a world ranking of 301–350, while Economics and Econometrics was listed for the first time in the 551–700 band.

This achievement reflects international recognition and is a source of great pride, especially as the ranking assesses universities based on five main indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, H-index, and international research network.

The field of Agriculture and Forestry continues to excel in research and innovation, strengthening UMT’s reputation in natural resources and sustainability. The strong integration of teaching, research, and industry collaboration has positioned the Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science and the Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries (AKUATROP) as main catalysts in realising UMT’s strategic plan.

At the same time, the listing of Economics and Econometrics sends a clear signal that UMT is gaining greater global recognition, as a result of its strong academic reputation, high-impact research, and robust international collaborations. This is the first-ever achievement for this field for UMT, reflecting the maturity and competitiveness of the university’s economics programme on the international stage.

It also aligns with the university’s aspiration to establish the Blue Economy Centre to drive research, education, and advocacy related to ocean-based sustainability.

A proud achievement was recorded when Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) was listed for the first time among the world’s top 801–850 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026, a significant improvement compared to its position of 1001–1200 since 2020. This leap of more than 200 places reflects not only the university’s rapid growth but also its strategic success in strengthening a competitive academic and research ecosystem at the global level.

This improvement is clear evidence of the successful implementation of the UMT Strategic Plan 2022–2026 (PSUMT5), which focuses on phased developments in the academic field. These include the restructuring of academic programmes to be more relevant to current and future needs, the enhancement of curricula based on Outcome-Based Education (OBE), and the development of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes to expand access to quality education for students from diverse backgrounds and locations.

UMT also places special emphasis on developing competent and high-impact academic staff, through qualification upgrading, the appointment of experienced international lecturers, and the encouragement of sabbaticals and attachments at overseas institutions and industries. These continuous efforts have strengthened cross-disciplinary research capacity and contributed to the improvement of both the quality and quantity of publications in high-indexed journals, subsequently providing positive impacts towards the university’s global ranking.

UMT is also committed to strengthening its presence in major citation databases, promoting focused research, and enhancing academic performance through internationalisation and knowledge transfer approaches. These initiatives are further supported by the involvement of students and lecturers in global research projects, international seminars, and collaborative publications with renowned institutions.

With all these achievements, it is clear that UMT is not only making a name for itself nationally but has also emerged as a higher education institution with internationally competitive academic strength. This success is not the end, but rather a catalyst for UMT to continue leading the nation’s academic excellence towards a brighter future.