Open University Malaysia (OUM)

About Open University Malaysia (OUM)

Open University Malaysia, known as OUM and named Universiti Terbuka Malaysia in Bahasa Melayu, is the country’s first open and distance learning (ODL) private university. The institution was founded in August 2000 and opened its doors to the first cohort of 753 learners in 2001, with the official launch ceremony performed by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on 26 August 2002. The headquarters is Menara OUM in Blok C of Kompleks Kelana Centre Point on Jalan SS7/19, Kelana Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, where the university relocated in 2020.

OUM was established to widen access to higher education for Malaysians who could not enrol in conventional residential universities, particularly working adults, parents, mid-career switchers, and learners in regional towns far from a university campus. Twenty-five years after its founding, the university serves around 30,000 active learners and has produced more than 103,000 graduates. The most recent convocation, held as the 29th Convocation in May 2025, conferred 7,915 awards in a single ceremony, including 14 doctorates, 419 master’s degrees, 5,179 postgraduate diplomas, 1,813 bachelor’s degrees, and 490 diplomas. That throughput is several times larger than most residential private universities in Malaysia.

Leadership of the university sits with President and Vice-Chancellor Prof Dato’ Dr Ahmad Izanee Awang, who has held the position since 1 February 2022. The Pro-Chancellor is Tan Sri Azman Hashim, the long-serving banker and corporate figure. The first Chancellor of OUM, appointed in 2004, was the late Endon Mahmood. Across the university, 64 active programmes run through five faculties, and the broader MQA register lists 137 programmes when retired courses are counted. The university is a member of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU), the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL).

Recognition has tracked the institution’s growth. OUM holds Tier 5 (Excellent) status under SETARA’11, was later classified Berdaya Maju (Viable) in subsequent assessment cycles, and in 2025 received both the inaugural MQA Lifelong Learning Excellence Award and a Top 10 placement at the QS Reimagine Education Awards in London. The QS 5-Star rating for Online Learning, scored at 90 out of 100, places OUM among the top-rated online universities globally. For a national directory of private universities in Malaysia, OUM occupies a category of one as the country’s flagship ODL provider.

METEOR Sdn Bhd: The 11-Public-University Consortium Behind OUM

The ownership structure of Open University Malaysia is one of the most unusual in Malaysian higher education and the single feature that distinguishes OUM most sharply from other private universities. The legal owner is METEOR Sdn Bhd, short for Multimedia Technology Enhancement Operations, a private company incorporated in 1998 specifically to set up and run the country’s first ODL university. The shareholders of METEOR are not private investors. They are all 11 first-tier Malaysian public universities, each holding equity in the consortium.

The shareholder list reads as a roll call of the public university system: Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). Between them, the eleven universities represent the entire research, comprehensive, and focused-university tier of the Malaysian public system.

This structure produces three practical effects. First, OUM has access to academic talent, course material, and quality benchmarks drawn from all eleven shareholder universities, an arrangement no other private institution can replicate. Second, the consortium carries a quasi-public legitimacy that has helped OUM secure full equivalency for its degrees in Malaysian public sector employment since 1 January 2017, putting OUM graduates on equal footing with public university graduates for civil service hiring. Third, OUM is positioned more as a public service institution than a profit-maximising private university, which feeds into its lower fees relative to residential private universities and its mission focus on working adults.

For prospective learners, the practical takeaway is that an OUM qualification is recognised in the same regulatory framework as Universiti Malaya or UKM, accredited by MQA at the same standard, and accepted for promotions, scholarships, and government employment under the same rules. The trade-off is the delivery model: study is mostly online and on weekends rather than in a residential campus environment, which suits adults but rarely school-leavers seeking the conventional university experience offered by residential alternatives such as Sunway University or Taylor’s University.

OUM Learning Centre Network Across Malaysia

The Learning Centre network is the physical backbone of OUM’s ODL model and the second feature that separates the university from peer providers. OUM operates more than 35 Learning Centres across Malaysia, with at least one centre in every state except Perlis, where only a Kangar marketing office is maintained. Ten of these centres carry the designation of regional centre, with broader administrative coverage and larger seminar capacity, while the remainder function as state or sub-state centres serving learners within a typical one-hour drive.

In the Klang Valley and central region, learners can attend seminars in Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur city centre, Bangi, Kuala Selangor, and Banting. The southern region is served by centres in Johor Bahru, Simpang Renggam, Pontian, Batu Pahat, Melaka, and Seremban, with the Selangor private university hub anchoring the central cluster. The east coast network covers Kota Bharu, Kuala Krai, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Temerloh, and Kuala Lipis, reaching learners along both the coastal corridor and the inland Pahang-Kelantan route.

The northern region operates centres in Alor Setar, Sungai Petani, Seberang Jaya, Bukit Jambul on Penang island, Ipoh, Taiping, Tanjong Malim, and Manjung. East Malaysia carries strong coverage given the lower density of residential universities. Sabah hosts centres in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Keningau, Kota Marudu, Lahad Datu, and Tawau. Sarawak runs centres in Kuching, Sibu, Bintulu, and Miri. Beyond Malaysia, OUM also maintains an International Centre in Kazakhstan, the only Malaysian ODL university with a permanent operational footprint in Central Asia.

For working adults, the practical effect of this network is that almost any Malaysian within a major town can attend weekend seminars without long-distance travel. A learner in Tawau, for example, attends face-to-face sessions at the Tawau Learning Centre rather than flying to Selangor. The same model applies to a learner in Kuala Krai, Pontian, or Bintulu. This nationwide reach is unmatched by any other private university and is the operational reason OUM can serve a learner population spread across the entire country rather than concentrating in the Klang Valley.

Programs at OUM

OUM runs 64 active programmes across five faculties, with the broader MQA register listing 137 programmes once retired courses are counted. The active mix includes 1 Advanced Diploma, 16 Diplomas, 76 Bachelor’s degrees (with stackable specialisations), 31 Master’s programmes, 10 Doctoral programmes, and 2 Postgraduate Diplomas. Programmes are organised by faculty as follows.

The Faculty of Business and Management runs 17 programmes including the MBA, the International MBA, the DBA, a PhD in Business, and Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting, Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Tourism Management, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management. Diploma offerings cover Accounting, Human Resource Management, and Management. The faculty also operates partnership pathways with MIA and CIMA for accounting graduates seeking professional registration.

The Faculty of Education and Languages offers the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education), Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, and Bachelor of Education in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language). Postgraduate options include the Master of Education in multiple specialisations including TESL, the Master of Early Childhood Education, the Master of Instructional Design and Technology, and the Doctor of Education alongside the PhD in Education and a PhD in Early Childhood Education. The faculty also runs a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and a Diploma in Early Childhood Education, both popular with serving educators.

The Faculty of Technology and Applied Sciences (FTAS) is the most heavily regulated cluster at OUM. It includes the Bachelor of Nursing Science, recognised by the Malaysia Nursing Board for registered nurse registration, the Bachelor of Medical and Health Sciences, the Bachelor of Manufacturing Management, the Bachelor of Occupational Safety and Health Management, and the Bachelor of Project and Facility Management. Master’s offerings cover Nursing, Health Sciences, Project Management, Quality Management, Facility Management, and OSH Risk Management, with PhD pathways in Science and a Doctor of Nursing. The Diploma in OSH Management is a feeder qualification for the bachelor’s. Professional body recognition spans the Malaysia Nursing Board, the Medical Assistant Board, SIRIM, and the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH).

The Faculty of Computing and Analytics is the newest of the five and reflects the digital workforce demand of the past decade. It runs the Bachelor of Information Technology, the Bachelor of Digital Media and Design, the Master of Information Technology, the Master in Data Science, and the PhD in Information Technology, plus a Diploma in Information Technology. The faculty has 18 short-form AI and data certificates in the pipeline for industry-linked upskilling, mirroring the demand for shorter qualifications visible in the wider Malaysian online education market also served by UNITAR International University.

The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities covers Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology, Communication, English Studies, Liberal Studies, Political Science, and Islamic Studies. Postgraduate programmes include the Master of Counselling, Master of Psychology, Master of English Studies, Master of Islamic Studies, and Master of Corporate Communication. Doctoral options include the PhD in Arts. The faculty also runs a Postgraduate Diploma in Islamic Studies and Diplomas in Psychology and Islamic Studies with Education.

Fees at OUM

OUM fees are structured as full-programme totals rather than annual figures, which is the standard convention for ODL providers in Malaysia. The figures below reflect 2026 published rates and apply to Malaysian learners; international fees vary slightly upward.

Programme Level	Fee (RM, full programme)
Diploma	from 12,780
Bachelor’s degree	21,360 to 27,360
Master’s degree	18,396 to 26,611
International MBA	31,933
PhD	from 31,270

The diploma starting price of RM 12,780 makes OUM one of the most affordable accredited routes to a Malaysian diploma qualification. The bachelor’s range of RM 21,360 to RM 27,360 sits well below typical residential private university degree totals, which commonly run from RM 60,000 to RM 90,000 for similar disciplines. Master’s programmes from RM 18,396 are similarly priced below residential equivalents, and the International MBA at RM 31,933 covers international-cohort delivery and English-medium materials. The PhD starting price of RM 31,270 reflects the supervisory and examination model used for doctoral candidates studying part-time alongside professional work.

Fees are typically settled per semester rather than upfront. OUM accepts PTPTN study loans, SOCSO learning funds (Skim Pendidikan KWSP-related arrangements where applicable), employer sponsorships, and HRD Corp claimable arrangements that allow Malaysian employers to claim part-time staff training against the Human Resources Development levy. This payment flexibility is part of the operational model designed for working adults paying out of monthly salary rather than parents paying in lump sums.

ODL Model and APEL Pathways at OUM

The OUM open and distance learning model is structured around three interlocking components rather than the conventional residential lecture format. The first component is self-managed online study using digital modules, recorded video lectures, and reference materials hosted on the OUM learning platform. Each course module is structured to be worked through independently across a semester. The second component is the weekly e-tutorial, a moderated online session led by a faculty tutor where learners discuss course material, work through assignments, and resolve questions. The third component is the face-to-face seminar, held on weekends at the learner’s nearest Learning Centre, typically across five sessions per semester. Examinations are sat in person at a Learning Centre.

This blended structure allows a learner in full-time employment to complete a degree without taking leave from work. Three intakes are offered per year, in January, May, and September. The four-month-cycle intake structure is roughly four times faster than the single annual intake offered by most residential universities, which means a learner who decides in February can begin formal study in May rather than waiting until the following February. For working adults timing study around career moves, parental leave, or employer support windows, this cadence is one of the operational advantages of choosing OUM.

The two APEL pathways are central to the OUM admissions story. APEL stands for Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning, a Malaysian Qualifications Agency framework that lets adults enter higher education without conventional academic certificates. APEL.A is the entry pathway. It allows adults aged 21 and above to enter a diploma, adults aged 30 and above to enter a bachelor’s degree, adults aged 35 and above to enter a master’s degree, and adults aged 40 and above to enter a doctoral programme, all without holding the conventional pre-entry qualification. Entry is assessed through a portfolio of work experience and a structured aptitude test. APEL.C is the credit transfer pathway. It allows learners with relevant work experience to claim credit against specific course modules, shortening the time and cost needed to complete a programme. OUM is one of Malaysia’s most active universities for both APEL.A and APEL.C, with a dedicated team and email contact at apel@oum.edu.my.

The combined effect of these two APEL pathways is that an adult who left formal schooling without SPM, took on twenty years of work in retail management or nursing or administration, and never completed a tertiary qualification can still enrol in an OUM bachelor’s degree at age 40 and graduate with a recognised qualification within four years. That access is the institutional purpose for which OUM was created.

Admissions at OUM

Admission to OUM follows two tracks: conventional academic entry and APEL entry. Conventional academic entry mirrors the standard Malaysian framework. Diploma entry requires SPM with at least three credits including specific subjects depending on the programme. Bachelor’s entry requires STPM, A-Level, matriculation, foundation, or a relevant diploma. Master’s entry requires a recognised bachelor’s degree, with class requirements depending on the programme. PhD entry requires a recognised master’s degree.

The APEL track works in parallel and is described in the section above. Applications can be submitted year-round, with intake assignment to the next available January, May, or September window. The admissions office publishes documentation requirements and processing timelines on the OUM website, with separate admissions emails for general intake (admission@oum.edu.my), international applicants (int_admission@oum.edu.my), and APEL applicants (apel@oum.edu.my). Counselling and queries on existing learner matters route through learneraffairs@oum.edu.my, and corporate communications run through corpcomm@oum.edu.my.

The main contact numbers for the university are +603-7801 1800 for general inquiries and +603-7801 2000 for the switchboard. WhatsApp lines are maintained at +6012-303 9935 and +6019-357 9074 for prospective learner queries, which is the preferred channel for many working adults given that OUM’s marketing office operates Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 4 pm. The corporate office maintains standard hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30 am to 5.30 pm and Friday 8.30 am to 12.30 pm.

OUM in Kelana Jaya, Selangor

Menara OUM is located in Blok C of Kompleks Kelana Centre Point on Jalan SS7/19, in the heart of Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya. The university relocated to this purpose-suited tower in 2020, consolidating administrative, faculty, and learner-facing functions under a single roof. Kelana Jaya itself is one of the most accessible parts of the Klang Valley, served by the Kelana Jaya LRT line that runs through to KLCC and Putra Heights, the New Klang Valley Expressway, the Federal Highway, and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway. For learners attending convocations, professional examinations, or in-person admissions appointments, the Kelana Jaya location is reachable within a typical 30-minute drive from most parts of the Klang Valley and within a 10-minute walk from the Lembah Subang LRT station.

The strategic placement in Kelana Jaya was deliberate. The area sits at the intersection of Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, and Shah Alam, the three Selangor cities with the highest concentration of working professionals and corporate offices. For an institution whose primary learner is a Klang Valley working adult, locating headquarters in Kelana Jaya reduces friction for prospective learners visiting on a lunch break and for graduates collecting transcripts after work. The Kompleks Kelana Centre Point complex itself is a mixed-use commercial development with banks, food outlets, and supporting retail on the ground floors, which gives the building day-to-day vibrancy beyond the university’s own activity.

The wider Petaling Jaya and Selangor university ecosystem provides the comparative context. While OUM’s Kelana Jaya tower is the operational heart of the institution, the actual learning takes place across 35+ Learning Centres nationwide and online, which means the Selangor base functions more as headquarters and convocation venue than as a campus in the conventional residential sense. For learners comparing OUM with other Selangor-based institutions in the Selangor private university hub, the distinguishing feature remains the ODL model and nationwide Learning Centre reach rather than the headquarters location itself. The 25-year track record, the METEOR consortium ownership, and the 103,000-plus graduate base together position Open University Malaysia as the country’s reference institution for accredited adult learning at scale.