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University College Penang

UOW MALAYSIA KDU Penang University College

Previously known as: KDU Penang University College

University College in George Town, Penang, Malaysia

At a Glance

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College is a private university college located at 32, Jalan Anson, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang. The institution was established in Penang in 1991 as the second branch of KDU, founded to cater to the higher education needs of aspiring students in the northern peninsular region. In September 2019, UOW Global Enterprises (a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Wollongong Australia) acquired the KDU institutions, and following an institutional transformation process integrated them into the University of Wollongong Australia global network. The Penang campus operates today as UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College, serving as the northern peninsular sister site to the UOW Malaysia main campus (formerly KDU University, now operating in Glenmarie, Selangor under the UOW Malaysia brand). Programme delivery covers Certificate, Pre-University, Diploma, and Bachelor degree levels across Business, Communication, Creative Arts, Computing, Game Development, Engineering, Hospitality, Tourism, Culinary Arts, Nursing, Accounting, Early Childhood Education, and Interior Design and Interior Architecture.

Verified from MQA Malaysian Qualifications Register

UOW MALAYSIA KDU Penang University College Fees 2026

UOW MALAYSIA KDU Penang University College fees are not publicly listed on this directory.

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University Information

Institution Type
University College
State
Penang
City
George Town
Website
www.uow.edu.my
Founded
1991 (35 years)
MQA Reference
View on MQA Register

About UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College is a private university college in George Town, Penang, with a 30-plus-year operating history dating to its 1991 founding as the Penang branch of KDU. The institution was integrated into the University of Wollongong Australia global network through the September 2019 acquisition by UOW Global Enterprises, transforming the previous independent KDU institutional positioning into part of the UOW Australia network.

The institutional history runs through two principal phases. The KDU era (1991-2019) established the institution as the Penang branch of the broader KDU education group, providing higher education for the northern peninsular Malaysian student community. The UOW Malaysia era (2019 onwards) began with the September 2019 acquisition of the KDU institutions by UOW Global Enterprises (a wholly owned subsidiary of UOW Australia) and the subsequent integration into the University of Wollongong Australia global higher education network.

The institutional positioning today combines the local KDU operating heritage with the UOW Australia academic alignment. Students enrolled at UOW Malaysia KDU Penang receive programmes designed and quality-assured under the broader UOW Australia framework while studying on the Penang campus with local faculty and student services. The integration provides the dual-context credential value: Malaysian MQA-accredited qualifications combined with UOW Australia institutional alignment.

The Penang campus operates as the northern peninsular sister site to the UOW Malaysia main campus in Glenmarie, Selangor (the former KDU University, now operating in Glenmarie under the UOW Malaysia brand). The two-campus structure provides geographic accessibility across the central and northern peninsular regions for students who prefer to study closer to their home base.

Location of UOW Malaysia KDU Penang in George Town

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang is located at 32, Jalan Anson, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang. Jalan Anson sits within the central George Town area of Penang Island, with road access via the Penang central road network and via the Penang Bridge (the principal road link from mainland Perai to Penang Island).

George Town is the principal urban centre of Penang state and one of Malaysia’s principal heritage and commercial cities. The city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status (granted in 2008 for the historic core) reflects its substantial architectural and cultural heritage. Beyond the heritage area, George Town hosts the Penang state government complex, the principal Penang business district, and substantial concentrations of Penang’s IT and electronics sector (which is one of Malaysia’s principal high-technology economic clusters with substantial multinational presence).

Access to the campus is via Penang International Airport for visitors and international students, with regular domestic flights from Kuala Lumpur and from selected secondary destinations alongside international routes to Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, and other regional destinations. By road, the journey from central Kuala Lumpur takes approximately 4-5 hours via the North-South Expressway.

The Penang location places UOW Malaysia KDU Penang within the broader Penang higher education cluster alongside Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM, the principal Penang public university), Wawasan Open University (WOU, the open distance learning institution), and the broader Penang private and public higher education ecosystem.

The 2019 UOW Australia Integration

The September 2019 acquisition of the KDU institutions by UOW Global Enterprises was a significant institutional development that transformed the Malaysian KDU operations into part of the UOW Australia global network. The transaction was structured through UOW Global Enterprises, the wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Wollongong Australia that operates the broader UOW global education investments.

Following the acquisition, the KDU institutions underwent an institutional transformation process to integrate into the UOW Australia academic and operational framework. The integration process aligned the curriculum design, academic governance, faculty appointments, student services, and quality assurance frameworks with the broader UOW Australia institutional standards.

The strategic rationale for the acquisition reflects UOW Australia’s broader globalisation strategy. UOW Australia operates campuses and partnerships across multiple international locations, with the Malaysian operations providing the South East Asian regional anchor. For prospective students, the integration provides the additional credential signal of UOW Australia institutional alignment alongside the Malaysian MQA accreditation.

For the Penang campus specifically, the integration preserved the local Penang operations and student services while connecting the institution to the broader UOW Australia academic network and faculty resources. The combination of local Penang campus presence and UOW Australia network alignment is the contemporary institutional positioning.

Programmes at UOW Malaysia KDU Penang

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang offers programmes across Certificate, Pre-University, Diploma, and Bachelor degree levels across a broad academic portfolio:

  • Business programmes covering business administration, management, marketing, and the broader business school curriculum.
  • Accounting programmes preparing students for the professional accounting workforce.
  • Communication programmes covering mass communication, journalism, public relations, and broadcasting.
  • Computing programmes covering IT, software development, and the broader computing specialisms.
  • Creative Arts programmes including the broader creative and visual arts.
  • Culinary Arts programmes positioned for the hospitality and food service workforce.
  • Early Childhood Education programmes preparing teachers for the early childhood education sector.
  • Engineering programmes covering applied engineering disciplines.
  • Game Development programmes addressing the contemporary gaming and interactive entertainment industry.
  • Hospitality programmes for the hotel and hospitality industry workforce.
  • Interior Design and Interior Architecture programmes for the design and built environment specialisms.
  • Nursing programmes (subject to Nursing Board Malaysia professional body recognition).
  • Tourism programmes for the broader tourism and travel industry.

The MQA-accredited programme list at any given time is published on the Malaysian Qualifications Agency public register under the institutional entry. Specific programme availability at the Penang campus may differ from the broader UOW Malaysia main campus programme stack, and prospective applicants should confirm specific programme availability at the Penang campus directly with the institution.

Fees, Admissions, and Accreditation

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang’s fee positioning typically falls in the mid-tier range of the Malaysian private higher education market, with the UOW Australia network alignment supporting the institutional positioning. Specific 2026 fee figures should be requested directly from the institutional admissions office.

Entry to Foundation and Diploma programmes requires SPM, O-Level, or equivalent qualifications. Entry to Bachelor programmes requires the appropriate pre-university qualification. Healthcare-related programmes (Nursing) carry additional professional body recognition requirements through the Nursing Board Malaysia.

International applicants should plan for the Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) student visa pass.

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang operates under Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education registration corresponding to its university college status under the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996. The institution is listed on the Malaysian Qualifications Agency public register, with individual programmes carrying their own MQA accreditation references. The UOW Australia integration provides additional academic alignment to the Australian Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) framework that operates UOW Australia.

Contacting UOW Malaysia KDU Penang

  • Address: 32, Jalan Anson, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
  • Website: uow.edu.my
  • Founded: 1991 (as Penang branch of KDU)
  • UOW Australia Integration: September 2019 (acquisition by UOW Global Enterprises)
  • Sister Institution: UOW Malaysia main campus (Glenmarie, Selangor; formerly KDU University)
  • Programme Levels: Certificate, Pre-University, Diploma, Bachelor degree

For programme details, current fee schedules, intake timelines, and application requirements, the authoritative reference is the institution’s own published materials at uow.edu.my and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency public register at mqa.gov.my under the UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College entry.

Questions about UOW MALAYSIA KDU Penang University College

Where is UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College located?

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College is located at 32, Jalan Anson, 10400 George Town, Pulau Pinang. Jalan Anson sits within the central George Town area of Penang Island, accessible via the Penang Bridge (the principal road link from the mainland) and via Penang International Airport. The George Town location places UOW Malaysia KDU Penang within the broader Penang island educational and commercial cluster, with proximity to the Penang state government complex, the broader George Town heritage area, and the wider Penang corporate sector.

When was the Penang campus established and what is its history?

The Penang campus was established in 1991 as the second branch of KDU, founded to cater to the higher education needs of aspiring youths in the northern peninsular region. The institution operated under the KDU University College Penang brand through several decades of growth before the September 2019 acquisition by UOW Global Enterprises and the subsequent integration into the University of Wollongong Australia global network. The 1991 founding places UOW Malaysia KDU Penang among the heritage cohort of Malaysian private higher education institutions, with more than 30 years of operating history.

What is UOW Malaysia and what is its connection to UOW Australia?

UOW Malaysia is the Malaysian branch operation of the University of Wollongong Australia, integrated into the UOW Australia global network through the September 2019 acquisition of the KDU institutions by UOW Global Enterprises (a wholly owned subsidiary of UOW Australia). The acquisition transformed the KDU institutions from independent Malaysian private universities into part of the UOW Australia global higher education network. UOW Australia is one of the established Australian universities, ranked among the top Australian institutions in various international university rankings. The Malaysian operations include the [UOW Malaysia main campus](/university/university-of-wollongong-malaysia/) in Glenmarie Selangor (the former KDU University) and the UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College in George Town.

What programmes does UOW Malaysia KDU Penang offer?

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang offers programmes covering Certificate, Pre-University, Diploma, and Bachelor degree levels across a broad portfolio. Specific programme areas include Business, Accounting, Communication, Computing, Creative Arts, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, Engineering, Game Development, Hospitality, Interior Design and Interior Architecture, Nursing, and Tourism. The programme stack reflects the broader KDU institutional heritage in business, hospitality, and applied programmes, expanded through the UOW Australia network alignment to include the contemporary digital and creative specialisms.

What is the relationship between UOW Malaysia KDU Penang and UOW Malaysia main?

UOW Malaysia KDU Penang and UOW Malaysia main (Glenmarie Selangor) are both part of the UOW Malaysia institutional network, integrated under the UOW Global Enterprises ownership following the September 2019 KDU acquisition. The two campuses serve different geographic catchments: UOW Malaysia main serves the central peninsular and Klang Valley student community, while UOW Malaysia KDU Penang serves the northern peninsular catchment from the George Town location. The institutional governance, faculty network, and broader UOW Australia academic alignment connect both campuses, while the local campus operations at each site provide the day-to-day teaching, student services, and campus life.

Does the Penang campus offer the same programmes as the UOW Malaysia main campus?

There is substantial programme overlap between the UOW Malaysia main campus and the UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College, with both campuses offering programmes across business, communication, computing, creative arts, hospitality, and the broader applied disciplines. Specific programme availability differs between the two campuses, with some specialisms concentrated at one campus rather than offered at both. Prospective applicants should confirm specific programme availability at each campus directly with the institution before applying, since programme listings are updated periodically and not every UOW Malaysia programme is available at both campuses.

Is UOW Malaysia KDU Penang recognised by the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education?

Yes. UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College operates under Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education registration corresponding to its university college status under the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996. The institution is listed on the Malaysian Qualifications Agency public register, with individual programmes carrying their own MQA accreditation references. The UOW Australia integration provides additional academic alignment to the Australian Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency framework that operates UOW Australia as a registered Australian university. Prospective students can verify the live institutional and programme accreditation status on the MQA register at mqa.gov.my under the UOW Malaysia KDU Penang University College entry.

UOW MALAYSIA KDU Penang University College is one of 139 private universities and university colleges in Malaysia registered with the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). For other options in Penang, see private universities in Penang. The national directory covers foreign branch campuses, sixth-form colleges, and university colleges across 14 states.

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