History
UiTM is closely linked to the development of the independent Malaysian nation. It began in November 1956 as Dewan Latehan RIDA (Rural and Industrial Development Authority Training Center) in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The school later became known as Maktab MARA (MARA College) in 1965. The name change meant that the college no longer operated under RIDA and instead became the most important unit of the MARA Training Division. MARA stands for Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Council of Trust for the People) under the charismatic and dynamic leadership of Tan Sri Arshad Ayub.
In 1967, the college was upgraded to Institut Teknologi MARA (MARA Institute of Technology) or ITM. Its establishment came as a response to a need in Malaysia for trained professionals, especially among Bumiputeras.
ITM's development took three major stages:
- From 1967 to 1976, ITM was an autonomous body with its own 300 acre (1.2 km²) campus in Shah Alam, operating under the Ministry of Rural Development.
- From 1976 to 1996, ITM advanced as an institution of higher learning and not only as a professional training institute, operating directly under the Ministry of Education.
- In 1996, an amendment to the ITM Act of 1976 conferred ITM with a university status with a degree granting power but its name was retained until 1999 when it became Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).
Read more about this topic: Universiti Teknologi MARA
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