JOHOR BARU, Sept 30 — A total of 101 local students have become the pioneering cohort at the first Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Malaysia, located at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).

Malay daily Berita Harian reported that they are among 3,154 new students registering for full-time undergraduate studies for the 2024/2025 academic session, which began yesterday.

UTM’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Prof Dr Ali Selamat, stated that the new AI faculty will offer a three-year Bachelor of AI with Honours programme at the UTM Kuala Lumpur campus.

This multidisciplinary faculty aims to make AI a catalyst for innovation across various sectors, including manufacturing, finance, health, agriculture, renewable energy, security, economy, and climate change.

"Previously, UTM had a foundation in AI, including the establishment of the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIRO), which will be further enhanced,” he reportedly told the Malay daily.

Regarding the new student intake, Dr Ali noted that 2,977 will study at the Johor Baru campus, while 177 will be in Kuala Lumpur. The Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying (FABU) recorded the highest number of students with 503, followed by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FKE) and the Faculty of Science (FS) with 357 and 343 students, respectively.

The report further added that the new students will participate in the Friendly Student Week (3M) programme from yesterday until Monday, helping them adapt to campus life.

UTM will also implement special programs for students with special needs, including B10 category and Persons with Disabilities (PWD), ensuring they receive adequate support and monitoring.