The history of the National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM) began with the establishment of the Malaysian Armed Forces Academy (ATMA) on 1 June 1995 as an institution responsible for conducting undergraduate academic programmes and military training for Officer Cadets of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF). The role of ATMA was later expanded when it was gazetted as the National Defence University of Malaysia on 10 November 2006.
Although NDUM admitted its first cohort of students in the 2007/2008 academic session, the University had in fact accumulated 11 years of experience in managing undergraduate programmes from 1995 to 2006 through a collaborative programme between the Ministry of Defence and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Through this collaboration, approximately 1,017 graduates were produced in three major fields, namely Engineering, Science, and Management. In addition to obtaining professional qualifications, all graduates were commissioned as officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces and are currently serving in various units within the Malaysian Army, the Royal Malaysian Navy, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
NDUM was officially established by the Government of Malaysia on 21 June 2006 to produce military and civilian graduates to meet the nation’s defence needs. The NDUM Incorporation Order was issued on 6 November 2006, enabling the commencement of academic programmes in the 2007/2008 session. For the 2007/2008 intake, a total of 550 students enrolled in the Defence Foundation Programme, comprising 121 civilian students and 350 military students. Meanwhile, for undergraduate programmes, 130 civilian students and 297 Defence Foundation students were enrolled in bachelor’s degree programmes in the fields of Engineering, Science and Technology, as well as Management and Defence Studies.
To commence the 2007/2008 academic session, NDUM established three faculties in addition to the Defence Foundation Centre, namely the Faculty of Defence Engineering, the Faculty of Defence Science and Technology, and the Faculty of Management and Defence Studies.
The academic programmes offered by these faculties are comparable to those of other public institutions of higher learning both locally and internationally. These programmes are designed to attract students by offering curricula that integrate defence-related science and technology with hands-on practical applications. The knowledge and skills acquired can be applied to national defence assets such as naval vessels, aircraft, and military equipment of the Malaysian Armed Forces. In addition, the programmes provide graduates with competencies applicable to industries based on advanced science and technology.