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University Directory · East Asia & Pacific

Top 25 universities in Malaysia

The 25 leading universities and higher education institutions in Malaysia, ordered by the citations their research has received. Part of the WAC University Directory.

25 institutions listed · data October 2026

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  1. 1
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    University of Malaya (UM)

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    • 106,890 research works
    • 6.2 million citations
    • h-index 614
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  2. 2

    Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

    Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia

    • 82,181 research works
    • 4.6 million citations
    • h-index 478
  3. 3

    Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

    George Town, Penang, Malaysia

    • 94,890 research works
    • 4.1 million citations
    • h-index 480
  4. 4

    University of Technology Malaysia (UTM)

    Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

    • 80,845 research works
    • 3.6 million citations
    • h-index 442
  5. 5

    National University of Malaysia (NUM)

    Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

    • 93,107 research works
    • 3.6 million citations
    • h-index 426
  6. 6

    Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)

    Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia

    • 90,778 research works
    • 1.5 million citations
    • h-index 267
  7. 7

    Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)

    Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

    • 25,064 research works
    • 1.2 million citations
    • h-index 273
  8. 8

    Monash University Malaysia

    Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    • 15,844 research works
    • 921 thousand citations
    • h-index 314
  9. 9

    Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (KUKTEM)

    Pekan, Malaysia

    • 23,666 research works
    • 883 thousand citations
    • h-index 280
  10. 10

    International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    • 35,203 research works
    • 695 thousand citations
    • h-index 224
  11. 11

    Universiti Malaysia Perlis (KUKUM)

    Perlis, Malaysia

    • 22,339 research works
    • 635 thousand citations
    • h-index 208
  12. 12

    Tun Hussein Onn University of Malaysia (UTHM)

    Batu Pahat, Johor, Malaysia

    • 30,177 research works
    • 563 thousand citations
    • h-index 192
  13. 13

    Universiti of Malaysia Sabah (UMS)

    Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia

    • 22,030 research works
    • 526 thousand citations
    • h-index 223
  14. 14

    Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (KUSTEM)

    Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

    • 16,986 research works
    • 524 thousand citations
    • h-index 218
  15. 15

    Universiti Tenaga Nasional (ILSAS)

    Kuala Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia

    • 12,510 research works
    • 517 thousand citations
    • h-index 249
  16. 16

    University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus

    Semenyih, Malaysia

    • 9,710 research works
    • 517 thousand citations
    • h-index 242
  17. 17

    Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)

    Kampar, Perak, Malaysia

    • 13,487 research works
    • 476 thousand citations
    • h-index 225
  18. 18

    Multimedia University (MMU)

    Malacca, Melaka, Malaysia

    • 16,672 research works
    • 428 thousand citations
    • h-index 199
  19. 19

    Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM)

    Jitra, Kedah, Malaysia

    • 23,359 research works
    • 411 thousand citations
    • h-index 188
  20. 20

    Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

    Kuching, Malaysia

    • 15,499 research works
    • 389 thousand citations
    • h-index 207
  21. 21

    Sunway University

    Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

    • 12,520 research works
    • 352 thousand citations
    • h-index 203
  22. 22

    IMU University

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    • 7,502 research works
    • 332 thousand citations
    • h-index 197
  23. 23

    Taylor's University

    Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia

    • 10,805 research works
    • 308 thousand citations
    • h-index 203
  24. 24

    Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM)

    Malacca, Melaka, Malaysia

    • 15,592 research works
    • 304 thousand citations
    • h-index 158
  25. 25

    UCSI University

    Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    • 9,454 research works
    • 291 thousand citations
    • h-index 193

Ordered by total research citations recorded in OpenAlex (October 2026). Works, citations and h-index are OpenAlex figures for the institution. How the list is made.

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About the directory

How institutions are chosen and ordered

The directory lists 1436 universities, colleges and higher education institutions in 199 countries and territories. In countries with 200 or more higher education institutions recorded in OpenAlex it lists the top 25; everywhere else, the top 5.

Institutions are ordered by the total number of citations their research has received, as recorded in OpenAlex, the open catalogue of the world’s research, with data taken in October 2026. This is a transparent, research-based order: it favours large research institutions and does not measure teaching quality, student experience or graduate outcomes. University systems are left out in favour of their campuses, and faculties or institutes are left out when their parent university is already listed. Names, cities and websites come from OpenAlex and the Research Organization Registry (ROR).

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