Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) recently held a gala premiere of a documentary film ‘The Story of TARCians’, which centres on how four Malaysians obtained their tertiary education at a local institution which eventually grew to be TAR UMT.
With a running time of 76 minutes, TSOT takes its viewers through a journey back in time to witness the birth of the then TAR College (TARC) and how it developed as one of the first institutions of higher learning in the country.
The film dives into the early days before TARC was established by going in-depth into the emotions, challenges and obstacles faced by its founders and stakeholders, who were involved from the early stages onwards. It is also a story by Malaysians who came to TARC in the 1970s and 1980s and experienced what it felt like seeking a brighter future through higher education back then.
TSOT is not just a story about the development of education through the lens of one institution. It is also a story about nation-building, racial harmony, and most importantly, an insight into the hard work of Malaysians from all walks of life, even in the face of adversity.
With a track record of excellence, Tunku Abdul Rahman Universiti of Management and Technology, (TAR UMT) with six campuses nationwide in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Perak, Johor, Pahang and Sabah leads the way in nation building through education.
The university founded 55 years ago, recognised both locally and internationally among the academic fraternity, professional bodies and industry partners and alumni, also better known as TARCians are leaders, trailblazers and prominent figures in industries both locally and abroad.
The university offers more than 200 programmes from postgraduate, undergraduate and pre-university in the fields of accountancy, finance, business, engineering, built environment, computing and information technology, applied sciences, communication, creative industries, social studies and humanities.
Establishment of TAR College
TAR UMT’s legacy dates back to 1969 when many Malaysians at that time lacked the opportunity to pursue tertiary education. The institution was named after Tunku Abdul Rahman, the country’s first Prime Minister and a recognised national identity of the country’s independence and unity among the races.
The College, as it was then known, held its first classes on 24 February 1969 and operated in temporary premises around Klang Valley and Petaling Jaya. Then, in 1976, TAR College moved into its own campus located at Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.
The founders
TAR College was the brainchild of Tun Tan Siew Sin, then President of the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) and his vision for TAR College, to ensure that every Malaysian regardless of their background is given the opportunity to pursue tertiary education.
MCA took the lead in building a purpose-built campus for TAR College through various fundraising efforts carried out throughout the country. In addition to the government’s financial support on a dollar-for-dollar basis, many Malaysians from all walks of life came forward to contribute to the construction of TAR College’s campus.
The setting up of TARC Student Loan Fund
In conjunction with TAR College’s 10th anniversary, various fundraising efforts were held to establish TAR College’s Student Loan Fund. The significance of this student loan fund, more than 15,000 students from challenging backgrounds have successfully utilised the fund.
In addition, many of them who were once recipients, have now become donors themselves, contributing to student loans, generating funds to help the younger generation of TARCians to study at the University.
The Setapak KL campus underwent continuous physical developments and in the nineties, the college further strengthened its vision of widening access to quality and affordable education with the establishment of branches in Penang (1995), Perak (1998), Johor and Pahang (1999) and Sabah (2002).
In 2013, TAR College was upgraded to a University College and then received the highest status of a University in 2022 known as TAR UMT.
TAR UMT is now working towards achieving its vision as a ‘Leading University Capable of Transforming the Future’, as outlined in the University’s 10-year Roadmap from 2021 to 2030. These aspirations are well guided by the roadmap’s three strategic priorities which are excellence in education, mission-driven research and knowledge creation, operations optimisation and sustainability driven.
