Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) founded in 1969 and established as the second oldest university in Malaysia. It is the one and only university that holds the Accelerated Programme for Excellence status (APEX) in Malaysia, a special accorded by the Ministry of Higher Education which schedule to run from 2008 to 2025. The APEX is a high-profile programme under the National Higher Education Strategic Plan (NHESP) that aims to propel USM to be a world-renowned institution.

USM is recognised as the premium Research-Intensive University in Malaysia and has adopted an innovative approach to higher education, departing from the traditional faculty system to the broad-based school system. Supported by a large array of extracurricular activities, USM offers students a more interdisciplinary and well-rounded experience to produce multi-skilled graduates.

The main thrust of USM in the development of higher education are in the field of Natural Sciences, Media and Health Sciences, Applied Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences to Building Science and Technology, Social Sciences, Humanities and Education. All of these are available at both undergraduate and postgraduate level to approximately 30,000 students.

USM has three campuses where the main campus located on the Island of Penang and another two branch campuses nestled in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan (Health Campus) and Nibong Tebal, Penang (Engineering Campus). Alongside the three academic campuses, USM has 17 research centres dedicated for a wide range of specialisations which including Archaeology, Medicine and Dentistry, Molecular Medicine, Science and Technology, etc.

Recorded in QS University Rankings 2023, USM is ranked 143rd among the best universities.