History

Perdana University, devoted to the present and past Prime Ministers of Malaysia, traces its origins back to 2nd November 2010. This founding moment occurred with the signing of three distinct agreements between Academic Medical Centre Sdn. Bhd. and Johns Hopkins University, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and the Public Service Department, Malaysia. The inaugural occasion bore witness to the former U.S. Secretary of State, Hon. Hillary Rodham Clinton, and the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, YB Tan Sri Dato' Haji Muhyiddin bin Mohd Yassin.

Perdana University, an initiative between Academic Medical Centre Sdn. Bhd. and the Public-Private Partnership Unit in the Prime Minister's Department, falls under the Government Transformation Programme. The university was officially launched on 12th September 2011 by the Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato' Seri Haji Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak. The former Prime Minister of Malaysia, YABhg. Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, was appointed as the first Chancellor. While the campus was initially located in the MARDI-MAEPS complex in Serdang, the university now utilizes an extensive network of training hospitals, including Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Hospital Putrajaya, and Hospital Shah Alam, among others.

Initially, Perdana University focused on programmes in Medical and Health Sciences. The PU-RCSI School of Medicine was established to offer a five-year Irish Medical programme mirroring the standards of RCSI in Dublin. In July 2012, the university expanded its reach by signing Memoranda of Understanding with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the College of Anaesthetists of Ireland. Furthermore, the Graduate School of Medicine (PUGScM), in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, marked the first 4-year graduate entry medical degree programme in Malaysia, later transitioning to a continued partnership with the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 2015.

The university's diversification continued with the 2013 establishment of the School of Occupational Therapy (PUScOT) and the 2014 inception of the School of Data Sciences (PUScDS). By April 2015, the School of Foundation Studies (PUScFS) was founded to provide a pre-varsity pathway for healthcare undergraduate programmes. Strategic international academic growth was furthered through agreements with UNCTAD and ZHAW Switzerland for the Master in International Trade, as well as the 2017 collaboration with Anglia Ruskin University, UK, for the Centre for Psychological Medicine (CPM).

In September 2023, Perdana University underwent a massive academic expansion, introducing several new faculties:

• Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Faculty of Liberal Arts, Humanities and Culture
• Faculty of Applied Science and Technology
• Faculty of Business, Economics and Finance

To bolster its future-focused mission, the university established the Research Management Centre (PU-RMC), which drives initiatives in Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Robotics, and preventive medicine. Furthering its global reach, Perdana University is launching a dual MBA programme with the European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD), University for Peace established by the United Nations. Recent formal partnerships with industry leaders like Axiata Cyber Fusion Center and Nippon Koei Mobility continue to strengthen the university's connection between academia and the global industry.