The Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) was originally established in 1980 as an Islamic educational college, known as Kolej Ugama Sultan Zainal Abidin. In 2005, it was granted full university status and became Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia. The university was renamed Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin in 2010 to acknowledge its historical background.
It is situated in the state of Terengganu, on the east coast of Malaysia. This region possesses a distinctive cultural identity that draws an increasing number of visitors annually. Tourists are captivated by its rich traditional arts, culture, and Malay heritage.
The university comprises three campuses across Terengganu: the Gong Badak Campus, the Medical Campus, and the Besut Campus.
Academically, the university is organised into 12 faculties: the faculty of medicine, faculty of applied social sciences, faculty of business and management, faculty of innovative design and technology, faculty of pharmacy, faculty of informatics and computing, faculty of Islamic contemporary studies, faculty of law and international relations, faculty of health sciences, faculty of bioresources and food industry, faculty of languages and communication, and the faculty of general studies and advanced education. Each faculty is divided into various departments, offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.
There is also the Centre of UniSZA Science and Medicine Foundation.
Two centres of excellence exist within the university: the East Coast Environmental Research Institute and the Research Institute for Islamic Products and Malay Civilization.
