AD History

The Faculty of Art & Design (Fakulti Seni Lukis & Seni Reka, FSSR) of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) is widely recognised as the oldest dedicated art and design faculty in Malaysia, with its origins dating back to June 1967. It began as Kajian Seni Lukis & Seni Reka (KSSR) under the then Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM), initially combined with architecture and planning in what was known as Kajian Seni Bina, Perancangan dan Ukur before evolving into Kajian Seni Gunaan (Applied Arts).

The founding vision was clear and ambitious: to educate and train Bumiputera professionals in art and design as agents of change in national development at a time when such programmes were available only abroad. From a modest beginning in a shop lot at Petaling Garden, Petaling Jaya, and later Happy Mansion, Section 17, with only a handful of academic staff and students, the faculty steadily grew in scope and reputation. By the early 1970s it had established core departments in Fine Art, Graphic Design, Textile Design and Three-Dimensional Design, and introduced pioneering diploma programmes in areas such as Industrial Design, Ceramics, Fashion Design and, later, Photography. In 1973 the unit was formally renamed Kajian Seni Lukis & Seni Reka (KSSR) and separated from Architecture and Planning, and in 1982 it moved into its own purpose-built complex along Jalan Ilmu in Shah Alam facilities that, through successive phases of expansion and upgrading, continue to house a vibrant community of studios, labs, galleries and workshops to this day.

 “ITM 1st Batch Art & Design Students 1967-1971 (Petaling Garden)”

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, FSSR distinguished itself not only as a teaching hub but also as a national design and cultural resource. The establishment of Pusat Daya Cipta (PDC) created a platform for academic staff to offer consultancy and creative services to government agencies and industry, contributing to major national identity projects including new corporate images for Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM), Malaysia Airlines and Telekom. At the same time, the faculty nurtured critical and scholarly discourse in visual culture through journals such as INTI, one of the earliest art and design education journals in the region.

In 1999, following ITM’s elevation to Universiti Teknologi MARA, KSSR was formally renamed Fakulti Seni Lukis & Seni Reka (FSSR). During this period the faculty consolidated an extensive suite of diploma and bachelor’s programmes in eight core disciplines (Graphic Design and Digital Media, Textile Design, Contemporary Metal, Industrial Design, Ceramics, Fashion Design, Fine Art and Printing Technology), and successfully expanded delivery to UiTM branch campuses in Melaka, Kelantan, Perak and Kedah. It also launched postgraduate programmes, including Master’s and PhD in Art & Design, laying the foundation for a robust culture of research, supervision and creative scholarship that continues today under the College of Creative Arts’ PhD in Arts and Design (CAAD950).

FSSR’s commitment to quality and good governance was formally recognised when it became the only Faculty of Art & Design in Malaysia to obtain ISO 9001:2000 certification, embedding quality management systems into its academic and administrative processes. Building on this, the faculty established the International Institute of Design Excellence (IIDE) and other specialised units focused on batik research, design access and international collaboration. Through seminars, exhibitions, workshops, research projects and journal publications, these platforms position FSSR as an intellectual driver of Malaysian and regional design discourse, particularly in areas such as environmental design, batik innovation and creative industries development.

Over the decades, FSSR’s academic staff and graduates have consistently gained national and international recognition through prestigious awards and major commissions. Alumni and staff have been associated with honours such as the Young Contemporary Award, Salon Malaysia, the Kijang Award of Bank Negara Malaysia and the Oita Sculpture Award in Japan, while many have contributed to landmark national projects including the Proton Saga and other high-profile design initiatives. FSSR graduates today form a significant proportion of leading art and design educators across Malaysian public and private higher education institutions, underscoring the faculty’s foundational role in shaping the national creative ecosystem.

 “Tanjung Heritage 2003”

The year 2017 marked the Golden Jubilee (50th Anniversary) of FSSR, celebrating its journey from a small pioneering unit in 1967 to a comprehensive faculty encompassing multiple art and design disciplines under one roof, something still relatively rare even by international standards. Under the leadership of Professor Dr Hj D’zul Haimi Md Zain, appointed Dean on 1 January 2015, the faculty intensified its presence through national and international exhibitions, academic tours, outreach programmes and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, while also cementing its global networks.

During this period FSSR secured membership in three major international bodies; CUMULUS (the International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media), ICSID (now World Design Organization) and IAC; and several academic staff obtained professional certification from the Chartered Society of Designers (CSD), United Kingdom, signalling alignment with global professional standards. In the years leading up to 2020, leadership continuity and strategic renewal further strengthened the faculty’s trajectory. By 2021, Prof. Dr Ts. Hj Ruslan Abd Rahim is recorded as Dean of the Faculty of Art & Design, presiding over initiatives such as virtual degree exhibitions, curriculum enhancement and quality assurance aligned with UiTM’s 2025 Strategic Plan, which aspires to position the university as a Globally Renowned University (GRU) by 2025. In this context, FSSR’s long-standing emphasis on creativity, innovation and industry relevance; spanning areas from digital media and motion design to game design, industrial ceramics, visual culture, fashion and printing technology; places it at the centre of UiTM’s ambition to integrate science, technology, humanities and entrepreneurship.

A major structural milestone arrived on 3 February 2022, when UiTM launched the College of Creative Arts (CCA) as part of a university-wide restructuring for agile governance under the UiTM2025 blueprint.

The CCA brought together three creative powerhouses; the Faculty of Art & Design, the Faculty of Film, Theatre and Animation (FiTA) and the Faculty of Music; to maximise complementary strengths, drive cross-disciplinary collaboration and better prepare students for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) and the global creative economy. Within this new structure, FSSR’s legacy, programmes and expertise form the backbone of the Art & Design cluster, while the College of Creative Arts as a whole is recognised internationally; for example through its full membership in Cumulus, where it is noted for its national role in Malaysian Good Design Mark standards and advisory capacity on the structure of art and design education.

By 2025, the Faculty of Art & Design / FSSR, now operating as a faculty, stands as a mature and outward-looking institution that “aspires to shape the future and improve the world through creativity and innovation.”

It continues to upgrade studios, laboratories and digital facilities; expand postgraduate research in areas such as art history, cultural management, design technology, visual communication and new media; and champion sustainability, heritage, and socially engaged art and design in line with global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

Anchored in more than half a century of pioneering work yet firmly attuned to contemporary challenges, FSSR remains a unique and comprehensive art and design institution, bringing together multiple disciplines under one roof and serving as a reference point for Asian and international art and design education.

In partnership with UiTM’s broader strategic vision to be globally renowned yet locally rooted, the faculty continues to nurture generations of artists, designers, educators, and creative leaders who contribute not only to Malaysia’s cultural and creative industries, but also to the wider global discourse on art, design, innovation, and society.

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