1949

University of Malaya

1940 - At Commissioner-General Right Honorable Malcolm MacDonald’s behest, the Colonial Development and Welfare Bill was passed to support more rapid development in the colonies. Dr Raymond Priestly, Vice-Chancellor of Birmingham University, who was invited to visit Malaya to study the situation, later recommended the creation of a university college in Malaya.

1946 - Dr Chen Su Lan and medical alumni urged the British Military Administration to set up a university.

1947 - A commission led by the London School of Economics Director Sir Alexander Carr-Saunders began the study of the possibility of establishing a University College in Singapore.

1948 - The Carr-Saunders Commission Report was published, recommending the establishment of a full-fledged university with degree-granting powers.

1949

• The University of Malaya was formed with the Commissioner-General Right Honorable Malcolm MacDonald and Dr G.V. Allen, Principal of King Edward VII College of Medicine, as its first Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor respectively. 
• Member of the University Court, Mr Tan Chin Tuan, paid for a university mace fashioned by London jewellers, Messrs. Mappin and Webb.

1950

Academic initiatives

• Diploma in Pharmacy course begun.
• The Department of Biology was converted into the Department of Parasitology, with Dr A A Sandosham as first professor.
• The Department of Botany was established.

Benefactions

The total donations raised through a public appeal for funds for the University amounted to $3,615,159.61, including donations from all over Malaya and Overseas. Large donors include the Shell Company of Singapore and the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company Eastern Ltd ($100,000); the Government of Brunei, Borneo ($100,000); the Tronoh Malayan Tin Group ($100,000); the Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation, Singapore ($100,044.15); the Singapore Harbour Board ($101,000); the London Tin Corporation, Anglo Oriental (Malaya) Group ($232,000); Mr Yeap Chor Ee, Penang ($250,000), and the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce ($500, 000). 

1951

Academic initiatives

• The Department of Education began a Certificate in Education course for non-graduate teachers with experience.
• Chairs in Malay Studies and in Chinese Language and Literature were created.
• A Department of Zoology was established in the Faculty of Science.
• Benefactions
• Dato Lee Kong Chian donated a further sum of $250,000 to the University to build up an Oriental Studies section and a Science section in the University Library. 
• Mr. G. Uttamram presented $25,000 to the University Library to found a section in Indian Arts and Culture.
• Total donations received by the University for its Endowment Fund reached $4,553,825.

1952

Academic initiatives

• A two-year Diploma in Social Work course was started under the Economics Department. 
• The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery was made a separate department from the Department of Surgery, under the headship of Professor J.A.P. Cameron.
• The Department of Engineering was established.
• Philosophy was offered as a subject of study in the University for the Bachelor of Arts degree for the first time under the English Department through the creation of a Lectureship in Philosophy
• Other developments
• Sir Sydney Caine was appointed as Vice Chancellor in succession to Sir George Allen.
• The Dunearn Road Hostels were completed; the Eu Tong Sen and Federal Hostels of Raffles College were converted into laboratories, lecture rooms and other accommodation for the teaching departments.
• Benefactions
• For the academic year 1951-52, donors of $5,000 and above to the Endowment Fund included the Chinese Rubber Dealers, Batang Padang, Perak ($22,000), Chop Soon Bee, Perak ($13,289.40), Messrs. Hock Lye, Penang ($13,862), the Chinese Rubber Dealers, Kuala Kangsar, Perak, the Padi Planters and Casual Sellers, Krian, Perak ($5,409.60), Mr Ko Teck Kin, Singapore ($5,000), the Rubber Trade, Ipoh ($15,924.77), the Ceylonese of Selangor ($5,000), the Dunlop Rubber Company, England ($4,500), and collections by the various District Appeal Committees of Lower Perak ($68,578.48), Krian, Perak ($5,646.60), and Segamat ($5,157.15)

1953

Academic initiatives

• Physiology as a subject for degrees in Science was introduced; an honours course in physiology was instituted for medical students.
• The School of Education began one year full-time diploma course for education.
• The Departments of Malay Studies and Chinese Language & Literature were established.
• The Department of Geography launched a new journal, the Malayan Journal of Tropical Geography, with Mr P. Wheatley as the inaugural editor.
• Other developments
• A new University Library building was completed and formally opened by Mr Tan Lark Sye, one of the largest subscribers to the University Endowment Fund.
• The governments of the Federation of Malaya and Colony of Singapore appointed a Committee to review the future of University medical education.
• Benefactions
• Mr Loke Wan Tho donated the entire proceeds of the opening performance in the new Odeon Cinema, about $11,000, to the University Endowment Fund.
• 1954
• Academic initiatives
• Honours courses in Physiology and Botany in the Faculty of Science began.
• A Diploma in Public Health was inaugurated and received immediate recognition by the General Medical Council in the United Kingdom.
• A Chair of Prosthetic Dentistry, with Professor C.H. Graham as first incumbent, was created.
• The Department of Philosophy was established.

Other developments

• The University of Malaya in Singapore received a grant of Arms from the College of Arms, London. 
• The Joint Committee on the future of the University of Malaya recommended the abandonment of the Johore site for the University of Malaya, the location of the University in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur and for the faculties of agriculture, engineering and a nucleus of the Arts faculty to be established in KL.
• The Committee on Medical Education recommended the expansion of the Medical Faculty.
• The University of Malaya Society was established to represent and promote the interests of the University’s graduates.

1955

Academic initiatives

• Social Studies, previously a sub-department of Economics, was made a Department in its own right with Jean Robertson as head.
• The Department of Engineering was started under the Science Faculty, with Professor C.A.M. Gray as the first Professor.
• A Chair of Pathology was created, with Professor R. Kirk as first Chair.
• M. Rajakkannu of the Government Arts College, Madras was appointed senior lecturer in Indian Studies, leading to the creation of the Department of Indian Studies.
• The Department of Geology was established within the Science Faculty after Professor C.S. Pichamuthu, formerly of Mysore University and director of the Mysore State Geological Department was appointed to the Chair.
• Other developments
• Professor D.E.C. Mekie, Professor of Surgery, was honoured as the University’s first Emeritus Professor.
• Benefactions
• The Rockefeller Foundation granted $220,000 spread over five years for research work on viruses led by Professor J. H. Hale of the Bacteriology Department. 
• Straits Trading Company gave $100,000 towards the assistance of engineering studies.
• The Asia Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation and China Medical Board, three American donor institutions based in San Francisco and New York, and Loke Wan Tho of the Cathay Organization gave donations and grants for various purposes.

1956

• The University of Malaya in Singapore opened an art gallery and museum and appointed Dr M. Sullivan as its first lecturer in the history of art and curator of the museum.
• Dr Lionel Astor Sheridan was appointed as the first Professor of Law and Head of the Law Department at the University of Malaya.
• Professor E.S. Monteiro became the first local man to be Dean of the Faculty of Medicine (1956-1960).
• 1957
• Academic initiatives
• The Department of Pharmacy at the University of Malaya in Singapore began its first three-year Bachelor in Pharmacy degree course. 
• A four-year Law degree with honours commenced under the supervision of the Arts Faculty. The Bar Councils of the Federation of Malaya and Singapore gave official recognition to the degree as qualification for admission to the Bar. 
• The Department of Education was transformed into a School of Education to become a centre of higher educational training and research.
• A Chair for the Department of Philosophy and another for Pharmaceutics were created.
• Other developments
• Professor E.H.G. Dobby resigned as Vice Chancellor of the University of Malaya; Professor Alexander Oppenheim was appointed the new Vice Chancellor.
• Dr R.S. Aitken, Vice Chancellor of Birmingham was appointed head of a five-man Commission to review the constitution, administration, finances and expansion of the University.
• Prime Minister of the Federation of Malaya, Tunku Abdul Rahman opened the King Edward VII Hall at the University of Malaya in Singapore.
• University teaching began in Kuala Lumpur in preparation for the establishment of another division of the University in the Federation of Malaya. 
• Benefactions
• Generous donations were received from numerous sources, in particular the China Medical Board, Asia Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation and Reuben Manasseh Meyer Trust Fund.

1958

• The Aitken Commission recommended the establishment of a single university system in both territories and a university college in Kuala Lumpur by 1960. The recommendations were eventually not accepted. Singapore and Federation governments announced plans, in view of the constitutional changes in both territories, to establish two autonomous divisions of the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore with its own divisional council, academic committee and staff, but a common University Council, Senate and Vice Chancellor for both divisions.
• Dato Sir Clough Thurasingam was appointed Chairman of Joint Committee on the new Constitution of the University and financial implications of separate university development in Singapore and the Federation
• A new Pathology building, and Eusoff College and Raffles Hall hostels were opened.

1959

• The new Constitution of the University of Malaya came into effect and two autonomous divisions were officially established. The University of Malaya was re-named the University of Malaya in Singapore. The Departments of Indian Studies, Malay Studies, Geology and Engineering were transferred to the Kuala Lumpur division. 
• Professor Alexander Oppenheim was reappointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Malaya (Singapore and Kuala Lumpur divisions).
• Professor A.A. Sandosham, Professor of Parasitology in the Faculty of Medicine, and the Master of King Edward VII Hall was appointed first Principal of the University of Malaya in Singapore.
• The University of Malaya in Singapore admitted its first batch of 40 students from Chinese vernacular schools into a one-year pre-University course as a precursor to joining the Faculty of Science, keeping in line with the Singapore government’s policy of equal treatment for all main four streams of education.
• Pharmacology was established as a separate Department in the Medical Faculty
• The Department of Law became the Faculty of Law and Professor L.A. Sheridan was elected as its first Dean.

Benefactions
The Asia Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Carnegie Foundation, Ford Foundation, Lee Foundation, China Medical Board of New York, Colombo Plan Authorities and the Colonial Development and Welfare Authorities continued to provide generous assistance to the University.

1960

Developments

• The Federation of Malaya announced plan to split the two divisions of the University so that Malaya could have its own national university. Both the governments of the Federation and Singapore set up an inter-government committee to consider the financial and administrative implications of the split.
• Professor Harry E Groves was appointed the first Constitutional Law Professor; a position made possible by an endowment from the Asia Foundation.
• Benefactions
• The China Medical Board, Asia Foundation, Lee Foundation and Mr Loke Wan Tho together donated $213,431 to the University.

1961

Academic initiatives

• The Economics Department started courses in accountancy and business administration.
• Other developments
• The University of Singapore Ordinance replaced the University of Malaya Ordinance
• Dr B R Sreenivasan assumed office as Principal of the Singapore Division.
• The University of Singapore admitted graduates of Nanyang University and other Chinese universities for degrees leading to the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science with Honours, or Diplomas in Education or Social Work.
• The Political Science Department was created with the appointment of Professor R S Milne to the Chair of Political Science.
• An Artificial Kidney unit was formed within the Department of Clinical Medicine with funding from Lee Foundation. This was the first such facility in Southeast Asia. A renal laboratory and cardiovascular laboratory were also established with contributions from Dato Loke Wan Tho and the China Medical Board respectively. 
• The Board of Postgraduate Medical Studies was formed to promote postgraduate work in Medical Studies.
• Benefactions
• The China Medical Board, the Asia Foundation, the Lee Foundation and Mr Loke Wan Tho together donated sums totalling $157,158 to the University.
• During the 1961-62 academic year, the Pfizer Corporation ($12,000), Professional Women’s Association of Singapore ($4,000), the Singapore Turf Club ($15,000), Khong Guan Biscuit Factory (Ltd) ($600), Tokyo Kyoiku University ($1,667), Mr Tan Chin Tuan ($27,500) and the United Commercial Bank ($5,000) gave grants and donations for various purposes.