Universiti Teknologi Malaysia began its operation at Weld Road, Kuala Lumpur in 1904 to teach Technical Assistants for the Federated Malay States Departments of Railways, Survey and Public Works, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia degree. In 1941, the Technical School was elevated to a college status and in 1955, The Technical College was formed and officially opened by the British High Commisioner, Sir Donald MacGillivary.

In its early years, the Technical College conducted engineering courses at diploma level in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Radio Engineering, Land Surveying, Building Architecture and Quantity Surveying. A specialised course in Automobile Engineering was offered for the transportation enforcement officers. In 1960, the Technical College upgraded its engineering courses to the Baccalaureate level, where students following the courses had the opportunities to sit for professional examinations conducted by the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the Royal Institute of British Architects and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, UK.

In 1972, theTechnical College was officially upgraded to university status with the name Institut Teknologi Kebangsaan (National Institute of Technology). Later, in 1975, the Institute was renamed as Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).Today, UTM has two campuses, Malaysian degree. Its 1222-hectare main campus is located in Skudai, Johor Bahru, a technologically rich and culturally vibrant area in southern-most part of Malaysia. It is also strategically located in the Iskandar Development Region (IDR) which is to be a special economic growth centre of South Johor, apart from being the southern conurbation of Peninsular Malaysia. Its older 18-hectare branch city campus is situated at Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur.