ASIA Records is proud to officially recognise UPM Press for achieving the milestone:
First and Largest University Press Collection of Scopus-Indexed Scholarly Books in English and Malay (271 scholarly book titles indexed in Scopus as of 21 July 2026 — 192 English-language, 73 Malay-language, and 6 bilingual volumes — verified against Scopus landing-page records; a further 20 titles have been approved by Scopus (In Scope) and are awaiting indexing; the first title was indexed on 4 June 2024; spanning multiple academic disciplines)
This recognition reflects UPM Press’ sustained commitment to advancing scholarly publishing and strengthening the international visibility of academic knowledge produced in Malaysia. Through its growing collection of Scopus-indexed books, the university press has demonstrated that high-quality scholarship published in both English and Malay can achieve global discoverability while supporting academic excellence across multiple disciplines.
The recognition honours an outstanding achievement that contributes to the advancement of education, research, and knowledge development across Asia.
Building International Visibility for University Scholarship
As the publishing arm of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), UPM Press plays an important role in disseminating academic research, intellectual thought, and specialist knowledge through scholarly books and other academic publications.
Its growing collection of Scopus-indexed books provides researchers, academics, students, and institutions with greater access to scholarly works produced across a broad range of disciplines. By making these publications discoverable through one of the world’s leading scholarly databases, UPM Press continues to strengthen the international reach of Malaysian research and academic publishing.
The first title in the recognised collection was indexed on 4 June 2024. Within just over two years, the collection expanded to 271 indexed scholarly books, supported by rigorous editorial processes, peer review, publishing ethics, metadata preparation, and adherence to international indexing standards.
Supporting Scholarship in English and Malay
A defining feature of the achievement is the inclusion of scholarly works published in both English and Malay.
Indexing Malay-language books in Scopus is essential for strengthening the global visibility and impact of Malaysian scholarship. It enables locally produced knowledge to become internationally discoverable, reinforces the quality and credibility of regional academic research through globally recognised standards, and provides non-English-speaking scholars with greater opportunities to engage in international academic discourse while overcoming geographical and linguistic barriers.
The 192 English-language titles strengthen the international reach of research produced through Malaysia’s higher education community. Equally significant is the successful indexing of 73 Malay-language scholarly books and six bilingual volumes, demonstrating that high-quality academic publications in the national language can also achieve international discoverability.
Beyond expanding access to Malaysian scholarship, the achievement represents an important milestone in elevating Bahasa Melayu within global academic publishing. UPM Press became the first publisher in the world to successfully index Malay-language scholarly books in the Scopus database, establishing a new benchmark for multilingual scholarly publishing. The press has also successfully indexed scholarly books in the Indonesian language, further supporting the visibility of regional languages within international academic literature.
Advancing Standards in Scholarly Book Publishing
The recognition also highlights the importance of scholarly books within academic research and knowledge exchange.
While journal articles remain a major component of academic publishing, scholarly books provide opportunities for comprehensive research, in-depth analysis, specialist reference materials, and interdisciplinary knowledge sharing.
Through the successful indexing of its publications, UPM Press has strengthened the international visibility of university-based book publishing while creating wider opportunities for Malaysian scholarship to be discovered, cited, and referenced by researchers around the world.
The additional 20 titles approved by Scopus as “In Scope” further demonstrate the press’ continuing efforts to expand its internationally indexed collection while maintaining high publishing standards.
A Milestone Moment of Recognition
The ASIA Records certificate was officially presented on 23 July 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC), Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. The recognition was received by Professor Ir. Ts. Dr. Mohamed Thariq Hameed Sultan, Director of Pusat Penerbit UPM (UPM Press Centre), in acknowledgement of UPM Press’ achievement in building the first and largest university press collection of Scopus-indexed scholarly books in English and Malay.
The presentation was witnessed by Tun Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Melaka. It formed part of the official programme for the launch of Dari Pendang ke Bukit Aman: Jejak Integriti, the biography of Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Datuk Seri Ayob Khan bin Mydin Pitchay, which was officiated by Tun Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam. The programme also included an address by Tan Sri Ayob Khan, the book launch ceremony, and the formal recognition of UPM Press by ASIA Records.
Voices of Leadership
Reflecting on the recognition, Professor Ir. Ts. Dr. Mohamed Thariq Hameed Sultan, Director of Pusat Penerbit UPM, shared:
“This recognition is a proud milestone for UPM Press and has further elevated our standing within the international scholarly publishing community. More importantly, it marks a historic achievement as we became the first publisher in the world to successfully index Malay-language scholarly books in the Scopus database.
We are grateful that Bahasa Melayu is now recognised within one of the world’s leading scholarly indexing platforms. This year, we have also successfully indexed books published in the Indonesian language, reflecting our commitment to increasing the visibility of regional languages in academic publishing.
This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of our editorial team, management, authors, reviewers, and the entire Universiti Putra Malaysia community. Together, we have overcome many challenges to reach this milestone, and we remain committed to helping more academics publish high-quality scholarly books that can achieve international recognition while continuing to uphold the value of Bahasa Melayu.”
UPM Press remains committed to strengthening scholarly publishing through rigorous editorial standards while expanding opportunities for high-quality academic books published in both Malay and English to reach researchers and institutions worldwide. The achievement also reinforces the press’ long-term mission of elevating Bahasa Melayu as a language of international scholarship.
Marking the Launch of Dari Pendang ke Bukit Aman: Jejak Integriti
The event also marked the official launch of Dari Pendang ke Bukit Aman: Jejak Integriti, a biography documenting the life, service, and professional journey of Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Datuk Seri Ayob Khan bin Mydin Pitchay.
The book was officially launched by Tun Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohd Ali bin Mohd Rustam, Yang di-Pertua Negeri Melaka, during the ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC). Organised with the participation of UPM Press, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Yayasan Generasi Malaysia (YGM), and the National Book Development Foundation, the publication commemorates Tan Sri Ayob Khan’s distinguished career in public service while highlighting the values of integrity and leadership that have defined his professional journey.
The occasion carried additional significance as it coincided with Tan Sri Ayob Khan’s retirement after nearly 35 years of service with the Royal Malaysia Police, making the biography both a tribute to his contributions and a lasting record of his leadership and dedication to the nation.
Strengthening Malaysia’s Scholarly Publishing Landscape
UPM Press’ achievement reflects the growing capability of university presses to contribute to research visibility, institutional reputation, language development, and the broader knowledge economy.
The recognition also demonstrates that international scholarly visibility and the advancement of Bahasa Melayu are complementary goals rather than competing priorities. By successfully bringing Malay-language scholarly books into the Scopus database, UPM Press has created new opportunities for academics to publish research in the national language while ensuring their work remains discoverable by the global research community.
By building one of the world’s most significant collections of Scopus-indexed university press books in multiple languages, UPM Press has strengthened the visibility of Malaysian scholarship while demonstrating that academic excellence and linguistic heritage can advance together. The achievement further positions Malaysia as an important contributor to scholarly publishing across Asia and the wider international academic community.
About UPM Press
UPM Press, formally known as Pusat Penerbit UPM, is the official publishing arm of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
The press publishes scholarly books, academic references, professional publications, and general-interest works across a broad range of disciplines, supporting the dissemination of research and knowledge produced by academics, researchers, specialists, and institutional partners.
Through editorial excellence, peer review, international indexing initiatives, and a commitment to multilingual scholarly publishing, UPM Press continues to strengthen the global visibility of Malaysian scholarship while advancing the role of Bahasa Melayu and regional languages in international academic publishing.
Looking ahead, UPM Press remains committed to expanding its internationally indexed scholarly publications, fostering global research collaborations, and empowering more academics to publish high-quality scholarly books. As it continues to advance excellence in scholarly publishing, the press aspires to position Malaysia as a leading hub for multilingual academic publishing while further elevating Bahasa Melayu and other regional languages within the global scholarly community.
