Exploring the Socioeconomic Impact of a Public University Branch Campus on its Surrounding Community

The present study attempts to analyse the socioeconomic impact of the existence of a public university branch campus (in a northern region of peninsula Malaysia) on its surrounding community. This study is an exploratory study that focuses on the socioeconomic impact on the local community, brought on by the existence of a public university branch campus. A cross-sectional design was applied in the process of data collection. To assess the socioeconomic impact of the presence of a public university campus on the local community, a questionnaire survey was distributed to the local community surrounding a branch campus of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), in a northern state of peninsula Malaysia. The survey involved 50 communities within a 5 km radius and a 10 km radius of the campus. The study’s findings revealed that the community’s income generation ranked first, followed by job opportunities, local development, and business growth in neighbouring communities. The study’s findings revealed that higher education is viewed as the nation’s major vehicle for improving citizens’ socioeconomic conditions in the new economy. The study’s findings will also be relevant to state and federal legislators as they explore strategic ways to help rural communities with essential infrastructure and services. Policymakers should begin by providing adequate employment opportunities in rural areas as a means to guarantee long-term development.