Imagine studying at a university where an operational airport is part of the campus. This is becoming a reality in Johor as UTHM moves closer to becoming the first university in Southeast Asia to own and operate its own airport.
The UTHM Airport project at Tanjung Laboh, Batu Pahat involves a total investment of RM18.3 million and is currently about 71 percent complete. Once finished, the airport is expected to be fully operational by April 2026 and is already being viewed as a major new landmark for Johor.
UTHM Revives a Historic Airstrip Into a Modern Aviation Campus
The site chosen by UTHM carries deep historical significance. Tanjung Laboh Airport was originally built during World War Two between 1942 and 1945, serving as a military landing strip during the Japanese occupation. Today, it is being redeveloped into a modern, purpose-built aviation campus.
The airport sits on a 22.6-hectare site, located approximately 25 kilometres from UTHM’s main campus in Parit Raja. Beyond this, UTHM owns an additional 130 hectares of land surrounding the airport, giving the university long-term flexibility to expand aviation-related facilities and supporting infrastructure.
Upon completion, the airport will feature a runway measuring between 800 and 1,000 metres facing the Straits of Malacca. It will also house a 12-metre-high air traffic control tower, hangars, aircraft storage facilities, lecture halls, faculty buildings, offices, and student residential colleges. The air traffic control facilities will comply with national aviation standards and be recognised by the relevant authorities.
An Airport That Becomes Part of the UTHM Classroom
What makes this project especially distinctive is how deeply it is embedded into UTHM’s academic ecosystem. The airport is designed not as a separate facility, but as an extension of the classroom where theory and hands-on training take place together.
Through UTHM’s aeronautical programmes, students can pursue a bachelor’s degree while simultaneously completing professional aviation licensing. They may choose between pilot licensing or aircraft maintenance engineer licensing, with both tracks structured to be completed within four years.
According to Associate Professor Dr Zamri Omar, Head of Aeronautical Engineering, this integrated approach allows UTHM students to graduate with both academic qualifications and professional credentials, without the need to enrol in separate and costly external flight training centres.
Beyond Education and Into Industry
The airport is also expected to serve purposes beyond student training. Johor state leaders have highlighted its potential to support charter flight services, seaplane operations, and aircraft and helicopter maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities.
There is growing optimism that Tanjung Laboh could emerge as a new aviation and tourism hub, with some officials even describing the area as having the potential to become the “Southern Maldives” of Malaysia. In this vision, UTHM’s airport acts as a catalyst for regional economic growth, particularly for Batu Pahat and surrounding areas.
Globally, only a small number of universities own and operate their own airports. Among the most recognised is Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the United States, widely regarded as the Harvard of the sky.
With full accreditation from the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and aviation authorities, UTHM has openly expressed its ambition to be recognised as the “Embry-Riddle of the East.”
The programme has also attracted international interest, with students from India, China, and other countries choosing to pursue aeronautical studies under UTHM’s integrated model.
A Landmark Moment for UTHM and Malaysia
The development of this airport represents more than a physical expansion for UTHM. It reflects a shift towards industry-integrated higher education and underscores Malaysia’s commitment to strengthening its aviation talent pipeline.
When the first cohort of students takes off from Tanjung Laboh under the UTHM banner, it will symbolise more than a training milestone.
It will signal that UTHM is not only educating future aviation professionals, but also building the infrastructure that allows them to learn, train, and take flight from day one.
Source and photos: here
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