The National Defence University of Malaysia (, abbreviated as NDUM or UPNM) is a military university located in Sungai Besi Camp, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The university is Malaysia's first catering to the needs and development of the Malaysian Armed Forces. There are around 2,700 undergraduate students, with over 890 of them Officer Cadets that undergo four to five years of training. History UPNM was originally Akademi Tentera Malaysia (ATMA), or the Malaysian Armed Forces Academy, which was established on 1 June 1995. It was an organisation that offered bachelor's degrees in the fields of engineering, sciences and managements, with military training. The bachelor's degree courses were accredited and awarded by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in the beginning. The lecturers came from within the armed forces, some hired by the academy and the rest deputised by UTM. On 10 November 2006, ATMA was upgraded to university status creating the current UPNM. The establishment of the university was announced by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi during the Budget 2007 reading in the Malaysian Parliament. The setting up of the university cost RM 500 million and was fully borne by the Government of Malaysia. The university's first intake of students was for the 2007/2008 session. Campus Location UPNM's main campus is at the Sungai Besi Camp in Kuala Lumpur. The campus was completed in 2002 as part of ATMA. Chancellory The former Commandant of ATMA, Lt. General Dato' Wira Ir. Ismail Samion was appointed as the first vice-chancellor of UPNM. His appointment created history in the Malaysian higher education scene as the first military personnel appointed to be vice-chancellor of a local university. Ismail was Commandant of ATMA for six years prior to the appointment. The current Vice-Chancellor is Lt Jen Dato' Abdul Halim Jalal who appointed to the post in 2018. ATMA Commandants/UPNM Vice-Chancellor Lt Jen Dato' Ismail Hassan 1995 - 1996 Mej Jen Dato' Abd Ghani Yunus 1996 - 1997 Brig Jen Baharudin Abdul Kadir 1997 - 1997 Brig Jen Dato' Adenan Mohamad Zain 1998 - Brig Jen Azizan Ariffin - Lt Jen Dato' Wira Ir. Ismail Samion (VC) 2002 - 2008 Lt Jen Dato Pahlawan Hj Zulkifli Zainal Abidin (VC) 2008 - 2010 Lt Jen Dato' Wira Allatif bin Mohamed Noor (VC) 2010 - 2013 Jen Tan Sri Hj Zulkifli Zainal Abidin (VC) 2013–2018 Lt Jen Dato' Abdul Halim Jalal 2018–2021 Lt Jen Dato’ Hasagaya Bin Abdullah 2021-