On 15 October 1992, the Ministry of Education Malaysia endorsed recommendation from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) to establish a School for Professional and Further Education. This School acts as a specialised centre for the implementation of lifelong learning programmes at the university level. This School was launched on July 1993, and known as the School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE).
In the early days of SPACE establishment, this centre offered part-time academic programmes in collaboration with UTM faculties, and organised seminars, conferences, workshops, and other development programmes for working professionals.
SPACE was rebranded as SPACE UTM in 2006. The term “UTM” was added to the SPACE UTM name in order to increase public trust on the functions and operations of the centre as a legitimate UTM entity.
Starting in 2000, SPACE UTM underwent rapid development due to the growing public interest on part-time programmes, as well as professional development programmes with various corporate companies. The centre also became a reference point to other institutions of higher learning for lifelong learning initiatives.
SPACE UTM was rebranded as UTM SPACE in 2009. In this rebranding exercise, the term “UTM” was shifted to the front in order to emphasise the status of UTM as the parent entity. This rebranding exercise was also aligned with the branding exercise that was implemented at UTM.
UTM was upgraded to a research university in June 2010. UTM restructured a few centres and faculties at the UTM Kuala Lumpur campus as a result of the new status. SPACE was also involved in this restructuring exercise, where it was merged with the Centre for Diploma Studies (Pusat Pengajian Diploma) UTM, as well as the Joint Programme Management Unit (Unit Pengurusan Program Kerjasama) UTM, which offered UTM academic programmes through collaboration with private colleges.