The Government’s decision on establishing the Sultan Zainal Abidin University to become a history milestone in the development of the country’s public educational sector and to become the pride of the people of Terengganu in particular as well as the Malaysian society as a whole.

Chronology of UniSZA establishment:
1980 – Sultan Zainal Abidin Religious College (KUSZA) is established and operates at Sultan Zainal Abidin Upper Religious Secondary School located in Batu Buruk, Kuala Terengganu
1985 – Laying the foundation stone of the establishment of KUSZA in Gong Badak by His Majesty the late Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah
2005 – Announcement of the establishment of Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia (UDM) by the Honorable Former Prime Minister, Dato ‘Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on 26 March 2005
2006 – Universiti Darul Iman Malaysia (UDM) commenced operations on 1 January
2010 – UDM was renamed to Sultan Zainal Abidin University (UniSZA) on 13 May 2010