The Academy of Language Studies was established in 1972 for the purpose of co-ordinating the learning and teaching of English as a Second Language (ESL), as well as that of other Asian and European languages to all the students of UiTM.

Prior to this date, the teaching of these languages was decentralised according to the needs of different disciplines. With the setting up of this nerve centre, UiTM’s language curriculum was formulated to cater for the ever-growing number of students who need to be proficient not only in the English language, but also in a third language. This language competency gives UiTM students a competitive edge in the job market.