In 1972, Institute Teknologi Kebangsaan was proclaimed under section 6(1) of the University and University College Act 1971 and Tan Sri Ainuddin Wahid was made the first rector of ITK and established the Office of the Rector.

On April 1975, ITK reached another milestone is its history, when it was officially declared as Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The Rector’s position was upgraded to Vice-Chancellor position.

The UTM Skudai campus including Chancellery building was officiated by the 8th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail in 16 September 1985.