The name Raja Ali Haji which is contained in the name of this University is a symbol of the spirit that the University does not only use the name of a national hero in the field of language and culture but gives a touch of the souls and spirit of Malay intellectuals from various fields of knowledge from the generation of the Riau lingga sultanate to the present and Future generations.
After going through a long series of processes starting from the issuance of the Minister of Education Decree No. 124 / D / O / 2007 regarding the permit for the establishment of UMRAH until the issuance of Presidential Regulation No. 53 of 2011 concerning the Establishment of UMRAH as a State University in the Ministry of National Education which has now returned to the name of the Ministry of Education and Culture, so UMRAH officially holds the status of a State university in the border area of Indonesia.
