In the latest QS Asia University Rankings, only two Pakistani universities have placed among the top 100 in Asia, highlighting both progress and challenges in Pakistan’s higher education landscape. The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad achieved the highest rank for Pakistan at 67th, followed closely by Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), also in Islamabad, at 84th.
This year, 70 universities from Pakistan participated in the rankings, competing with institutions from across 25 countries, including Eastern, Southern, South-Eastern, and Central Asia. The QS Asia University Rankings evaluate academic performance based on multiple criteria, such as academic and employer reputation, research output, and faculty-student ratios.
Several other Pakistani institutions made strides, with Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) ranked at 115, Comsats University Islamabad at 129, and the University of the Punjab at 138, marking consistent academic achievements. While these universities fell short of the top 100, they retained strong positions within Asia’s competitive landscape.
In the top 500, universities like University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, and University of Karachi are recognized for their academic contributions. Institutions such as Aga Khan University, Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Karachi, and International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) also represent Pakistan among Asia’s higher-ranking educational institutions.
Pakistan’s varied presence in the rankings underscores the country’s ongoing journey in higher education, as both public and private universities work toward strengthening academic quality and expanding their impact. With these gains, Pakistani institutions continue to establish their presence in Asia’s competitive education sphere, aiming for higher positions in the future.
