Rankings of universities in Pakistan
University rankings in Pakistan by HEC
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This article presents an overview of university rankings in Pakistan. Within Pakistan, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) provides official rankings of higher education institutions (HEIs) nationally, based on a multitude of criteria.[1] There are also various magazines, newspapers and international agencies/standards which provide rankings and analysis.
According to the 2015 HEI rankings released by the HEC, the top six universities in Pakistan were, in descending order: Quaid-i-Azam University, University of the Punjab (PU), National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), Aga Khan University (AKU) and COMSATS Institute of Information Technology.[2][3]
As of 2022, total 6 universities were ranked in top 1000 by QS World University Rankings: National University of Sciences & Technology (#334), Quaid-i-Azam University (#378), PIEAS (#398), LUMS (#651), University of The Punjab (#701) and UET, Lahore (#801), .[4] In rankings for 2023, the number increased to 7, with the addition of NED University of Engineering and Technology (#801).[5]
National
Up to date, the HEC has published rankings for the years 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014 and most recently 2015.[2] In addition to the top ten and general rankings, independent rankings are also provided for universities and institutes in the categories of agriculture and veterinary science; arts and design; business; engineering and technology; and medicine.[2] The HEC ranking uses five criteria, all of which have specific weightings and are summed to give an aggregate score out of 100. Institutional rankings are determined based on this aggregate score. Each criterion and its weighting is dependent upon a set of sub-components. The five criteria, along with their weighted score and sub-components are summarized below:
- Quality assurance (15) – Standard of M.Phil., M.S. and PhD courses; eligibility criteria for faculty member appointments; plagiarism policy compliance; assessment of Quality Enhancement Cells (QECs) for internal quality assurance;[6] international awards/honors attained by students; affiliation of coursework with national accreditation bodies e.g. NAEAC, NBEAC, NCEAC, PEC and PMDC; latest international rankings of the university/institute.[2]
- Teaching quality (30) – Staff to student ratio; ratio of PhD faculty and full-time faculty; faculty training and recruitment; student enrollment ratio and selectivity; national and international awards/recognition attained by faculty members.[2]
- Research (41) – Nationally and internationally registered patents, varieties, technologies, breeds and creative work; university industrial linkages through Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORICs);[7] ratio of PhD students and total PhD output per year; amount of external research grants obtained; amount of travel grants obtained by faculties for presentation of papers abroad; number of papers published in ISI Web of Science impact factor journals and HEC-recognized journals; citations per paper; university h-index; number of W and X category journals published; internet bandwidth and HEC Digital Library utilization; number of national and international conferences/seminars/workshops/symposia organized.[2]
- Finance and facilities (10) – Ratio of non-salary expenditures in total budget; amount generated through own resources; amount of budget expended on research and libraries; computers available per student and faculty; number of books and resources in libraries; number of external scholarships received by students.[2]
- Social integration/community development (4) – Community outreach programs and services; international collaborations and student exchange programs; number of international students enrolled and foreign faculty.[2]
Top ten rankings
According to the 2023 HEC rankings, the following comprise the overall top ranking higher education institutions in the country.[2]
| Ranking | University | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | capital University of science and technology | 95.01 | |
| 2 | COMSATS Institute of Information Technology | 79.40 | |
| 3 | National University of Science and Technology | 66.78 | |
| 4 | Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences | 74.88 | |
| 5 | Lahore University of Management Sciences | 60.69 | |
| 6 | Government College University, Lahore | 68.00 | |
| 7 | Institute of Business Administration (IBA) | 70.09 | |
| 8 | Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan | 66.78 | |
| 9 | Minhaj University, Lahore | 65.98 |
Agriculture and veterinary science
| Ranking | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences | |
| 2 | University of Agriculture (Peshawar) | 62.85 |
| 3 | Sindh Agriculture University | 46.90 |
| 4 | Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences | 42.65 |
Arts and design
| Ranking | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | National College of Arts | 100.00 |
| 2 | Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture | 82.53 |
| 3 | Pifd | 88 |
Business
According to the 2022 HEC rankings, the following comprise the top ranking business schools in the country.[2]
| 1 | Institute of Business Administration, Karachi | 100.00 |
| 2 | Lahore University of Management Sciences | 98.70 |
| 3 | University of The Punjab | 96.00 |
| 4 | Lahore School of Economics | 76.91 |
| 5 | Sukkur Institute of Business Administration | 75.83 |
| 6 | Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology | 75.70 |
| 9 | University of Central Punjab | 67.34 |
| 10 | Greenwich University | 58.75 |
| 11 | GIFT University | 54.66 |
| 12 | COMMECS Institute of Business and Emerging Sciences | 41.79 |
| 13 | Khadim Ali Shah Bukhari Institute of Technology | 22.16 |
| 14 | Institute of Management Sciences (Lahore) | 25.39 |
| 15 | Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education | 7.54 |
Computer Sciences (CS), Engineering and Information Technology (IT)
Rankings for Computer science and information technology Institutes are updated as of 2022.
| Ranking | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences | 99.00 |
| 2 | National University of Sciences and Technology | 95.00 |
| 3 | COMSATS University Islamabad | 80.00 |
| 4 | University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore | 75.00 |
| 5 | Quaid-e-Azam University | 60.00 |
| 6 | Air University, Islamabad | 50.00 |
| 7 | NED | 40.00 |
Engineering and technology
According to the 2024 HEC rankings, the following comprise the top ranking engineering universities in the country.[2]
Medicine
According to the 2022 HEC rankings, the following comprise the top ranking medical schools in the country.[2]
| Ranking | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aga Khan University | 100.00 |
| 2 | National University of Medical Sciences | 83.54 |
| 3 | Dow University of Health Sciences | 64.53 |
| 4 | University of Health Sciences (Lahore) | 61.62 |
| 5 | Khyber Medical University | 57.28 |
| 6 | Jinnah Sindh Medical University | 53.62 |
| 7 | Bahria Medical and Dental University | 51.99 |
| 8 | Ziauddin University | 50.56 |
| 9 | Sindh Institute of Medical Sciences | 43.64 |
| 10 | Baqai Medical University | 41.58 |
| 11 | Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University | 37.03 |
| 12 | Hamdard University | 36.45 |
| 13 | King Edward Medical University | 32.25 |
| 14 | King Hammad Medical University | 32.20 |
General Rankings
Notes:
- Institutions not included in the HEC rankings include distance learning universities, military academies, universities chartered after the 30th of June 2010 and those institutions for which sufficient data is not available.
- Source: Higher Education Commission, as of 23 February 2016.
International rankings
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS)
The QS World University Rankings is one of the most widely referenced international ranking systems. Pakistan is ranked 50th globally in terms of its higher education system's strength.[8] Following is the list of 13 Universities which appeared in 2022 - 2023 edition of QS World University Rankings:[9]
| National ranking | World ranking | Asia ranking (2024)[10] | Subject ranking/s (world) (2016) | University | Province |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 353 | 67 | Computer science and information systems: 251–300; Electrical and electronic engineering: 301–350; Engineering and technology: 340 | NUST | Islamabad |
| 2 | 363 | 91 | QS International Trade Rankings: 176–200 (Only One in Pakistan); RePEc: 2.43, Second Place nationally; 250[11] | Lahore School of Economics | Lahore |
| 3 | 390 | 189 | PIEAS | Islamabad | |
| 4 | 601 | 116 | Business and management studies: 251–300; Computer science and information systems: 401–450[12] | LUMS | Punjab |
| 5 | 801 – 1000 | 145 | University of the Punjab | Punjab | |
| 6 | 801 – 1000 | 183 | Electrical and electronic engineering: 251–300[13] | UET, Lahore | Punjab |
| 7 | 801 – 1000 | 197 | University of Peshawar | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa | |
| 8 | 1001 – 1200 | 137 | Computer science and information systems: 401–500 | Virtual University of Pakistan | Islamabad |
| 9 | 1001 – 1200 | 214 | Agriculture and forestry: 51–100[14] | University of Agriculture, Faisalabad | Punjab |
| 10 | 1001 – 1200 | 301 – 350 | The University of Lahore | Punjab | |
| 11 | 1201 – 1400 | 245 | University of Karachi | Sindh | |
| 12 | 1201 – 1400 | 301 – 350 | Bahauddin Zakariya University | Punjab | |
| 13 | 1201 – 1400 | 301 – 350 | IIUI | Islamabad | |
| — | — | 183 | Medicine: 301–400[15] | Aga Khan University | Sindh |
Research Papers in Economics/IDEAS
Research Papers in Economics (RePEc) ranks the top 25% institutions and schools/faculties in the field of economics research, using its IDEAS database. The database takes a number of factors into account, such as item citations, journals and working papers, authorship and field-based ranks. The database rankings are updated on a monthly basis. Provided below are the most recent country rankings for Pakistan:
| Ranking | University | School or department |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan Institute of Development Economics | Department of Econometrics and Statistics |
| 2 | Lahore School Of Economics | Centre for Research in Economics & Business |
| 4 | National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences | Department of Computer Sciences |
| 5 | Quaid-i-Azam University | School of Economics |
| 6 | Institute of Business Administration | — |
| 7 | Federal Urdu University | School of Economic Sciences |
| 8 | International Islamic University | International Institute of Islamic Economics |
| 9 | University of Karachi | Applied Economics Research Centre |
| 10 | Lahore University of Management Sciences | Department of Economics |
| 11 | University of the Punjab | Department of Economics |
| 12 | Iqra University | Research Centre |
| 13 | National University of Sciences and Technology | NUST Business School |
| 14 | University of Sargodha | Department of Economics |
| 16 | University of Karachi | Department of Economics |
Notes:
- For the purpose of this article, non-academic institutions ranked in the database have been excluded from this list.
- Source: Pakistan rankings, RePEc/IDEAS as of March 2016.
Round University Ranking
The Round University Ranking, compiled by the RUR Ranking Agency in Russia in partnership with Thomson Reuters, ranks the top 750 universities based on standards of teaching, research, international diversity and financial sustainability. The following Pakistani universities are listed in the 2016 rankings:
| Ranking | World ranking | University | Score | League | Dimensional rankings (world) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 610 | National University of Sciences and Technology | 31.205 | World League | Teaching: 482 (Copper League); Research: 639 (World League); International diversity: 427 (Copper League); Financial sustainability: 652 (World League)[16] |
| 2 | 627 | NED University of Engineering and Technology | 29.520 | World League | Teaching: 515 (World League); Research: 635 (World League); International diversity: 466 (Copper League); Financial sustainability: 673 (World League)[17] |
- Source: Round University Rankings, as of 2016.
SCImago Institutions Rankings
The SCImago Institutions Rankings (SIR) are published by the SCImago Research Group, a Spanish academic research organisation. The rankings measure universities using indicators such as research, innovation and web visibility. Included below are the 19 Pakistani universities listed in these rankings and their positions in terms of the latter two indicators (as of 2021).
Notes:
- Data for research rankings is not publicly available.
- Source: Innovative Knowledge rankings[permanent dead link], Technological Impact rankings[permanent dead link], Website rankings[permanent dead link] and Domain Inbound Links rankings[permanent dead link] for Pakistan, SCImago Institutions Rankings as of 2014.
Times Higher Education
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings is a prominent publication of university rankings, released by the UK-based Times Higher Education magazine. It includes overall, subject and reputation-wise rankings, 150 Under 50 rankings, as well as two regional rankings: Asia, and BRICS and Emerging Economies. In the 2015–2016 edition, the following ranks were applicable to Pakistani universities:
| Ranking | World ranking | Asia ranking | BRICS & Emerging Economies ranking | 150 Under 50 ranking | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 601–800 | — | — | — | COMSATS Institute of Information Technology |
| 2 | 601–800 | 121–130 | 132 | 101–150 | National University of Sciences and Technology |
| 3 | 601–800 | 101–110 | 107 | — | Quaid-i-Azam University |
| 4 | 601–800 | — | — | — | Capital University of Science & Technology[18] |
| 5 | 801 | — | — | — | University of Agriculture (Faisalabad) |
| 6 | 801 | — | — | — | Bahauddin Zakariya University |
| 7 | 801 | — | — | — | National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences |
| 8 | 801 | — | — | — | University of Lahore |
Notes:
- The 150 Under 50 ranking lists the top 150 world universities which are less than 50 years old.
- Source: World rankings (as of 2016/2017), Asia rankings (as of 2016), BRICS & Emerging Economies rankings (as of 2015/2016) and 150 Under 50 rankings (as of 2016) for Pakistan, Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
UI GreenMetric Ranking
The GreenMetric Ranking of World Universities is published by Universitas Indonesia (UI). It ranks over 400 world universities according to their eco-friendly environment and commitment to sustainability. Three instruments are used as the basis of the ranking criteria: Environment, Economics and Equity.[19] The 2015 edition includes the following overall and indicator-specific world rankings for Pakistani universities:
| Ranking | University | Overall ranking | Setting & infrastructure | Energy & climate change | Waste | Water | Transportation | Education | Campus setting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Agriculture (Faisalabad) | 128 | 92 | 165 | 322 | 148 | 56 | 34 | Urban: 57 |
| 2 | Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University | 220 | 253 | 327 | 291 | 101 | 201 | 95 | Urban: 110 |
| 3 | University of Lahore | 270 | 154 | 270 | 356 | 394 | 92 | 204 | Urban: 138 |
| 4 | University of Karachi | 355 | 60 | 339 | 397 | 291 | 262 | 336 | Urban: 189 |
| 5 | International Islamic University | 392 | 293 | 382 | 406 | 282 | 287 | 226 | City Center/High Rise: 53 |
- Source: Overall rankings Archived 2020-10-27 at the Wayback Machine, Setting and Infrastructure rankings, Energy and Climate Change rankings, Waste rankings, Water rankings Archived 2018-03-21 at the Wayback Machine, Transportation rankings, Education rankings Archived 2018-03-21 at the Wayback Machine and Campus Setting rankings, UI GreenMetric as of December 2015.
U-Multirank
U-Multirank is an independent ranking system funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus Programme. The ranking is supported by a consortium of academics in Europe. It provides multi-dimensional listings for universities, in terms of academic fields as well as various education-specific indicators. Universities are rated against these indicators using a grading system, ranging from 'A' (very good) to 'E' (weak). The 2016 rankings include the following Pakistani universities along with their grades:
| Rank | University | Teaching & learning | Research | Knowledge transfer | International orientation | Regional engagement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences | Bachelors graduation rate: A; Masters graduation rate: A; Graduating on time (bachelor): A; Graduating on time (masters): A | Citation rate: D; Research publications: A; External research income: A | Co-publications with industrial partners: D; Private income: D; Patents: E; Publications cited in patents: E | International joint publications: D | Bachelor graduates working in region: D; Regional joint publications: B; Regional income sources: E |
| 2 | Institute of Management Sciences (Peshawar) | Graduating on time (bachelor): A; Graduating on time (masters): A | — | — | — | — |
| 3 | Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences | Bachelors graduation rate: B; Masters graduation rate: C; Graduating on time (bachelor): B; Graduating on time (masters): C | Citation rate: D; Research publications: D; External research income: D | Co-publications with industrial partners: B; Private income: D; Patents: E; Publications cited in patents: E | Student mobility: D; International joint publications: A | Bachelor graduates working in region: B; Regional joint publications: B; Regional income sources: B |
Notes:
- Source Pakistan rankings obtained from university comparisons, U-Multirank as of April 2016.
University Ranking by Academic Performance
The University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP), developed at the Middle East Technical University in Turkey, ranks the top 2,000 global institutions with an emphasis on research impact and quality, and scientific productivity. It uses indicators such as articles published, citations, total documents, article and citation impact, and international collaboration. The 2015–2016 edition provides the following national, international and regional rankings along with field-based ranks (as of 2014–2015) for Pakistani universities:
| Ranking | World ranking | Asia ranking | University | Field-based ranking/s (world) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 315 | 9 | Quaid-i-Azam University | Biological sciences: 772; Chemical sciences: 661; Engineering: 588; Mathematical sciences: 189; Medical and health sciences: 949; Physical sciences: 305; Information and computing sciences: 201 |
| 2 | 967 | 259 | COMSATS Institute of Information Technology | Chemical sciences: 872; Engineering: 669; Information and computing sciences: 577; Mathematical sciences: 499; Physical sciences: 699 |
| 3 | 973 | 263 | University of Agriculture (Faisalabad) | Agricultural and veterinary sciences: 167; Biological sciences: 625; Engineering: 1,015; Environmental sciences: 400 |
| 4 | 1,040 | 292 | University of the Punjab | Biological sciences: 651; Engineering: 1,139; Mathematical sciences: 656; Medical and health sciences: 986; Physical sciences: 692 |
| 5 | 1,059 | 295 | Aga Khan University | Medical and health sciences: 513 |
| 6 | 1,101 | 309 | National University of Sciences and Technology | Engineering: 933; Mathematical sciences: 487; Physical sciences: 761 |
| 7 | 1,261 | 375 | University of Karachi | Biological sciences: 777; Chemical sciences: 688; Medical and health sciences: 878 |
| 8 | 1,343 | 407 | Bahauddin Zakariya University | Engineering: 1,224 |
| 9 | 1,403 | 435 | Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences | Biological sciences: 995; Engineering: 1,061; Physical sciences: 932 |
| 10 | 1,475 | 464 | Government College University (Faisalabad) | — |
| 11 | 1,558 | 503 | University of Peshawar | — |
| 12 | 1,581 | 512 | Government College University (Lahore) | Mathematical sciences: 871 |
| 13 | 1,646 | 533 | University of Sargodha | — |
| 14 | 1,701 | 561 | Lahore University of Management Sciences | — |
| 15 | 1,752 | 577 | Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University | — |
| 16 | 1,890 | 641 | University of Engineering and Technology (Lahore) | — |
| 18 | 1,937 | 661 | University of Sindh | — |
| 19 | 1,968 | 670 | Dow University of Health Sciences | — |
| 20 | 1,975 | 673 | Kohat University of Science and Technology | — |
Notes:
- The 17th rank is intentionally omitted due to database error.
- Source: Pakistan rankings and Asia rankings (as of 2015–2016); Field-based rankings (as of 2014–2015), University Ranking by Academic Performance.
U.S. News & World Report
In the 2015 edition of top 500 international rankings, the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Rankings listed the following Pakistani university:[20][21]
| Ranking | World ranking | Asia ranking | University |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 496 | 89 | Quaid-i-Azam University |
Webometrics
The Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, published by the Spanish Cybermetrics Lab, provides a listing of national, regional and international rankings of universities in Pakistan based on their web presence. Shown below, as per the 2016 edition, are the top 20 rankings only:
- Source: Pakistan rankings, Asia rankings and South Asia rankings, Webometrics as of January 2016.
uniRank
uniRank (unirank.org) ranks universities and colleges country-wise based on their web popularity and online footprint. It is not an academic ranking.[22] According to its website, uniRank uses an algorithm including web metrics from Moz Domain Authority, Alexa Global Rank, SimilarWeb Global Rank, Majestic Referring Domains and Majestic Trust Flow.[22] The top 10 results in Pakistan include the following universities:
- Source: Pakistan rankings, uniRank as of 2016.
Analysis and criticism
The HEC acknowledges that rankings are "a debatable subject all over the world".[2] It defines its ranking system as a measure to strengthen the quality of higher education, provide a tool for self-assessment, as well as ensure that universities achieve domestic and international competitiveness in education, innovation and research.[2] However, the HEC's rankings have been subject to criticism among educationists and policy-making experts in Pakistan. Some critics claim the rankings give "more weight to quantity than quality" of research, faculty and other key factors.[23][24][25]