A total of 47 Pakistani universities made it to the prestigious Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025, the latest ranking by the magazine, which indicates the increasing power of Pakistan in global academia. The Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) in Islamabad is ranked 401–500 on that list, with a strong overall score of 46.0–49.2.
QAU excelled in research quality scoring 84.4 and had a robust international focus. However, it scores poorly in teaching methods (31.6) and research environment (23.6) on academic instruction and infrastructure.
Several other top universities also featured on the list, including Air University, the Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST), COMSATS University Islamabad, and the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) which were placed in the 601-800 band.
Among other notable entrants are Sukkur IBA University, the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila, and the University of Malakand. The University of Lahore, LUMS, and the University of Punjab were placed in the 801-1000 range. On the other hand, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bahria University, and GIK Institute came in the 1001-1200 range.
Pakistani universities have made significant progress in areas like research, teaching as well as global engagement and their rankings on the world stage is further cemented by the rankings.
Pakistani Universities in THE Rankings 2025
| Rank Range | University Name | Overall Score |
|---|---|---|
| 401-500 | Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad | 46.0–49.2 |
| 601-800 | Air University | 38.2–43.2 |
| 601-800 | Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST) | 38.2–43.2 |
| 601-800 | COMSATS University Islamabad | 38.2–43.2 |
| 601-800 | National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) | 38.2–43.2 |
| 601-800 | Sukkur IBA University | 38.2–43.2 |
| 601-800 | University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila | 38.2–43.2 |
| 601-800 | University of Malakand | 38.2–43.2 |
| 801-1000 | Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) | 34.5–38.1 |
| 801-1000 | University of Lahore | 34.5–38.1 |
| 801-1000 | University of the Punjab | 34.5–38.1 |
| 801-1000 | PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi | 34.5–38.1 |
| 801-1000 | Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan | 34.5–38.1 |
| 801-1000 | University of Gujrat | 34.5–38.1 |
| 1001-1200 | Bahauddin Zakariya University | 30.7–34.4 |
| 1001-1200 | Bahria University | 30.7–34.4 |
| 1001-1200 | Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences (GIKI) | 30.7–34.4 |
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) moved into second place in the global survey, while the University of Oxford remained in pole position for the ninth consecutive year. Stanford dropped to sixth. Australia’s universities also saw a drop in international reputation while China’s universities achieved a lot, as well.
Key Takeaway
The rankings include 47 Pakistani universities, a sign that the country’s higher education picture is improving. Pakistan’
