Islamabad, 24, Apr, 2025: Pakistan’s universities have marked a new milestone in higher education, as 47 institutions have secured positions in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2025 the country’s largest-ever representation on the prestigious list.
The rankings, which evaluate academic institutions across the continent, reflect the growing influence of Pakistan’s research and teaching sector, with a notable rise in participation and performance compared to previous years.
Leading the national chart is Quaid-i-Azam University, positioned at joint 137th, followed closely by NUST (National University of Sciences and Technology) at 145th, and COMSATS University Islamabad, ranked at 187th.
The report underscores not only the growing visibility of Pakistani universities but also the nation’s improving educational standards and increasing regional competitiveness.
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The evaluation, which assessed 853 universities from 35 countries, relies on 18 indicators measuring institutional excellence across education quality, research productivity, industry partnerships, and global engagement.
With this latest recognition, Pakistan ranks as the sixth most-represented country in Asia, and jointly holds 14th position globally with Taiwan.
The 47 universities named this year represent a 17.5% jump from the previous count of 40 in 2024 continuing a steady climb from 29 in 2023, 21 in 2022, and just 16 in 2021.
In addition to those officially ranked, 47 other institutions from Pakistan submitted data and were classified as “reporters,” indicating interest in global academic benchmarking but not yet meeting full ranking criteria.
Below is a summary of Pakistani universities featured in the THE Asia University Rankings 2025:
| Rank | University Name |
|---|---|
| =137 | Quaid-i-Azam University |
| 145 | National University of Sciences and Technology |
| 187 | COMSATS University Islamabad |
| 201–250 | Govt. College University Faisalabad, Sukkur IBA, UET Taxila |
| 251–300 | LUMS, UoP, Air University, CUST, UoM |
| 301–350 | GIKI, IIUI, UET Peshawar, PMAS-AAUR, IUB, UoL, UMT, UVAS |
| 351–400 | BZU, GCU Lahore, KFUEIT, UoG, UoP |
| 401–500 | Bahria, Hazara, IST, ICP, NTU, FAST-NU, Riphah, UCP, UET Lahore, UoS |
| 501–600 | KUST, MUET Jamshoro, UoA Peshawar, UAJK, UoE Lahore |
| 601+ | BUITEMS, DUHS, LCWU, MUST, NUMS, NED, UoK |
Education leaders have welcomed this upward trend as a sign of academic maturity and international potential. The continuing rise of Pakistani institutions on global indexes is expected to open new doors for partnerships, student mobility, and research investment in the years to come.
