Islamabad: The latest QS World University Rankings 2025 have underscored ongoing challenges in Pakistan’s higher education sector, as no Pakistani university managed to break into the global top 350.
Quaid-e-Azam University emerged as the country’s highest-ranked institution, placed at 354th worldwide. National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) followed closely within the top 371. Other Pakistani universities on the list include Punjab University at 542, LUMS at 555, and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad at 654.
Meanwhile, the University of Karachi was placed in the 1001+ bracket globally, making it the only university from Sindh to appear among the top 1,500 worldwide. Regionally, Karachi University ranked 58th in South Asia, while Aga Khan University was positioned at 62nd.
On the global leaderboard, MIT retained its top spot, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University, securing second and third positions, respectively.
Education experts say these rankings highlight persistent issues faced by Pakistani universities, including limited research funding, faculty shortages, infrastructure challenges, and the need for stronger international collaboration.
Officials and academics have called for urgent reforms and greater investment to raise the standard of Pakistan’s universities, improve their global competitiveness, and ensure they can meet the demands of a modern knowledge-based economy.
