Among the 18 Pakistani universities included in the rankings, Quaid e Azam University, Islamabad, ranks highest at 354 globally, whereas The Islamia University of Bahawalpur falls within the 1,401-1500 range. Without doubt, their placement is a noteworthy achievement. However, it does raise important questions about the shortcomings in our higher education system that deters these universities from breaking into the top 100.
The universities in the QS list are ranked according to several indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty and faculty presence. While Pakistani universities do their best to prepare their students for a well-rounded segue into the real world, they often fall short of advancing original research and publications in high-impact journals.
The country’s field of academia is no stranger to corruption at the top and hassle-free publication sometimes restricts itself to upper class circles, making academia inaccessible for a lot of academics. Moreover, universities often lack government funding crucial for modern facilities and advancements. This delay is complemented with outdated curriculums that do not always reflect what the future demands.
Despite these gaps and roadblocks, 18 Pakistani universities are now globally recognised for their quality education and environment, and they will hopefully pave the way for even stronger performance in the future.