Strictly embargoed: 04:01 Pakistan time, Wednesday 9 October
- Quaid-i-Azam University remains Pakistan’s highest-ranked university, coming in the top 500. Majority of Pakistan’s universities hold steady; only seven have improved, while 10 decline
- A record 47 Pakistani universities are ranked this year, up from 40
- Pakistani universities closing the gap with rest of world on average score
- Sukkur IBA University is country’s top newcomer, arriving in band 601-800.
- University of Oxford is the world’s top ranked university – coming first for a record-breaking ninth year
- The US has a new leading university, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), ranked 2nd up from 3rd
- More than 2,000 universities are ranked – the largest number ever.
- THE World University Rankings are the most comprehensive, rigorous and balanced global rankings assessing research-intensive universities across 18 performance indicators
A record number of Pakistani universities feature in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025, released today, but most of the country’s established universities have not made progress.
The nation now has 47 ranked universities, up from 40 last year, representing a 17.5 per cent increase. This continues a trend of rapid growth in recent years, from 29 in 2023, 21 in 2022 and 16 in 2021.
Pakistan’s highest-ranked university, coming in the top 500 in the world, is Quaid-i-Azam University, in the 401-500 band, the same position as last year.
Eight Pakistani universities feature in the 601-800 band, one more than last year. The University of Malakand is now ranked in this band, after rising from the 801-1,000 band, swapping places with Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, which declines. Sukkur IBA University, a newly-ranked institution this year, also joins the 601-800 band.
Just seven of Pakistan’s universities have improved their rank this year, while 10 have declined.
This 21st edition of the rankings has 2,092 universities ranked – up from 1,907 last year – from 115 countries and regions. This represents a 9.7 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of ranked universities, the biggest rise in the past five years, and compares with a 6 per cent growth last year.
Pakistan’s 47 ranked universities make it the 14th most-represented nation in the world, along with Taiwan.
Pakistani universities in the top 800 of the THE World University Rankings 2025
| University | Rank 2025 | Rank 2024 |
| Quaid-i-Azam University | 401–500 | 401–500 |
| Air University | 601–800 | 601–800 |
| Capital University of Science and Technology | 601–800 | 601–800 |
| COMSATS University Islamabad | 601–800 | 601–800 |
| Government College University Faisalabad | 601–800 | 601–800 |
| National University of Sciences and Technology | 601–800 | 601–800 |
| Sukkur IBA University | 601–800 | NR |
| University of Engineering and Technology, Taxila | 601–800 | 601–800 |
| University of Malakand | 601–800 | 801–1000 |
(The list of Pakistani universities in the THE World University Rankings 2025, from 801-1,501+, is available below, in ‘notes to editors’).
If you reproduce any part of these ranking tables or charts, please attribute it to “Times Higher Education World University Rankings”, and link to the full list on our website (live from 04:01 Pakistan time, Wednesday 9 October).
Pakistani universities have significantly reduced their gap with the rest of the world in the last seven years. Pakistan’s universities have increased their score in the THE World University Rankings by an average of 19.3 between the 2018 edition and the 2025 edition, while the world average has increased by 8.6 in the same time.
Pakistan university growth has been almost exponential in the research quality pillar and linear in the international pillar:
Pakistan held its general election in February and the country’s higher education institutions face a difficult environment, which includes navigating the political changes. They also face budget cuts, tensions between regional and central government’s management of higher education and an absence of permanent vice-chancellors in the majority of institutions.
Phil Baty, Times Higher Education’s chief global affairs officer, said: “While higher education in Pakistan is facing a tough environment – both politically and financially – the sector has stood up on the world university stage to be counted and the significant increase in the number of universities in the THE World University Rankings is fantastic to see.
“Coupled with this, the direction of travel of higher education in the country in our rankings is very positive as the sector has increased its average score compared with the rest of the world over several years and its research quality has significantly improved too.”
The world’s highest-ranked higher education institution is the University of Oxford, which has maintained the top spot for a record nine years in a row. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is the second highest ranked university in the world and in third place is Harvard University.
The top 10 universities in the THE World University Rankings 2025
| University | Country | Rank 2025 | Rank 2024 |
| University of Oxford | United Kingdom | 1 | 1 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States | 2 | 3 |
| Harvard University | United States | 3 | 4 |
| Princeton University | United States | 4 | 6 |
| University of Cambridge | United Kingdom | 5 | 5 |
| Stanford University | United States | 6 | 2 |
| California Institute of Technology | United States | 7 | 7 |
| University of California, Berkeley | United States | 8 | 9 |
| Imperial College London | United Kingdom | 9 | 8 |
| Yale University | United States | 10 | 10 |
This year 853 universities in Asia are ranked from 35 countries. Pakistan’s 47 institutions make it the 6th highest in the continent.
The THE World University Rankings 2025 are the most comprehensive, rigorous and balanced global ranking assessing research-intensive universities across 18 performance indicators (metrics), which are divided into five pillars, covering their core missions of teaching, research, knowledge transfer and internationalisation.
This year, 2,860 institutions submitted data, up 6.9 per cent on last year (last year it was 2,674) from 133 countries and territories. The remaining 768 institutions gained ‘reporter’ status, which means, although they submitted data, they did not meet THE’s eligibility criteria to receive a ranking.
THE’s World University Rankings started with 200 universities and now has more than 2,000 making it the most global and inclusive university ranking in the world.
View the full World University Rankings 2025 results (link live 04:01 Pakistan time, Wednesday 9 October) and see World University Rankings 2025 methodology.
***ENDS***
Notes to editors
- To find out more about the ranking, including the full list, or to interview Phil Baty, please email [email protected] and/or contact Claire Baumforth, THE’s Director of Corporate Communications, [email protected] or call +44 7833 234 133
- Empowering higher education by combining data and expertise within a global platform, Times Higher Education helps universities deliver transformative impact for people, places and the planet. We connect the world’s higher education community, facilitate the flow of ideas and talent, and help academics and students fulfil their potential. We are proud to support universities, and believe that together we will build a better, more sustainable future.
For more information visit Times Higher Education or find us on X: @timeshighered @THEworldunirank or LinkedIn
- Pakistan universities’ position – from 801-1,501+ – in the THE World University Rankings 2025
| University | Rank 2025 | Rank 2024 |
| Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan | 801–1000 | 601–800 |
| International Islamic University, Islamabad | 801–1000 | 801–1000 |
| Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology | 801–1000 | NR |
| Lahore University of Management Sciences | 801–1000 | 801–1000 |
| PMAS Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 |
| The Islamia University of Bahawalpur | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 |
| University of Central Punjab | 801–1000 | NR |
| University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 |
| University of Gujrat | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 |
| University of Lahore | 801–1000 | 801–1000 |
| University of Management and Technology | 801–1000 | 801–1000 |
| University of the Punjab | 801–1000 | 801–1000 |
| University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore | 801–1000 | 801–1000 |
| Bahauddin Zakariya University | 1001–1200 | 1001–1200 |
| Bahria University | 1001–1200 | 801–1000 |
| Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology | 1001–1200 | NR |
| Government College University Lahore | 1001–1200 | 1201–1500 |
| Hazara University Mansehra | 1001–1200 | 801–1000 |
| Institute of Space Technology | 1001–1200 | 801–1000 |
| Islamia College Peshawar | 1001–1200 | 801–1000 |
| National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences | 1001–1200 | 1001–1200 |
| Riphah International University | 1001–1200 | 1001–1200 |
| University of Education, Lahore | 1001–1200 | 1201–1500 |
| University of Peshawar | 1001–1200 | 1001–1200 |
| University of Sargodha | 1001–1200 | 1001–1200 |
| Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS) | 1201–1500 | NR |
| Kohat University of Science and Technology | 1201–1500 | 1001–1200 |
| Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, Pakistan | 1201–1500 | 1001–1200 |
| Mirpur University of Science and Technology | 1201–1500 | 1001–1200 |
| National Textile University | 1201–1500 | NR |
| The University of Agriculture, Peshawar | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 |
| University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir | 1201–1500 | NR |
| University of Engineering & Technology (UET) Lahore | 1201–1500 | 1001–1200 |
| Dow University of Health Sciences | 1501+ | 1201–1500 |
| Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) | 1501+ | 1501+ |
| National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) | 1501+ | 1501+ |
| NED University of Engineering and Technology | 1501+ | 1501+ |
| University of Karachi | 1501+ | 1501+ |
- Top 100 universities in the THE World University Rankings 2025 – for thefull list email [email protected]
| University | Country | Rank 2025 | Rank 2024 |
| University of Oxford | United Kingdom | 1 | 1 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States | 2 | 3 |
| Harvard University | United States | 3 | 4 |
| Princeton University | United States | 4 | 6 |
| University of Cambridge | United Kingdom | 5 | 5 |
| Stanford University | United States | 6 | 2 |
| California Institute of Technology | United States | 7 | 7 |
| University of California, Berkeley | United States | 8 | 9 |
| Imperial College London | United Kingdom | 9 | 8 |
| Yale University | United States | 10 | 10 |
| ETH Zurich | Switzerland | 11 | 11 |
| Tsinghua University | China | 12 | 12 |
| Peking University | China | 13 | 14 |
| The University of Chicago | United States | =14 |
