Islamabad: The Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan has announced the formation of a 22-member National Task Force focused on developing a National University Rankings Framework. The initiative aims to establish a credible and transparent system for assessing the performance of universities across the country.

According to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, the Task Force will be responsible for reviewing and finalizing the proposed national rankings framework. It will draw upon internationally recognized university ranking methodologies and adapt them to fit Pakistan’s higher education landscape. The Task Force will examine various ranking indicators, assessment methodologies, data requirements, verification procedures, and scoring mechanisms to ensure that the ranking system is fair and evidence-based.

Dr. Ghulam Mustafa, Director of the Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences, has been appointed as the Convenor of the Task Force. Mr. Muhammad Ali Baig, the National Coordinator for National University Rankings and Deputy Director of the Higher Education Data Repository at HEC, will serve as the Secretary.

The Task Force includes experts and representatives from universities and higher education regulatory bodies throughout the country. Institutions represented include Aga Khan University, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Khyber Medical University, King Edward Medical University, Lahore University of Management Sciences, and several others. The inclusion of representatives from various universities and higher education regulatory bodies ensures comprehensive geographical, institutional, and disciplinary representation.