Islamabad: Pakistani universities have made noteworthy strides in advancing their international standing, as evidenced by their rising presence in global university rankings. This development was shared by Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, Chairman of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan, during a briefing to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training.

According to Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Dr. Akhtar presented a comprehensive account of the improvements observed in the rankings of Pakistani universities in systems like the Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The number of Pakistani universities in the QS Asia University Rankings increased from 29 in 2020 to 83 in 2026, while representation in THE Asia Rankings grew from 14 to 48 universities during the same period. Additionally, the QS World University Rankings showed an increase from seven to 18 universities, and THE World University Rankings listed 56 Pakistani universities in 2027, up from 14 in 2020.

Dr. Akhtar underscored that these advancements signal enhanced global visibility and alignment with international academic standards. He emphasized that while rankings are crucial for global recognition, the primary goal remains the sustainable enhancement of academic quality and international competitiveness. Challenges such as financial constraints and limited global recognition were acknowledged as barriers to further progress.

The briefing also covered HEC’s initiatives to uplift the higher education sector, including the formation of task forces to address key issues and policy reviews in areas like undergraduate education and curriculum transformation. Dr. Akhtar highlighted scholarship programs and international collaborations, such as the Pak-US Knowledge Corridor and Allama Iqbal Scholarships, aimed at fostering global academic partnerships.

HEC’s focus on faculty and leadership development, including free Artificial Intelligence training and the deployment of an online degree attestation system, was also discussed. These efforts are part of HEC’s broader objective to bolster the quality and global competitiveness of Pakistan’s higher education landscape.

The meeting was attended by key educational representatives, including Secretary, Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, Mr. Nadeem Mahboob, and officials from various educational and regulatory bodies.