Top Universities of Pakistan ranking by higher education commission of Pakistan

Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad

Quaid-i-Azam University is an international seat of higher, advance, intellectual learning that illuminates the human minds and broadens the vision bringing back home all kinds of opportunities and development.

Quaid-i-Azam University (once named Islamabad University) was established in July 1967 under the Act of National Assembly and started teaching and research programmes for PhD and MPhil degrees. It was, however, gradually and later decided to offer Master’s, graduate, and now undergraduate programmes. The University, for its international repute, faculty and programmes attracts a large number of foreign students although it offers admission to a measured number of students from all regions of the country as it is a federal public sector university.

It has been able to establish its links with some selected universities in Europe, South Asia and the United States. The international educational and research institutions including UNESCO, IRSIP, Agencia Espanole de Cooperacion International (Spain) etc. collaborate their research activities with the Quaid-i-Azam University. Moreover, a reasonable size of the faculty members of the University have been working in the international universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Columbia, Heidelberg etc. earning applause and awards such as International Peace Award from Brussels.

Currently, the Quaid-i-Azam University has four faculties and nine other teaching and research Institutes, Centre and Schools. Briefly included; Faculty of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine (affiliated), Area Study Centre for Africa, North and South America, Centre of Excellence in Gender Studies, National Institute of Pakistan Studies, National Institute of Psychology, National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, National Institute of Asian Civilizations, and the Computer Centre.

For growing educational and technical needs of the country, the University imparts quality education and training on lower strata of life in the field of computer and runs a wide range of short term certificate and diploma courses. In all, the University’s academic programmes, have an enrollment of over 5,500 students.

The University also maintains a high standard in providing services. It has well equipped classrooms, state of the art labs and libraries. Other facilities like hostels for male and female students, sports and play fields, transport, mosque, bank, utility shop, post office, photocopying and thesis/paper binding, telephone, café etc. are centrally located on the Campus.

Rankings and reputation:For QS Top 10 Asian universities, QAU was ranked 6th in the natural science category in 2010.The university was overall ranked between 100-200 among the QS world top universities in 2007 and 2009.According to the latest 2012 ranking of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan, Quaid-i-Azam University is ranked first in the general category.As per rankings of OIC universities, QAU stood first in ranking among Muslim countries universities. More than 80% of the professors hold doctoral degrees and have overseas experience.

University of the Punjab, Lahore

The University of the Punjab was formally established with the convening of the first meeting of its Senate on October 14, 1882 at Simla.

The University of the Punjab was formally established with the convening of the first meeting of its Senate on October 14, 1882 at Simla. It was the fourth University to be established by the British colonial authorities on the Indian Subcontinent. The first three universities were established by the British rulers at their initial strongholds of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. The University of the Punjab came into existence as a result of a long drawn struggle of the people of Punjab after the war of independence in 1857. Contrary to the three previously established universities, which were only examining institutions, the University of the Punjab was both teaching as well as examining body right from the beginning.

The contribution of Dr. G. W. Leitner, an enlightened Hungarian and a naturalized Britisher, was instrumental in the establishment of this University. He became its first Registrar. Prof. A. C. Woolner, who remained Vice-Chancellor of this University during 1928-1936, played a key role in its development during the initial decades of this century. His statue still stands in front of the Allama Iqbal Campus of the University.

Until independence in 1947 The University of the Punjab fulfilled the educational needs of a vast region of the Subcontinent. Partition of the Subcontinent somewhat reduced the geographical limits of the jurisdiction of the University. However, for many years after independence it still ranged over vast areas including Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. New universities were set up later in the country to share responsibility for imparting higher education with the University of the Punjab.

The strength of the University Faculty was greatly reduced because of the migration of non-Muslim teachers and scholars at the time of independence. The University functioning was restored, mainly due to the efforts of the eminent educationists like Dr. Umar Hayat Malik, who became the first Vice Chancellor after the independence. Academic programs were initiated soon after the independence many new departments.

 The University of the Punjab was given its initial impetus by Wood's despatch in 1854. Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner was the founder of the university. Contrary to the three previously established universities, which were only examining institutions, the University of the Punjab was both teaching as well as examining body right from the beginning.

From its formation in 1882 until 1947, the University of the Punjab served the educational needs of the entire region of pre-independence Punjab and northern India. Mohindra College, Patiala was the first college of higher learning to affiliate with University of Punjab in 1882; followed by St. Stephen's College, Delhi. The independence of Pakistan in 1947 reduced the geographical jurisdiction of the university, as it was split into two separate universities in the respective countries. The Indian portion of the university is referred to as Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. The current Institute of Administrative Sciences was created in 1962.

Many major institutions that were previously affiliated to Punjab University have now become independent universities on their own, such as Government College University, Lahore and Medical and Engineering Colleges.

National University of Science & Technology (NUST)

National University of Sciences and Technology commonly referred to as NUST, is a public research university with main campus in Islamabad, Pakistan and other subsidiary campuses in different cities of Pakistan.

Established in March 1991 primarily for the promotion of STEM subjects, it has since then expanded through establishing a more comprehensive curriculum consisting of economics, finance, management and social sciences degrees.[2] The university is also home to an under-construction IASP certified National Science & Technology Park.

NUST was established in 1991 by merging military and civil educational resources. After its development, existing military schools and colleges became constituent colleges of NUST. The first college to be affiliated with NUST was MCS in 1991. In 1993, the university was granted a charter and CEME and MCE became part of the university. In December 1994 and November 1995, CAE and PNEC became constituents of NUST respectively. All the constituent colleges were upgraded, in September 1997 MS program was started at CAE, in 1998, MS program was started at PNEC and in the same year Bachelor of Dental Surgery was started at AMC. In 1999, CEME and CAE attained ISO 9001 Certification, School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (SEECS) was launched in Islamabad, and NUST Business School (then known as NIMS) was established.School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME) offers degrees in Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering and is one of the most competitive engineering schools of Pakistan.

As of 2016, NUST has over 15,000 full-time students enrolled, over 20 departments with over 1,280 academic faculty staff. It is ranked by QS World Ranking's as among the leading 50 universities under the age of 50, and is ranked by QS as among top 500 universities in the world. It is also ranked by QS as among top 300 in world in Electrical Engineering.[5]While Times Higher Education Ranking's rank's NUST as among the top 100 universities from BRICS and Emerging Economies, as among top 120 in Asia, and among top 250 globally in the field of Electrical Engineering. In 2016, it was also ranked as among the next 50 leading young universities globally by Time's.NUST is a member of Association of Commonwealth Universities, United Nations Academic Impact and Talloires Network.

University of Agriculture, Faisalabad

The University of Agriculture, Faisalabad  is a university in the city of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.It was established in 1906  as the first major institution of higher agricultural education in the undivided Punjab.

At independence in 1947, Pakistan was a predominantly agricultural country. In spite of subsequent industrialization and development, agriculture remains central to its economy. After independence, the Government of Pakistan appointed National Commissions on Food and Education to reform the existing agrarian system in Pakistan and to formulate measures for developing better agricultural potential. The commissions made a plea for the establishment of an agricultural university for research and education in agriculture. It was established by upgrading the former Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute in 1961.It was the first university built by the British Empire in 1906 with the foundation stone laying ceremony being laid by Sir Louis Dane, the then Lieut, and Governor of the Punjab.

The 1,950 acre university campus represents both history and the present era.

The new campus is lush green with a conglomeration of monolithic blocks built in modern style. The old campus is reminiscent of traditional Muslim architecture. The campus is located in the centre of the city at a distance of 12 km north east of the Faisalabad International Airport, about 2 km. The university owns and operates major cultural assets such as the Zoology Museum, UAF Art Gallery, University Library.

The university's faculty comprises more than 800 teachers.The university has several boys and girls hostels. It accommodates over 5,000 students and approximately 3,000 day scholars. Premier hostels are Jinnah hostel (named after the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah), Iqbal Hall , Fatima Jinnah Hosteland Haley Hall.

The University of Agriculture is a public research university in Faisalabad, Pakistan,The University of Faisalabad is ranked 4th in Pakistan and 1st in the field of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences by HEC University Ranking 2015.It also ranked among top 800 world universities by QS World University Rankings 2014.The employability ranking by Pakistan also made this institution highly reputable.The university came among top 5 institutions of Pakistan in terms of research power.

Aga Khan University

The Aga Khan University (abbreviated AKU) is an independent researchuniversity with its primary campus in Karachi, Pakistan, with additional campuses and training programmes in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom and Afghanistan.

Founded in 1983 by the Prince Aga Khan IV through the Aga Khan Development Network. The university launched a medical college and a teaching hospital on a 65-acre site in Karachi.The university over the years expanded, in 2004 established a teaching hospital in Nairobi and in 2016 another one in Dar es Salaam.In 2002, the university established a campus in London dedicated to the study of the Near East and in 2003 launched an examination board.^[5][6]

In 2015, the university established the Institute for Human Development funded by the CIDA,^[7] and in 2016, the university launched the Graduate School of Media and Communications.^[8] In 2016, the university launched the East African Institute.^[9] The university's clinical laboratories in Karachi are the only in Pakistan to be accredited by the College of American Pathologists.

The universities campus in Karachi is ranked among the top 185 universities in Asia and among the top 300 in the world for medicine by Quacquarelli Symonds. The Higher Education Commission of Pakistan ranks the university as the top medical school in Pakistan.^[12] The university runs one of the world's largest networks of Joint Commission accredited teaching hospitals, with 14 hospitals in Pakistan, East Africa and Afghanistan, in 2016, these hospitals treated 1.75 million patients.

The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) in Karachi, established in 1985, is the primary teaching site of the Aga Khan University’s (AKU) Faculty of Health Sciences. Founded by His Highness the Aga Khan, the hospital provides a broad range of secondary and tertiary care, including diagnosis of disease and team management of patient care.

COMSATS Institute of Information Technology

The Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) is an international organization. It aims to reduce the ever-growing gap between the developed and developing world through useful applications of science and technology. The Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) initiated the proposal for the formation of COMSATS under the leadership of Nobel Laureate, Dr. Abdus Salam.

The foundation-conference of COMSATS was held at Islamabad on 4th & 5th October 1994. Representatives from thirty-six countries attended. The participants included twenty-two Ministers, members of the diplomatic community of Islamabad and representatives of international organizations, like UNESCO, UNIDO, UNEP and the World Bank.

The conference decided that the Headquarters / Secretariat of the Commission would be based permanently at Islamabad, Pakistan, and the Head of State of Pakistan would act as the first Chairperson of the forum. It was agreed that the host -Government, Pakistan, would provide for the operational and administrative expenses of the Secretariat, while the development programs of the Commission would be supported and financed through Technical Assistance Fund. This fund would be established by contribution from member countries, income from services provided to member countries, grants from international agencies and project funds, if under taken under contract.

The CIIT was established in 1998, as a project of the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), which is an inter-governmental organization with 21 member states in three continents; Asia, Africa and Latin America, namely Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Iran, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Korea (DPRK), Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe. Currently, CIIT has the status of a public sector degree awarding higher education institution, and was given charter by the Federal Government in August 2000.

• CIIT is ranked among top 250 Asian Universities as per QS University Rankings 2014 and 2015.
• In 2015, CIIT was at number 301 in 301-400 QS World University Rankings by Subject Mathematics 2015-16.
• In 2016, CIIT was among 401-500 in QS World University Rankings by Subject CS & Information Systems in 2016.
• CIIT is ranked at # 2 in Information Technology University’s (ITU) Quality Research Ranking 2016 of over 200 Universities.
• CIIT is ranked at #2 in University Ranking in Pakistan and # 967 in the World University Ranking 2015-2016 by Middle East Technical University (METU) Turkey.
• CIIT has been awarded three Stars rating out of a total of five by QS Star Rating System in 2013. Besides, five stars have also been awarded to CIIT in Teaching, and Learning, Facilities and Engagement.
• CIIT has been ranked number 03 in General Category in 2015.
• CIIT has also been ranked number 06 in overall universities within Pakistan in 2015.
• Ranked Number 2 in Research Productivity among all universities of Pakistan in 2015.
• Ranked Number 1 in Computer Science and IT Category in 2012.
  
  

Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad

Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), is a public research university focused on the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics located in the Islamabad, Pakistan.

Founded in 1967 as Reactor School in response to increasing industrialisation of Pakistan, the institute started its educational activities with the affiliation of Quaid-e-Azam University, and later became Centre for Nuclear Studies (CNS) in 1976; the institute gained its new name and became independent in 1997.

PIEAS is based on a 150 acres (0.61 km²; 0.23 sq mi) campus and has around 135 full-time faculty members.

PIEAS has strong collaboration with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. As of 2016, national ranking's rate PIEAS is as the 4th leading university in Pakistan, while QS Asia University Rankings ranked it as 106th in Asia in 2014, 115th in 2015 and 149th in 2016

The PIEAS campus is sprawled over an area of about 360+ acres. The physical structure comprises 9 academic blocks, 8 workshops, production-plants for liquid nitrogen and oxygen, 30 laboratories, lecture halls, video-conferencing facility, conference rooms, a 400-seat auditorium.

A state-of-the-art computer center with 200 computers provides computational facilities around the clock for seven days of a week. PIEAS is an associate of PERN network has the access to HEC Digital Library that can be accessed from any one of the 1500 nodes of PIEAS Local Area Network. Internet facilities are available even in student hostels. The PIEAS library holds a repository of more than 15000 artifacts and it also subscribes to both technical and academic journals. PIEAS Library has extended hours to facilitate students' access to the library. A new library block is under construction.

University of Karachi

The University of Karachi is a public research university located in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It is one of the oldest universities in Pakistan being established as a federal university in 1951 under the leadership of Oxford trained Dr. ABA Haleem.

With a student body of 24,000 full-time students and a campus size spanning over 1200 acres, Karachi University is Pakistan's largest university with a distinguished reputation for multi-disciplinary research in science and technology, medical research, and social sciences.^[8] The university spans over 53 Departments and 19 world-class research institutes operating under nine faculties.^[9] There are over 800 academic's and more than 2500 supporting staff working for the university.

In 2009, the university was named by now defunct THE-QS World University Rankings for the top 500 universities in the world, while it is ranked by QS ranking's in 2016 as among to the top 250 in Asia and among 701st in the world, the research at the university is ranked as 'high'.^[11][12] The university has been affiliated with world-renowned and notable scholars have been associated and affiliated with the university as faculty, researchers, or alumni since its establishment.

The university is a member of Association of Commonwealth Universities of the United Kingdom.

University of Health Sciences, Lahore

University of Health Sciences Lahore is a medical University Located at Lahore. It is internationally recognized student centered research university with a mission of improvement of Health Care delivery to the populace.

The university regulates and coordinates the activities of medical education, training & research institutions throughout the province of Punjab. It is also the provincial authority of Punjab which conducts Medical College Admission Test Pakistan (MCAT) every year.

University is placed #12 in Higher Education Commission of Pakistan's National University Ranking for 2012 in the field of medical and health sciences, and #18 in all universities of Pakistan.

Lahore University of Management Sciences

LUMS was founded in 1984 by the patronage of the business–industrial community spearheaded by Syed Babar Ali.

 With advice from the Harvard Business School and a $10 million grant from USAID, It established a graduate business school in 1986.The university has since then expanded, launching a liberal arts undergraduate school in 1994, an engineering school in 2008, a law school in 2004 and an education school in 2017.The university launched a National Outreach Programme in 2001 to provide financial aid to students and in 2015, in partnership with Afghan government, launched a scholarship programme for Afghan students to diversify its student body.

 As of 2017, the university has a student body of approximately 4,000 graduate and undergraduate students, a faculty of 248 out of which nearly three quarters have doctoral degrees.Its campus spreads over a 100 acres where more than half its student population and more than half its faculty lives. Its business school is one of two in Pakistan to be certified by the South Asian Quality Assurance System and is ranked as one of the top business schools in the country.The university is also a member of Association of Commonwealth Universities

.LUMS is ranked as the top varsity in Pakistan in the QS University Rankings for the year 2016, 111th in Asia and among the top 700 in the world. It is also ranked by QS as among the top 300 universities globally for business and among the top 400 universities globally in mathematics.

Following a liberal arts curriculum, LUMS is one of Pakistan's most expensive, selective and progressive universities.LUMS count's several prominent Pakistani intellectual's and public figures among its alumni and current and former faculty including Umar Saif, Hina Rabbani Khar, Adil Najam, Arif Zaman, Amer Iqbal, Ayesha Jalal, Asad Abidi and Pervez Hoodbhoy.It also counts several Fulbright, Chevening and Rhodes scholars among its alumni.

University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences, Lahore

The University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore (initials:UVAS), is a public research university located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It has additional teaching campuses in rural areas of Punjab, Pattoki and Jhang.

Established in 1882, it is one of the oldest institution of veterinary sciences and microbiology in Asia and is one of the institution founded by the Great Britain.^[5] Since its inception, it maintained its reoccupation as one of the famous and renown institution Veterinary and animal sciences, and conducts wide range of research in microbiology and development of human resources.It was also affiliated with University Of Agriculture,Faisalabad for some years and then become a distinct entity. The university offers undergraduate, post-graduate, and doctoral programmes in diverse fields of animals health, food irradiation, security and safety.The university maintains its highest ranks and regarded as one of the top university in "agriculture" category by the HEC, as of 2010.^[6] 'New Campus/ Ravi Campus Pattoki' In June 2002 on the up gradation of the college of veterinary sciences to the status of the University, Punjab Government allotted about 1000 Acres at Pattoki for the establishment of the sub campus for the education and research work activities.

This is named as Ravi Campus, Pattoki. Following degree programs are being offered at this campus:- Under Graduate Programs BS (Hons) Dairy Technology BS (Hons) Poultry Sciences BS (Hons) Fisheries & Aquaculture/ Applied Zoology Post Graduate Programs M.Phil Dairy Technology & Animal Nutrition Ph.D Live stock Management Fiseries & Aquaculture Poultry Sciences Animal Breeding and Genetics Diplomas Live Stock Assistant Diploma (2 year Morning & Evening Program) Poultry Assistant Diploma (2 year Program) Aim/Vision/Objectives To impart quality education with rich opportunities of Hands on Training & research. Development of about 1000 acres of land taken over from Government of Punjab.

Preparation of land for cultivation of fodder for experimental animals Production of fodder for University farms (Dairy & Small Ruminants) Sowing of fodder cash crops etc. for income generation

Commercialization of research and expertise from the university also plays and generates significant economic growth and business opportunities in Pakistan, as many recommendation by university's think tanks are adopted by the Government. The university's own programme is focused towards building efforts on poverty reduction, prosperity, livestock production and building a generation of trained manpower in the country.