Pakistan’s higher education sector has achieved a major milestone with a record 48 universities earning places in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, reflecting the nation’s growing academic and research strength on the global stage.
Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) once again leads the national cohort, positioned in the 401–500 band, maintaining its status as Pakistan’s top-ranked institution. A remarkable success story comes from Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) Multan, which made an extraordinary leap of 400 places to secure a spot in the 601–800 bracket, marking one of the largest single-year improvements for a Pakistani university.
The 2026 edition of THE rankings evaluated 2,191 institutions from 115 countries, with Oxford University retaining its global leadership for the tenth consecutive year.
In Pakistan’s performance breakdown, several institutions achieved notable placements across various tiers. The Top Tier (601–800) includes Air University, COMSATS University Islamabad, Government College University Faisalabad, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Sukkur IBA, University of Lahore, and University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore.
The Mid-Tier (801–1000) category features 15 universities, among them Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), University of the Punjab, Government College University Lahore, and International Islamic University Islamabad. Another ten institutions were ranked between 1001–1200, eight between 1201–1500, and six in the 1501+ category.
Commenting on BZU’s remarkable rise, Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Zubair Iqbal credited the achievement to “the collective efforts of the faculty, administration, and employees.” He emphasized the university’s focus on enhancing research quality, incentivizing faculty, and securing national and international research projects.
The THE World University Rankings remain one of the most influential global benchmarks for academic excellence, evaluating institutions based on teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook through 18 performance indicators.
Related: Pakistan Sets New Record in THE Asia Rankings 2025
This record participation underscores Pakistan’s steady progress in higher education, signaling growing international recognition for its universities’ academic contributions and research impact.