HEC university rankings reveal only 7 out 95 reach top category in Pakistan

The Higher Education Commission released its Annual ORIC Self-Assessment Evaluation Report for FY2024-25. The report reviewed the performance of Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization known as ORICs in universities nationwide.

HEC divided universities into four groups including “W”, “X”, “Y” and underperforming categories. Only institutions scoring 80 or above managed to enter the highest “W” category.

The universities that secured the top category include:

1.     Air University, National University of Sciences and Technology,

2.     NED University of Engineering and Technology,

3.     Sukkur Institute of Business Administration,

4.     The University of Lahore,

5.     University of Agriculture Faisalabad and

6.     Ziauddin University.

These institutions showed strong performance in research management, innovation and commercialization activities.

A total of 38 universities were placed in the “X” category in the latest rankings. Major institutions in this category included:

1.     Aga Khan University,

2.     Dow University of Health Sciences,

3.     Iqra University,

4.     Quaid-i-Azam University,

5.     Lahore University of Management Sciences,

6.     Mehran University of Engineering and Technology,

7.     Bahria University, COMSATS University Islamabad,

8.     Institute of Business Management and

9.     Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology.

HEC placed 43 universities in the “Y” category based on their ORIC performance. These included:

1.     University of Karachi,

2.     University of the Punjab,

3.     Sindh Madressatul Islam University,

4.     Jinnah University for Women,

5.     Lahore College for Women University,

6.     Islamia College University,

7.     Abdul Wali Khan University and

8.     University of Peshawar.

Seven universities were declared underperforming in the report released by HEC. These institutions included:

1.     Bacha Khan University,

2.     Greenwich University,

3.     Karakoram International University,

4.     Shah Abdul Latif University,

5.     Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University,

6.     Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University and

7.     University of Swat.

According to the report, 17 universities improved their rankings compared to last year. However, four institutions moved down to lower categories due to weaker performance.

HEC also highlighted a major increase in research activity during FY2024-25. Universities submitted 9,987 research proposals compared to 2,237 proposals in the previous fiscal year.

Despite the increase in submissions, the approval rate dropped to nearly 12.5 percent. Officials said growing competition and limited funding were among the key reasons behind the lower approval ratio.

Also read: HEC changes university entry test rules for MPhil and PhD admissions

The report further revealed that only 68.42 percent of universities currently have full-time ORIC heads. HEC noted that the absence of permanent leadership in several institutions was affecting research planning and institutional progress.

Education experts believe the report reflects both progress and challenges in Pakistan’s higher education sector. They say universities focusing on innovation and research management are likely to perform better in future evaluations.