KARACHI (Web Desk) – Pakistan has once again failed to secure a position for any of its universities within the world’s top 350 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, according to the latest global assessment by QS.
The rankings include 18 Pakistani institutions among 1,504 leading universities worldwide, reflecting modest representation but continued challenges in global competitiveness.
Among the country’s leading institutions, the Quaid-i-Azam University slipped from 354th place last year to 381st position. The National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) also declined, moving from 371st to 384th place.
The Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) showed improvement, rising from 721st to 560th position. Meanwhile, the University of the Punjab slipped from 542nd to 588th.
Other notable placements include the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) at 608, the University of Agriculture Faisalabad at 629, and the COMSATS University Islamabad at 639.
Further down the list, the Government College University Faisalabad ranked 691st, while the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore stood at 791st. The Aga Khan University and University of Peshawar were placed in the 951–1000 bracket.
The Bahauddin Zakariya University and the University of Lahore fell into the 1001+ range, while institutions such as the Riphah International University, University of Karachi, and the University of Management and Technology Lahore were placed in the 1201+ band. The International Islamic University Islamabad and Islamia University of Bahawalpur were ranked in the 1401+ category.
On the global stage, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) topped the rankings, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University jointly in second place. Oxford University ranked fourth, Harvard fifth, Cambridge sixth, while leading European and Asian institutions such as ETH Zurich, University College London, and National University of Singapore also featured prominently.