Quaid-i-Azam University ranked 378th worldwide

The Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) has seen significant improvement in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by securing 378th position among the top 500 universities worldwide.

The QS also ranked QAU 23rd globally on Citation per faculty and 324th in Employer Reputation in the world which is an exceptional achievement.

QAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali congratulated the faculty, students, staff and alumni on the remarkable achievement, according to an official statement.

He added: “The QAU has significantly improved QS ranking from 454th position to 378th. Recently, the QAU has ranked among the top 100 Asian universities by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Despite the financial deficit, the university is improving ranking every year, our journey to academic excellence will continue.”

According to details, since 2016, the QAU moved up 273 places. Over the seven considered years, the institution moved up 5 times. In the 2022 edition, the institution performed among the top 29% in the QS World University Rankings.

Meanwhile, the QS World University Rankings, which is officially recognised by the government of Punjab and the Punjab Higher Education Commission, has ranked Punjab University among top 62 per cent universities of the world and ranked PU among top 801-1,000 varsities in its fresh ranking for 2022.

According to an official communique, PU Vice Chancellor Prof Niaz Ahmed said that the QS had ranked the Punjab University among the best 78.5% universities of the world in 2018.

He said that in just three years, PU’s international ranking had improved by 16% and for the year 2022, it has been counted among the top 61.6% of universities of the world, which was a landmark achievement because it was very difficult to improve university ranking at the international level because of tough competition among the varsities throughout the world.

He said that The Nature Publishing Group, a world-class publisher of high-impact scientific and medical information in print and online founded in 1869, has also ranked the Punjab University No 1 in terms of research publications in the field of natural sciences amongst all Pakistani universities.

The vice chancellor went on to say that for the first time, the PU’s 13 subjects had been ranked internationally by QS and its subject of Petroleum Engineering was ranked among the top 100-150 institutions of the world.

In 2018, he said, the PU’s five subjects were ranked international for the first time and the PU was improving its subject-wise ranking manifold every year.

Prof Ahmed also said that the PU has also improved its Asian ranking and it stands at 178th position, making a considerable jump of 54 points in just two years.

The PU was ranked 232nd in 2018’s ranking of Asian universities and it has improved its ranking manifold in a period of just two years, he said, adding that the initiatives the administration had taken for improvement in the international ranking had started bringing fruit.

“Due to promotion of research culture, the research publications of the university have increased and the university for the first time in the PU’s history allocated a hefty amount of Rs380 million for research last year as it was a top priority of the administration,” the vice-chancellor said.

He said that the teacher-student ratio had been maintained, appointments of PhD degree holders as faculty members had been made and collaboration with international organisations had been enhanced, which had mainly contributed to the university’s rapid improvement in QS ranking.

“The university is making rapid progress in all the disciplines,” he said, adding, “The PU is full of potential and its ranking will be improved further in the upcoming world rankings.”

Prof Ahmed said that the university administration has focused on good governance, restoration of the PU’s academic excellence and research with socio-economic impact.

He said that the university had regulated all statutory bodies and all its organs are fully functional.

He said that streamlining the university’s system would help improve the international ranking of the university.

The vice chancellor also appreciated Chairman Ranking Committee Prof Dr. Khalid Mahmood for making efforts to improve the varsity’s ranking and congratulated PU faculty members, employees, and students on the achievement.