Pakistan’s higher education sector has achieved another milestone as several of its universities have been ranked among Asia’s best in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026. The rankings released by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), celebrate institutions that have shown excellence in research, innovation and academic reputation across the region.
Leading the way for Pakistan is the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), securing the 238th position in Asia. It is followed by Air University and Bahria University which have also made notable progress in this year’s list. These rankings highlight the increasing global recognition of Pakistan’s universities for their quality of education, research capabilities and international collaborations.
Below is the complete list of Pakistani universities featured in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026:
| S. No. | University Name | City | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) | Islamabad | 238 |
| 2 | Air University | Islamabad | 328 |
| 3 | Bahria University | Karachi | 416 |
| 4 | The Islamia University of Bahawalpur | Bahawalpur | 434 |
| 5 | University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences | Pattoki | 607 |
| 6 | Hazara University | Mansehra | 614 |
| 7 | University of Swat | Mingora | 761–770 |
| 8 | University of Sahiwal | Sahiwal | 951–1000 |
According to QS, universities are assessed through indicators such as academic reputation, employer reputation, research output, international student ratio and faculty qualifications.
This year, the University of Hong Kong claimed the top position followed by Peking University and Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National University of Singapore (NUS) which tied for third place.
Pakistan’s strong representation in the list is a promising sign of its academic growth and commitment to improving global education standards.
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