ISLAMABAD – Out of 95 universities evaluated in Pakistan’s latest HEC ORIC rankings, only seven reached top research category. While research activity increased significantly, most institutions still remain in mid or lower tiers, and the results show growing gap between rising research output and the limited number of universities achieving elite performance levels.
Higher Education Commission (HEC) shared Annual ORIC (Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization) Validation Report for FY 2024–25, revealing a sharp rise in research activity across Pakistani universities but a significant drop in funding success rates.
Top Universities List
| Rank | University | ORIC Score |
| 1 | National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) | 87 |
| 2 | NED University of Engineering and Technology | 86 |
| 3 | University of Lahore | 81.5 |
| 4 | Sukkur IBA University | 81 |
| 5 | Air University | 80.5 |
| 6 | University of Agriculture Faisalabad | 80.5 |
| 7 | Ziauddin University | 80.5 |
The report shows that Pakistan’s university research system is expanding rapidly, with more participation, more proposals, and stronger collaboration. However, the gap between research activity and funding availability is widening, and commercialization remains underdeveloped.
One of the most notable findings of the report is a massive surge in research proposals. During FY 2024–25, universities submitted nearly 9,987 research proposals, compared to 2,237 in the previous year, reflecting a 346% increase. However, approvals did not increase at the same pace. Only 1,250 proposals were approved, resulting in a sharp decline in the overall success rate to 12.5%, down from 41% in the previous year.
The report highlights strong growth in academic collaboration, with over 3,700 research linkages established, more than 1,300 collaboration agreements signed and around 523 joint research projects executed.
Universities also showed progress in intellectual property and commercialization as IP filings increased to 549, IP grants rose to 146 and licensing agreements increased to 162. Despite this growth, HEC noted that commercialization outcomes remain limited compared to research output, suggesting a gap between innovation and market impact.
Pakistan’s Top Universities in TIMES World University Rankings 2026
