STAFF REPORT IBD: Five Pakistani universities have won a place in the list of top 300 universities in Asia, says a recently assessed QS World Universities Rankings 2012, the UK based worlds most renowned and prestigious ranking agency.
NUST, Karachi University, AKU, Lahore University of Management Sciences and Lahore University are now amongst the top 300 Asian universities, the list shows.
It speaks volumes of the hard work put in by the management and faculty of these universities and consistent support of the Higher Education Commission (HEC).
Pakistani universities have produced more PhDs in the last nine years (3,280) – since the establishment of HEC – than in the earlier 55 years of its existence. Research output has grown eight-folds since 2002, which is a remarkable achievement by any world standard. Nearly 5,000 scholars from Pakistan have been facilitated to present their research work in leading conferences of the world. Researchers from Pakistan have established academic linkages with their counterparts in every leading university of the world, including the US, UK, China, Germany, France, Australia and Korea, etc.
Pakistani scientists, engineers and technologists are the countrys single biggest strategic asset. Until five years ago, these were concentrated in a few strategic organisations; however, the revolution in higher education brought about by HEC has ensured that every engineering and science and technology university has started to blossom into a centre of research and innovation.