LAHORE: Forty Pakistani universities have been ranked among the top 201-1000 band in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2023.

The THE Impact Rankings are the only rankings to judge universities’ contribution to all 17 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across all their core activities – teaching, research, outreach and the stewardship of their own resources.

The universities’ progress towards tackling the world’s greatest challenges are laid out in the rankings for 2023 revealed on Friday.

The ranking, now in its fifth year, is the world’s only one that measures universities’ contributions to the SDGs and assesses their commitment to sustainability. A record 1,705 universities from 115 countries/regions are assessed and their progress is measured for each of the individual 17 SDGs and 18 universities from 10 countries achieve number one positions.

COMSATS University Islamabad and National University of Sciences and Technology were ranked among 201-300 band globally, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU) 301-400 band, University of Lahore, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Superior University, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, University of Wah, were ranked among 401-600.

Aga Khan University, Allama Iqbal Open University, University of Central Punjab, University of Faisalabad, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Government College University Lahore, Government College Women University Faisalabad, Government College Women University, Sialkot, Ilma University, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Malakand, University of Malakand, NED University of Engineering and Technology and The Women University Multan were ranked among 601-800 band.

Dow University of Health Sciences, University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar, Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Government College University Faisalabad, Government College University Hyderabad, Iqra University, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, University of Karachi, Khyber Medical University, King Edward Medical University, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, National University of Modern Languages (NUML), Quaid-i-Azam University, Rawalpindi Medical University, University of Sargodha and Ziauddin University were ranked among 800-1000 band.

As many as 32 other universities of the country were ranked among 1,000 + band in THE Impact Rankings 2023.

Australian and Canadian universities dominate the overall category as three are institutions from Australia and four universities from Canada in the list of the top 10. One university each from the UK, Malaysia, the US and Denmark are also among the top universities of the world.

LCWU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Bushra Mirza remarked, “Being ranked the top university in Punjab, third in Pakistan, and first among women universities in Pakistan is a testament to the exceptional quality of education and research conducted on the campus and these rankings reflect the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff and students”.

UVAS VC Prof Dr Nasim Ahmad said the ranking was another step forward for his university to achieve excellence in delivering quality education and serving the society by achieving SDGs. He said all the stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and students, industries and livestock department, worked hard for this achievement.

FJMU: The Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU) has achieved a milestone by securing a prominent position among the top 1,000 universities globally in the prestigious “Times Higher Education Impact Ranking”.

This recognition not only places the FJMU among the world’s leading educational institutions, but also positions it among the top-ranking medical universities in Punjab and third in Pakistan.

An official says the credit went to Quality Enhancement Cell, headed by Prof Bilquis Shabbir, and faculty of the university.

Furthermore, he says, the FJMU obtained membership of two prestigious global organisations – the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and the Asia Pacific Quality Network (APQN) – in 2023.

FJMU VC Prof Dr Khalid Masud Gondal expressed delight at this achievement.

SARGODHA: The University of Sargodha (UoS) has been ranked at 801+ in the THE Impact Rankings 2023.

“This is a great result for the university, which is a testament to the hard work and commitment of its faculty and staff,” said UoS VC Prof Dr Qaisar Abbas.

“We are committed to improve the university’s ranking and to make progress in quality teaching, productive research, knowledge sharing and global outlook whose outcome will reflect in its annual performances and premier rankings,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2023