Pakistan has no university in Times Higher Education top 400

The University of Oxford retained the title of the world's best university for the 11th consecutive year. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of the United States ranked second, while Princeton University and Stanford University jointly ranked third.

The University of Cambridge was fifth and Harvard University sixth. The California Institute of Technology ranked seventh, Imperial College London eighth, while the University of California, Berkeley and Yale University jointly ranked ninth. The top 10 included seven US universities and three from the United Kingdom.

In Asia, China's Tsinghua University ranked 11th and Peking University 13th. A total of 17 Chinese universities were included among the world's top 200 institutions. Five Japanese universities made the list, with the University of Tokyo ranking 27th and Kyoto University jointly ranking 62nd.

Malaysia's University of Malaya entered the top 200 for the first time, ranking jointly at 194th. Among Pakistani universities, Quaid-i-Azam University was placed in the 551-600 group, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) in the 601-650 group, and COMSATS University Islamabad in the 651-700 group.

Bahauddin Zakariya University, University of Agriculture Faisalabad and University of Lahore were placed in the 701-800 group.

The 801-1000 group included Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Air University, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Gomal University, Government College University Faisalabad, Government College University Lahore, International Islamic University Islamabad, Iqra University, Islamia University Bahawalpur, University of the Punjab, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, University of Central Punjab, University of Engineering and Technology Taxila, University of Gujrat, University of Malakand and University of Management and Technology.

The 1001-1200 group included Capital University of Science and Technology, Hazara University, Islamia College Peshawar, Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Riphah International University, Sukkur IBA University, University of Haripur, Women University Multan, University of Okara, University of Peshawar, University of Swat and University of Agriculture Peshawar.

The 1201-1400 group included Kohat University of Science and Technology, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, University of Education Lahore, University of Engineering and Technology Lahore, University of Sargodha, University of Swat and Bahria University.

The 1401-1600 group included Institute of Space Technology, Lahore College for Women University, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology Jamshoro, MNS University of Agriculture Multan and Superior University.

The 1601-1800 group included the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences, Dow University of Health Sciences, Mirpur University of Science and Technology, National Textile University and the University of Karachi.

The 1801-2000 group included Khyber Medical University and NED University of Engineering and Technology, while the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) was placed in the 2001-and-beyond group. A total of 56 Pakistani universities received a ranking in the assessment.

However, the country's highest-ranked university remained in the 551-600 group, raising concerns about research performance, academic output and Pakistan's competitiveness in the global higher education sector.