According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, eight universities in Pakistan have gained recognition on a global scale. With approximately 16,300 academic programmes evaluated across a range of areas, this year's rankings saw a notable spike, with more than 600 programmes being added from the previous year.

The five primary sections of the QS World University Rankings by Subject for 2024 are natural sciences, engineering and technology, life sciences and medical, arts and humanities, and social sciences and management. A total of 55 distinct subjects are included in this ranking. The assessments of 1,559 institutions worldwide were included in this year's rankings, 64 of which were fresh entries.

Several Pakistani universities have achieved international recognition, including Aga Khan University, Quaid-e-Azam University, the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), the University of the Punjab, COMSATS, and Lahore University of Engineering and Technology (UET) in Islamabad.

NUST maintains its legacy of excellence by emerging as the front-runner and securing the top spot in the QS rankings. The University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore and COMSATS University Islamabad are not far behind. Quaid-i-Azam University and the University of the Punjab also achieved notable ranking positions, indicating the nation's academic variety.

It's also worth noting that NUST did remarkably well in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. The school climbed 16 places in the Engineering & Technology category to take the prestigious 144th slot in the world. With this tremendous achievement, NUST has dominated this field in Pakistan for the past eight years.

NUST's offering of programmes in computer science, electrical and electronic engineering, and civil and structural engineering enhances its ranking as one of the top 200 institutions in the world. In addition, it has been placed among the top 300 universities in the disciplines of mechanical, chemical, aeronautical, and manufacturing engineering, mathematics, and material science. Notably, NUST has made its debut in a variety of academic disciplines, such as economics and econometrics, accounting and finance, and medicine, illustrating its adaptability to changing conditions in higher education.

The University of the Punjab recognises notable accomplishments by listing 19 subjects in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. The institution has accomplished a historic feat when Library and Information Management, out of these, ranks remarkably well in the 50–70 range globally.  Petroleum engineering, languages, linguistics, mathematics, pharmacy, agriculture and forestry, physics and astronomy, engineering and technology, and chemical engineering are among the other subjects that were ranked.

No Pakistani institution has achieved any rank in the Arts and Humanities subject category.

Criteria

Criteria QS ranks institutions in the World University Subject Rankings using a five-factor model.

These are the following:

1. Academic reputation
2. Employer standing
3. H-index of research citations per paper
4. The International Research Network

The first two indicators are academic and worldwide employer surveys, which are used to assess the international standing of each subject's institution.

The second two measures are used to evaluate the h-index and research impact for the relevant topic. For those who are unaware, the h-index is also used to evaluate the productivity and effect of research. The information for these two indicators comes from Scopus, the world's largest collection of research citations.

The last metric emphasises an institution's participation in international research collaboration.