The Higher Education Commission has issued its annual ORIC Self-Assessment Evaluation Report for FY2024-25.
The report evaluates Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization across 95 universities in Pakistan. It highlights institutional research performance and innovation capacity.
Universities are categorized into four groups: W, X, Y, and underperforming institutions.
Top Tier Universities in W Category
Only seven universities achieved the highest “W” category in the latest evaluation. These institutions scored 80 or above.
The top-performing universities include Air University, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), and NED University of Engineering and Technology.
Other universities in this category are Sukkur Institute of Business Administration, The University of Lahore, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, and Ziauddin University.
These institutions demonstrated strong research output and innovation performance.
X Category Universities with Strong Performance
A total of 38 universities were placed in the “X” category. These institutions showed solid but not top-tier performance.
Notable names include Aga Khan University, Dow University of Health Sciences, and Quaid-i-Azam University.
Other universities in this group include LUMS, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Bahria University, COMSATS University Islamabad, and Institute of Business Management.
SZABIST is also part of this category, reflecting competitive research activity across multiple institutions.
Y Category Universities and Mid-Level Performance
The “Y” category includes 43 universities across Pakistan. These institutions show developing research and innovation structures.
This group includes University of Karachi, University of the Punjab, and Sindh Madressatul Islam University.
Other universities are Jinnah University for Women, Lahore College for Women University, Islamia College University, Abdul Wali Khan University, and University of Peshawar.
These institutions continue to strengthen their research systems.
Underperforming Universities Identified
Seven universities were placed in the underperforming category. These institutions scored below acceptable ORIC standards.
The list includes Bacha Khan University, Greenwich University, Karakoram International University, and Shah Abdul Latif University.
Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Medical University, and University of Swat are also in this category.
Improvement and Decline Trends
The report shows that 17 universities improved their ranking compared to the previous year.
However, four universities experienced a decline in their performance category. This reflects shifting research capabilities across institutions.
Growth in Research Activity
Research activity increased significantly during FY2024-25. Universities submitted 9,987 research proposals in total.
This marks a sharp rise compared to 2,237 proposals in the previous year. However, the approval rate dropped to around 12.5 percent.
Limited funding and higher competition contributed to the lower acceptance rate.
ORIC Leadership and Institutional Challenges
The report highlights leadership gaps in ORIC structures. Only 68.42 percent of universities have full-time ORIC heads.
More than 85 percent institutions have research and innovation managers in place. However, lack of permanent leadership is affecting strategic planning.
This gap continues to impact long-term research development and commercialization efforts.
Conclusion
The HEC ORIC rankings provide a detailed picture of research performance across Pakistani universities.
While top institutions maintain strong positions, many universities still face structural and funding challenges. Moreover, improvements in leadership and research management remain essential for future progress.
