As compared to the 816 research publications in international journals in the year 2001-2002 by Pakistani universities/Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), there were 7966 impact factor research publications, made by Pakistani universities/HEIs in the year 2014, (876% increase in last 12 years)with the largest number of publications in relevance to the socio-economic development of Pakistan. Before the establishment of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) in 2002, from 1975 to 2002, the total number of research publications in 27 years was 11763. Resultantly, 2014 was the year of rapid growth, drastic shift in research paradigms and an indicator of phenomenal growth in impact factor research publications by the higher education sector under the envisioned initiatives of HEC. It undoubtedly shows an encouraging rise in world class academic research being carried out in Pakistan by Pakistani scholars in educational institutions and research centers of higher learning.
There is also a significant growth in the number of PhD graduates as well by Pakistani universities/HEIs leafing through the annals of 68 years history of academics in Pakistan since partition in 1947, a total number of 3281 PhDs were produced till 2002. However, since the establishment of the HEC in 2002 and until 2012, 4820 PhD degrees have been awarded within a span of 10 years, which is 76% higher than the PhD awarded degrees in the previous 55 years. It means 60 PhDs were being produced per year on the average during the period from 1947 to 2002. However the rate of producing PhDs has enormously been increased to the figure of 482 PhDs per year since 2002. Based on this data, the percentage growth of producing PhDs per year has been increased with the factor of 703% after the year 2002. Keeping in view this trend, the growth rate of PhD graduates can be expected significantly higher in year 2014-2015. Therefore, the intellectual community in Pakistan and abroad must know that even in the scarcity of resources, the number and quality of world class academic research in Pakistani universities/HEIs are gradually on rise as a result of untiring efforts of educational leadership and the esteemed scholars with the continuous support of HEC of Pakistan.
My objective in this narrative stands on giving a brief overview of how gradually the research in Pakistani academia is making progress every year, its potential apex in the next decade and the last five years’ competitive overview of research growth among five top ranking universities (2014)of Pakistan including Quaid-a-Azam University (QAU) Islamabad, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, University of the Punjab (PU) Lahore, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), Islamabad and Aga Khan University, Karachi. The said universities are on numbers 1,2, 3, 4 & 5 respectively on HEC Universities/HEIs“Over All Ranking 2014”and have earned a significant standing in national and international arena based on quality of research productivity, dynamic faculty development programs, employability of the graduates and in addressing needs of the society. For discussingon objective and reliable grounds, the annual reports of HEC and HEC recognized THOMSOM REUTERSWeb of Science have been consulted for data and analysis.
In the year 2003 (1st year of the establishment of HEC), the aforesaid universities published 121,38,48,8 and 103 research publications respectively, indicating significant leading position of the QAU, featuring Agha Khan University at No. 2 with 103 publications, PU at No.3 followed by University of Agriculture with 38 research publications. In the same year, the most vibrant university of today’s Pakistan, CIIT was at No.5 with only 8 research publications because it was newly established. The HEC and the visionary educationists of Pakistan in that time including Dr Atta-ur-Rehman gave a thriving lift to the expansion of higher education along with ensuring the culture of quality academic research and aggressive faculty development programs throughout the country. It was a far-fetched vision of such intellectuals including Dr Javaid Laghari as well that in 2014, the above said universities published 978, 525, 603,935 and 456 research publications respectively, featuring QAU on top of the list whereas sixteen years old CIIT has proved to be a splendid break through and rapidly emerging Institute of higher learning in Pakistan with 935 research publications, second after QAU, going ahead of University of Agriculture, University of Punjab and Agha Khan University.However, collectively these universities have set a unique trend of cutting edge quality academic research and development, most relevant to socio-economic development of Pakistan. It is indeed after the establishment of HEC that the growth in academic researchis gradually on rise which is expected to reach up to 10,000 research publications at the end of year 2015 compared to 7966 publications of the year 2014 with 26% rise in the growth rate.
If we look at last five years of continuous growth of the above said five universities, there is 25% increase in the research publication on average in between year 2009-2010 with the individual 38% of Agha Khan University, 34% of University of Punjab, 24% of CIIT, 23% of Agriculture University and 10% of QAU in the said year. In between year 2010-2011, CIIT has got tremendous growth rate of 69% (top on the list) by publishing 429 research publications as compared to 254 in previous year of 2009-2010. Similarly, PU jumped up to growth rate of 41% from 34% by increasing its research publications to512 from 362 and QAU moved from 10% to 18% growth rate by producing 727 (highest in number of publications in the year 2010-2011) research publications compared 617 in the previous year.Agha Khan University went down in growth rate to 21% with 534 publications compared to 31% in last year and the Agriculture University nominally raised only 2% of its research publications with aggregate of 25% of growth rate compared to 23% of last year’s 413 publications.
It is also important to mention that the overall growth rate of all Pakistani universities/HEIs research in the same year (2010-2011) was 26.9% as compared to previous year’s 26.3%. The highest growth rate of research publications appeared between year 2006-2007 which was amazingly 61% with 2850 research publications compared to 32% of 1767 research publications in previous year 2005-2006.
However, if we see the performance of the same universities in year 2013-2014, the picture is also very interesting. QAU features at top in research publications with 978 papers with 19% growth rate whereas CIIT features on top with respect to growth rate of 31% with 935 research publications compared to its 711 in 2012-2013. The Agriculture University went to -13% with 525 publications compared to 609 in previous year. University of the Punjab came down at 5% with 603 publications compared to last year’s 14% with 573 and Agha Khan University finished the same year with -2% growth rate publishing 556 research papers compared to previous year’s growth rate of 11% in positive.
Realistically speaking, in all fact and figures in this year and years to come,being an academic and an optimist Pakistani, the rhythm and flow of previous 13 years data shows academic research in Pakistan is significantly mounting with brilliance and acceptance at global level. Yes, of course we have to focus on quality of the research productivity and for that universities/HEIs at individual level must take necessary and corrective measures to ensure this factor. HEC is already on move to strengthen the education system and to steer the results oriented research culture in Pakistan.
Optimistically stating, the factual atmosphericsof the academic researchin last decade are very brilliant.However, on the side line,the universities/HEIs must be ready to respond to the internationally changing paradigms of academic research. In order to achieve this objective, universities/HEIs must focus on developing on campus “Thinking” culture: a research culture which promotes trends of think innovatively in order to conduct research which may addresses the local needs and problem of the people of Pakistan. This would be the best investment which shall be beneficial for the future generations of this country as wisely said by a Pakistani academician:“Pakistan can embark on the road to developing a strong knowledge-based economy, only if we have a visionary leadership that truly understands and appreciates the role of knowledge in socio-economic development in this day and age”.
