ISLAMABAD: The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), on the occasion of Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations, has announced a major research achievement under its Research Excellence Incentive Framework, with 105 faculty members producing 331 high-quality, ranking-relevant research publications during 2025.
According to the university, the output has strengthened IIUI’s research profile at the national and international levels. Of the university’s 501 PhD faculty members, 105, or approximately 21 per cent, produced research that contributed to the university’s international ranking profile.
The framework was launched in August 2025 by IIUI President Prof Dr Ahmed Saad Alahmed under his Initiative for Scholarly Recognition. His vision, the university said, placed research excellence at the centre of institutional progress, while his personal efforts secured Rs4.83 million, with support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to reward eligible publications.
Working under the leadership of the president, Prof Dr Ahmad Shuja Syed, Vice President (Research and Enterprise), guided the implementation of the framework and its alignment with national research standards and international ranking indicators. Dr Rashid Farooq, Director of the Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC), coordinated the submission and review process.
The university said these efforts helped turn the initiative into a transparent and workable mechanism which produced measurable results within its first year.
Under the framework, W-category publications carried an honorarium equivalent to $100, while X-category publications carried an honorarium equivalent to $80, converted into Pakistani rupees at the prevailing exchange rate. The maximum honorarium for a researcher was capped at Rs150,000.
In addition, the framework recognises five researchers whose publications were assessed as having the highest impact, with each to receive Rs150,000 in prize money. W-category publications were used as the benchmark for sciences and engineering, while both W- and X-category publications were considered for social sciences, humanities and Islamic sciences.
Researchers uploaded their work to the IIUI Research Database, while the Quality Assurance Directorate (QAD) verified the authenticity and eligibility of the submissions.
The 331 publications represent an average of 0.66 ranking-relevant paper per PhD faculty member and include more than 300 W-category and over 20 X-category papers. The assessment, according to IIUI, provides an encouraging baseline for wider faculty participation and stronger future research output.
The Faculty of Sciences led the university with 221 publications. The Faculty of Engineering and Technology and the Faculty of Social Sciences were also among the leading contributors.
In terms of publications relative to the number of PhD faculty members, the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Electronics and Photovoltaic Engineering (CAEPE), Faculty of Sciences and Faculty of Engineering and Technology occupied the leading positions. The Faculty of Computing and Information Technology and the Faculty of Management Sciences shared fourth position, followed by the Faculty of Social Sciences.
The eight faculty members who reached the Rs150,000 cap for producing a high number of W-category publications are Dr Ahmed Zeeshan, Dr Tahir Mahmood, Dr Robina Khan Niazi, Dr Rahmat Ellahi, Dr Imran Murtaza, Dr Zafeer Saqib and Dr Waqar Un Nisa from the Faculty of Sciences, and Dr Sabir Zaman from the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Furthermore, the five faculty members who produced the highest number of W-category publications are Dr Ahmed Zeeshan, Dr Tahir Mahmood, Dr Robina Khan Niazi and Dr Rahmat Ellahi from the Faculty of Sciences, and Dr Ahmed Shuja Syed from CAEPE.
IIUI President Prof Dr Ahmed Saad Alahmed said the milestone demonstrated the university’s growing contribution to knowledge production and laid the foundation for greater research productivity, wider faculty participation and a stronger institutional presence in global university rankings. He expressed pride in the colleagues who achieved the distinction and will distribute the prizes among them.
