ISLAMABAD: The International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), as part of Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations, has announced a major research milestone achieved under its Research Excellence Incentive Framework.
According to the university, one year after the launch of the framework, 105 faculty members produced 331 high-quality, ranking-relevant research publications during 2025, helping strengthen IIUI’s research standing at both national and international levels.
The framework was launched in August 2025 by IIUI President Prof. Dr. Ahmed Saad Alahmed under his Initiative for Scholarly Recognition. The initiative placed research excellence at the centre of institutional development. Through his personal efforts, Rs. 4.83 million was secured, with support from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to reward eligible research publications.
Working under the leadership of the IIUI President, Prof. Dr. Ahmad Shuja Syed, Vice President (Research and Enterprise), oversaw 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 process for submission and review of publications. The university said these efforts turned the initiative into a transparent and practical mechanism that produced measurable results in its first year.
Under the framework, W-category publications carried an honorarium equivalent to USD 100, while X-category publications carried USD 80, converted into Pakistani rupees at the prevailing exchange rate. The honorarium for an individual researcher was capped at Rs. 150,000.
In addition to the honorarium, the framework also recognises five researchers whose publications were assessed as having the highest impact. Each of them will receive Rs. 150,000 in prize money.
For sciences and engineering, W-category publications served as the benchmark, while for social sciences, humanities and Islamic sciences, both W- and X-category publications were considered. Researchers uploaded their publications to the IIUI Research Database, and the Quality Assurance Directorate verified their authenticity and eligibility.
Out of IIUI’s 501 PhD faculty members, 105, or around 21 per cent, produced research that contributed to the university’s international ranking profile. Their 331 publications represent an average of 0.66 ranking-relevant paper per PhD faculty member. These included more than 300 W-category papers and over 20 X-category papers.
The university said the assessment provided an encouraging baseline for broader faculty participation and stronger research output in the future.
Among the faculties, the Faculty of Sciences led with 221 publications. The Faculty of Engineering and Technology and the Faculty of Social Sciences were also among the major contributors.
In terms of publications in relation to the number of PhD faculty members, the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Electronics and Photovoltaic Engineering (CAEPE), the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering and Technology secured 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.
Eight faculty members reached the Rs. 150,000 honorarium cap by producing a high number of W-category publications. They are Dr. Ahmed Zeeshan from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Tahir Mahmood from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Robina Khan Niazi from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Rahmat Ellahi from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Imran Murtaza from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Zafeer Saqib from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Waqar Un Nisa from the Faculty of Sciences and Dr. Sabir Zaman from the Faculty of Social Sciences.
The five faculty members who produced the highest number of W-category publications are Dr. Ahmed Zeeshan from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Tahir Mahmood from the Faculty of Sciences, Dr. Robina Khan Niazi from the Faculty of Sciences, 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 reflected the university’s growing contribution to knowledge production and laid the foundation for higher research productivity, wider faculty participation and a stronger institutional presence in global university rankings.
He expressed pride in the faculty members who achieved the distinction and will distribute prizes among them.
