Launched in 2022 in partnership with the Hinrich Foundation, the QS International Trade Rankings is a first-of-its-kind project to recognise institutions that are providing best-in-class master's level education in international trade.
The Rankings enable students to identify graduate trade programmes that offer academic rigour coupled with practical skills development to prepare graduates for roles in cross-border trade.
Eligibility
- Offer postgraduate programmes in business that pertain to international business and trade content
- Only one programme is permitted from each school (per table – one for the ITR - Master’s & MBA table, and one for the ITR - EMBA table)
- Have either AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS or EPAS accreditation. We also allow schools which have been rated at least 3 or more QS Stars*.
- Non-zero Reputation and Research performance thresholds
Inclusion
To be included in the ranking, the programmes must pass the inclusion criteria below:
- Trade Programme Content threshold - have at least 17 available courses out of the listed courses
How to take part
Data submission for the QS International Trade Rankings 2027 edition has been open on MoveIN since 1st April 2026 and will close on 3rd June 2026. The next edition of the International Trade Rankings is scheduled to launch on 14 October 2026.
If you would like your programme to be considered for inclusion in the International Trade Rankings and your institution has not received a submission email, please contact: rankings@qs.com.
Methodology
Each relevant programme is assessed by looking at key areas of its offering, including the programme’s content, the reputation of the institution, the outcomes it can offer to graduates, the strength of the programme’s links to industry, the nature of its teaching, and the strength of its research.
Several of these areas, including the assessments of reputation and research strength, are based on established methodologies used in other QS rankings.
Lenses
To produce the ranking, we assess each programme using six different lenses. Below is the breakdown of how much each lens contributes to the programme’s overall score.
For more information on each lens, please follow the relevant links in the table.
Lens |
MBA and Master’s |
EMBA |
30% |
30% |
|
20% |
25% |
|
15% |
15% |
|
15% |
15% |
|
10% |
5% |
|
10% |
10% |
Indicators
Within each of the six lenses, we have several indicators that examine specific areas of each programme. Below is the breakdown of how much each indicator contributes to the programme’s overall score.
For more information on each lens, please follow the relevant links in the table.
Indicator |
Lens |
MBA and Master’s |
EMBA |
30% |
30% |
||
15% |
15% |
||
5% |
10% |
||
10% |
10% |
||
5% |
5% |
||
5% |
0% |
||
10% |
15% |
||
5% |
5% |
||
5% |
0% |
||
10% |
10% |
Assistance
For any specific questions about the International Trade Rankings, please submit a request or email to rankings@qs.com.
