QS International Trade Rankings Methodology

QS International Trade Rankings Methodology

We’re excited to announce our newest rankings - the QS International Trade Rankings. 

These rankings explore programmes that upskill their students for a career in international trade, using criteria that rates universities on programme content, innovative teaching practices, and how universities get students ready for employment. If you’re a student pursuing or considering a career in international trade, then these rankings will help you discover the courses that could get you into the sector most effectively.

The QS International Trade Rankings can include any MBA or master’s programme with the content to prepare students for a career in international trade. The rankings use indicators including programme content and teaching, faculty experience in international trade, university academic and employer reputation, return on investment for graduates, and university partnerships with employers. Find out more about our methodology.

These new rankings have been made possible by The Hinrich Foundation, a philanthropic organisation working to advance mutually beneficial and sustainable global trade through research and education. The Hinrich Foundation offers research and teaching materials to aid the strengthening of global trade education as well as grants and scholarships to support candidates.

By H. Young

Updated March 31, 2024 Updated March 31

The QS International Trade Rankings, in partnership with the Hinrich Foundation, identifies the top Global Trade programmes in the world.

To publish our first International Trade Rankings, we’ve reached out to more than two hundred representatives at universities across the globe who are delivering cross-border trade education. The ranking focuses on course content, innovative teaching as well as the graduate prospects of the institutions and programmes. 

To ensure the relevancy of the ranking criteria, the Foundation drew on its rich expertise in trade, and elicited input from a panel of trade professionals and graduate-level professors of practice.  Among key recommendations are that a quality trade curriculum includes courses on cross-border trade, policy, logistics, international trade finance and cross-cultural leadership. Top programmes have professors with rich industry experience, strong industry engagement and flexible programme delivery.

This inaugural ranking, employing a bespoke methodology, is intended to begin a conversation with our sector on which institutions are truly elevating trade education. This 1st edition is our call to the market to engage with the methodology, provide sector-driven feedback and help us deliver a truly informative ranking to students wishing to enter or progress in this vital and exciting career path.

The set of performance lenses and indicators for our International Trade Rankings and their weights are shown below, linking to their fuller descriptions in our methodology section.

 

7 Indicator Lenses 'Groups'

Weighting

Trade Programme Content

35%

Graduate Outcome

15%

Industry Engagement

15%

Innovative Teaching

15%

Reputation

10%

Programme Delivery

5%

Research

5%

 

Sub-Indicator

Weighting Priority

Academic Reputation

4%

Employer Reputation

6%

Citations per Paper (CPP)

5%

Faculty Industry Experience

8%

Partnerships with Employers

5%

Partnering with Industry Bodies

2%

Module Content

35%

Experiential Learning

10%

In-person/Online

5%

Internships

5%

Graduate Employability Rate

10%

Graduate Support

5%

This article was originally published in December 2022 . It was last updated in March 2024

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