Thunderbird School of Global Management
Shaping future-ready global leaders to drive innovation and transform the world.
Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University cultivates visionary leaders who combine innovation and a global digital mindset to shape the organizations of the future. For nearly 80 years, Thunderbird has led in international leadership and management education. Often described as a “mini-United Nations,” Thunderbird fosters a diverse and inclusive student body and a global alumni network of nearly 50,000 across 150 countries.
Founded in 1946 as the American Institute for Foreign Trade on the historic Thunderbird Field, the school pioneered a curriculum integrating global management, international political economy, languages, and cross-cultural communication. Today, Thunderbird offers both online and immersion undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as top-ranked executive education, helping to transform organizations and prepare the next generation of global executives. Its faculty are globally recognized for impact in research and case writing, earning a top-10 U.S. ranking in The Case Centre’s Impact Index.
Ranked No. 1 for international trade by QS (2023–2025), Thunderbird combines immersive, experiential learning with ethical leadership, emerging technologies, and cross-cultural collaboration to prepare future-ready leaders who drive innovation and create lasting global impact.