Looking for a leadership career in international business? You don't have to limit yourself to the top U.S. business schools. "Western Europe has exceptional programs," notes Fernandes of AACSB International. Many leading European MBA programs require a year of full-time study, not two years. Students tend to have substantial work experience, and English-speaking programs are available.

IMD in Switzerland, for example, has only 90 students per class, and students' average age is 30. Classes meet six days per week and focus on leadership from an international perspective. The program attracts students from all over the globe.

Other top European business schools include ISA in Spain, NCI in France, the London Business School, and more. But you don't have to cross the Atlantic to find quality programs outside the United States. Business schools at the University of Calgary, the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario, and Queen's University are among the handful of schools that help make Canada "a well-kept secret of high-quality programs," according to Fernandes.

About 90 business schools in China are gaining recognition, though large numbers of Chinese students continue to study in Europe, the United States, and Singapore. Many students from India also travel to business schools abroad.

In a survey of young professionals who registered for the World MBA Tour fairs in fall of 2005, 79 percent of respondents expressed interest in studying in the United States, and 60 percent were interested in British universities. The third-most popular destination was Canada, with 31 percent, followed by France and other Western European countries. A growing number of students—19 percent in 2005—expressed interest in studying in Singapore. World MBA Tour fairs are held annually in various cities around the world.

For those seeking a multinational career, an international MBA can get their foot in the door. MBA salaries are rising in nearly every country in the world, according to a 2006 recruiter survey by TopMBA.com.

TopMBA.com is the organizer of the upcoming World MBA Tour fair, to be held on September 21 at the National Building Museum in D.C. The fair will offer a rare opportunity to meet admissions officers and alumni from top business schools in the United States and throughout the world. For more information, go to www.TopMBA.com.