Core competence and education

Core competence is a managerial concept used toanalyse and develop key elements of business strategy. This article outlines the concept and applies it topost-compulsory education in the UK. Afterconsidering educational characteristics which might beconsidered to delineate core competence, an economicapproach is adopted. The educational perspectivesuggests accreditation as the core competence ofUniversities. The economic approach suggests that themarket trend toward lifetime learning might best bemet by institutions developing a core competence inrelationship marketing. The article concludes byconsidering the implications for the institutionalstructure of post-compulsory education.