A new independent body has been launched by the government with the aim of ensuring that UK managers and leaders are among the best in the world.

The Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership, which was established in April to look at management and leadership issues is a joint initiative by the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Trade and Industry aimed at ensuring UK companies gain and maintain a competitive edge in the global economy.

The task of the council will to be to first identify any gaps or barriers which prevent the development of good managers and leaders, and to examine how the performance of managers in public and private sectors can be measured.

A first priority for the council is the establishment of a national framework for management and leadership qualifications. The aim is to establish the framework with the help of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education to build a network of qualifications.

The council will aim to produce a management and leadership development strategy, and will commission an examination of how management education is organised and delivered in the UK. An examination of business schools will look at their provision for smaller companies, capacity to teach entrepreneurial skills and their contribution to continuing professional development.

The council will also look at the possibility of establishing a research council for management education.