The guides of the independent London Walks company have earned the city's premiere professional qualification for walking tours, the Blue Badge.

BBC: Walking London��s Olympic sights

Of 1, 500 quangocrats sampled, 74% were men, 55% were aged 45-59, 80% had a degree or professional qualification and 3% were non-white (compared with 5% of the public).

ECONOMIST: Who��s really who | The

Although more than half of Harvard undergraduates end up in law, medicine or business, future doctors and lawyers must study a non-specialist liberal-arts degree before embarking on a professional qualification.

ECONOMIST: The difficulties of an American doctoral student

"Having a national, professional qualification for head teachers has helped to raise the profile and status of school leadership in this country and it is something we should be proud of, " said Mr Lightman.

BBC: Heads qualification will no longer be compulsory

Recognized professional accounting qualification is an asset.

UNESCO: Vacancy : Chief of Section (28/2/2011)(CI 004 - (P5))

The Forum called for further work in three categories of competency standards: Occupational standards, Qualification standards and Professional standards.

UNESCO: Education

But he believes a professional licence could still be a useful qualification even if it was not a requirement for all managers.

ECONOMIST: A Hippocratic oath for managers