Competition among universities on the educational services market in the circumstances of economics crisis and increased transition difficulties

Abstract

Universities are the kind of institutions where values, as well as social mission, play an essential role. A wide range of changes, especially marketisation and massification of the higher education system, globalisation, internalisation, turbulence on the labour market, has resulted in universities existing in an atmosphere of strong competitiveness. It re-evaluated higher education as a kind of a service. This process also led to a new way of treating higher education aims, and an innovative style of managing HE institutions became necessary. Moreover, the quality of the HE educational service significantly influences both the private and professional life of individuals, society and the economic development in the country. The aim of the paper is to present an analysis of key strategies and tools of competition among universities on the labour market, especially in the aspect of providing their graduates with a successful transition into the labour market. The principal consideration will be devoted to instruments of building and managing long-term relations with broadly understood customers as a fundamental source of competitiveness.