Crizac said the acquisition of the Latin American education agency, for an undisclosed sum, marked a “major step” in its mission to connect universities with international students worldwide.
“Crizac aims to continue expanding its footprint globally, both in terms of destination market and source market,” Crizac CEO Chris Nagle told The PIE.
“The Studies Planet partnership is strategic in that it opens the LATAM markets, which are completely new markets for us.”
Under the agreement, Studies Planet will continue operating as an independent entity across Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. At the same time, it will leverage Crizac’s global platform and reach to further expand its business.
Nagle said there was a growing desire from Crizac’s institutional partners to recruit more students from Latin America, though they don’t always have the resources to carry out on-the-ground marketing in the region.
“The UK and Ireland are Studies Planet’s mainstay markets, but other continental European destinations are growing in popularity too,” he added.
The partnership opens the LATAM markets, which are completely new markets for us
Chris Nagle, Crizac
Last year, Crizac worked with students from 75 nations. The company hopes its most recent partnership will help further expand its global reach and increase the diversity of applicants to its partner universities.
A recent report by Studyportals and the British Council found most outbound student mobility from Latin America came from Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Peru – together accounting for over 60% of all outbound students from the region.
While Latin America has been known for its intra-regional mobility, the study identified a growing appetite for internationally recognised credentials among students in these markets – with Crizac noting a rise in both intra-regional and intercontinental student mobility.
The expansion of Crizac Group follows its debut on the Indian stock market earlier this year.
