Ending months of speculation, education partnering organisation INTO University Partnerships has sold a 25% stake to the US private equity firm Leeds Equity Partners for £66 million.
INTO will use the investment to provide university partners with capital to fund “innovation and capacity building” projects. A spokesman for the company said this could mean expanding in Asia and tackling capacity shortfalls in areas such as technology.
Andrew Colin, INTO’s chairman, said: “I am delighted to confirm today that we have secured this significant new funding…
“Our goal is to transform higher education capacity, increase access for well-qualified students, and drive global brand awareness”
“Through public-private partnerships, there is a unique opportunity to meet the evolving and increasingly complex needs of universities and their students.
“In particular, our goal is to transform higher education capacity, increase access for well-qualified students, and drive global brand awareness…all while delivering impressive outcomes for all stakeholders.”
INTO has partnerships with 16 universities in the UK, US and China, which prepare overseas students for university study and enhance campus growth; for instance through the building of new facilities. Partners also access INTO’s global sales and marketing network.
The company said Leeds’ investment was part of an ongoing growth strategy launched by the former Labour education secretary Charles Clarke in March. It said it would also continue developing its infrastructure portfolio which is valued in excess of £200m.
Leeds Equity Partners – which invests exclusively in the education, training and information and business services sectors – is a keen proponent of public-private partnerships in tertiary education.
Jeffrey T Leeds, president and co-founder of the firm, said: “We are excited about partnering with such an exceptional team… INTO’s founder directors, have built a successful, impactful business because they understand the complexities of the higher education marketplace.”
