IDP Education has announced its intention to acquire Intake Education, a leading international student support agency, with the deal expected to be completed in November 2022.
Intake Education, formerly known as UKEAS, underwent a rebrand in 2021 as part of a portfolio expansion to cover multiple study destinations. Founded in 1993 in Taiwan, the company has grown to 30 offices in Asia, Africa and Europe in almost three decades.
Intake estimates to have helped almost 100,000 students enrol at partner universities, schools and colleges overseas and is considered to be a market leader in Nigeria, a territory where IDP recently opened its first office in 2022. It will now hope to accelerate growth in the region.
IDP operates in more than 50 countries and its websites attract 100 million visits a year. Once competitors in offering student-led recruitment services for institutional partners, Intake’s team will now join forces with IDP’s global staff of 5,000 employees.
Murray Walton, interim chief executive officer for IDP Education, explained that by welcoming Intake into its team, IDP will now be positioned to help students across more locations access international education.
“Together, a united IDP and Intake will become the clear global leader for students pursuing an overseas education,” he stated.
“Like IDP, Intake teams care deeply about getting great outcomes for their students and institution partners. We both proudly stay by our students’ sides from first enquiry through to starting in the classroom,” Walton said.
Pieter Funnekotter, chief executive officer for Intake Education, explained that he believes Intake will make IDP stronger.
“Our two companies coming together is a great fit”
“In joining IDP’s team, Intake will help grow the international education sector and create a new standard for supporting students in achieving their global goals,” he said
“I have long admired IDP’s commitment to high-quality, end-to-end, unbiased advice for students. With excellence in advice at our core, our two companies coming together is a great fit. The Intake team will gain access to cutting edge technology and exciting new opportunities for career development.”
IDP will acquire Intake’s offices based across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Philippines, Thailand, Taiwan, India and the UK.
“In the near term, Intake will continue to operate under their existing branding and structure to allow both organisations to further align and understand opportunities to come together,” Mr Walton said.
“Intake’s geographic footprint complements IDP’s global network. In some markets such as the Philippines and Thailand, IDP and Intake are the two clear market leaders, whereas in other areas, such as West Africa and Taiwan, IDP can learn from Intake’s market presence,” Walton said.
