eyin1209-076 eduletter august

Comments from the Ernst & Young desk

Welcome to the August 2012 edition of Eduletter!

Eduletter is an education digest featuring domestic and global news from the education space. It is a collection of news articles and analyses highlighting key market issues and trends.

This edition focuses on the preschool segment, which has been undergoing evolution to create scalable opportunities for private players. It features interviews with the top management of KidZee, Treehouse, Shemrock, Bachpan and Edvance Learning to understand the current state of affairs, recent trends and focus areas.

In the news section, on the domestic front, KidZee revealed expansion plans in West Bengal, and the government announced plans to establish several niche training institutes. On the international front, an Indian IB school chain, TIPS, made a strategic acquisition in Los Angeles, making it one of the few Indian schools chains to venture into developed markets.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue and welcome your suggestions and feedback. Please write to us if you wish to add someone to our mailing list.

Comments from EY desk 1

Preschools emergence of attractive scalable models 2

In focus: Transcript of interview with Sumeet Mehta, CEO, Zee Learn 4

Transcript of interview with Ranjan Goyal, CEO, Edvance Preschools 5

Transcript of interview with Ajay Gupta, Director, Bachpan 6

Transcript of interview with Amol Arora, Vice Chairmain and MD, Shemrock 7

Transcript of interview with Rajesh Bhatia, Managing Director, Treehouse Education 9

Domestic news 10

Domestic deals 17

International news 18

International deals 18

Sources 19

August 2012 EduletterEY Strategic Consulting Group in Education: Sector update

2Eduletter Education sector update

Preschools emergence of attractive scalable models

A. Segment overviewThe preschool segment in India has historically accounted for a small share of the education sector, with a market size of ~US$0.6 billion and a gross enrollment ratio of ~3.5% (with a base of ~130 million children in the age group of 04 years). The segment has been witnessing high growth driven by:

Rising disposable income of the growing middle class segment

Increasing number of working women and emergence of nuclear families, prompting demand for childcare

Growingawarenessofthebenefitsofpreschooleducation

The preschool markets size is expected to nearly triple to US$1.8 billion by 2015.

B. Current sectoral constructa. Thesegmentisrelativelyunregulated,allowingfortheoperationoffor-profitmodels.

b. The segment is highly fragmented, with a few national and regional players leveraging scale and a multitude of stand-alone businesses.

c. The average per student pricing varies between INR1,500 and INR3,000 per month.

C. Key trendsa. Distinct customer segments are emerging: Niche and premium models are gaining

ground. Nevertheless, the mass market is expected to continue enjoying dominance among new and existing customers.

Niche segment: Vivero targets the globally mobile parents.

Premium segment: Edvance charges INR35,000 to INR100,000 p.a. and Mount Litera INR55,00090,000 p.a.

Mass segment: Kidzee has 65,000 students and charges INR10,00030,000 p.a. The market leader plans to open another 1,500 preschools by 2015.

b. Value in K12 model: Preschool players are increasingly gravitating toward establishing K12 schools. They are using their preschool networks as feeders and aggregators for their K12 schools. Most large preschools have established their own school chains. For example, ZeeLearn plans to establish 250 schools; Bachpan plans to establish 100 schools under the brand Academic Heights and Shemrock plans to establish 75 schools.

c. Growth of branded players: Branded players are outpacing stand-alone businesses by offering compelling value and clearly differentiated propositions.

d. Polarization of supply: Key players are increasingly focusing on growth through either the owned model or the franchise model. For e.g., while Kidzee, Bachpan, and Shemrock have opted for pure-play franchising, Treehouse is expanding primarily through owned centers.


e. Emergence of the owned center model: With high franchisee attrition, low control on quality and rising real estate costs, players are adopting the owned model. Players with a large franchisee network are increasing focus on quality control processes. For example, KidZee conducts regular audits to ensure quality across all franchisee centers.

D. Challengesa. Scalability: Preschools require a large center network to achieve high revenues, as

catchment areas are small and per center revenue is low. Ensuring quality and building a strong brand across a large network is a major challenge. Players operating on the franchise model face the additional challenge of high franchisee attrition.

b. Poorunitfinancials: The number of children per preschool center is typically low, andthereishighfluctuationinstudentbase.Withhighrentalsandlimitedmodelsforinfrastructureutilizationafterhours,perunitfinancialstendtobelow.

c. Competition from mainstream schools: K12 schools have started offering the preschool option to ensure steady enrollment levels, especially in the case of new schools. Parents prefer to provide continuity to children by enrolling them in a K12 schools preschool and, hence, independent preschool chains are facing severe competition from mainstream schools.

E. The EY perspectivea. EY believes that the high growth being witnessed by the preschool segment will

continueandwillpresentplayerswithopportunitiestocreatesignificantvalue.

b. We believe that key urban centers will provide considerable growth opportunity. Increasing urbanization and disproportionate generation of GDP (70%), as well as new employment opportunities (~70%), will present a compact and attractive target market for preschool players.

c. Parents with high purchasing power are likely to occupy these urban centers. This will create an opportunity for preschool players to charge a premium. Preschool players will provide families with the convenience of having a school in the vicinity as opposed to most new K12 schools, which will be opened in the outskirts.

d. With greater concentration of the target population in a few centers, the cluster-based center network and advertising approach will be highly effective and is likely to generate high capacity utilization.

e. We believe that the adoption of the owned center model can lead to better quality and higher revenues for players.

f. We consider the joint preschool and K12 model the way ahead for value creation in the preschool segment.

New paradigm for value: the treehouse IPO

The successful TreeHouse IPO challenged the traditional paradigms for scalability and attractiveness in an otherwise conventional preschool market.

The Treehouse model Largest number of self-operated preschools in the country (300+) ReportedFY12revenueofINR810millionandnetprofitaftertaxofINR210million

About the IPO OfferpricedataP/Emultipleofover4256timesitsFY11financials,whichismuch

higher than P/E multiples seen in the sector Introduced in the price band of INR135150 Subscribed 1.85 times, with the retail segment subscribing up to 2.76x


Kidzee leading the market Transcript of interview with Sumeet Mehta, CEO, Zee Learn

In focus

1. Please tell us about the historical growth of Zee in the preschool segment.

Zee entered the preschool segment in 2003. At that time, we were keen to enter the core education space after having had some experience in digital education. Early childhood education seemed to be a logical start to our core education plans, since it is the foundation for an individual.

Wehaveenjoyedfairlysignificantgrowthovertheyears.2008wasawatershedyearfor us, wherein we initiated Project Dolphin and undertook detailed research across 2,000 preschools teachers and 20,000 parents. The aim was to understand challenges faced by teachers and the mismatch between parental expectations and education delivery. Based on the results of the research, we formulated our Multiple Pathways methodology, called Illume, and 400 of our centers were transitioned to Illume in 2008. We now have about 1,000 preschools across India with about 65,000 students.

2. What is the positioning of Zee Learns preschools?

We have two preschool brands: Kidzee and Mount Litera World. Kidzee is a franchisee-based model focused on the mid- to high-range market charging INR10,00030,000 p.a. Through Kidzee, we offer a high quality experience to students based on a sound, well-researched methodology.

Our brand Mount Litera World PreSchool charges INR55,00090,000 p.a. These are company-owned preschools that follow a constructivism-based global curriculum.

3. How do you manage quality across such a large network?

A large part of our quality is embedded in the design of our curriculum framework, our teacher-student material and teacher manuals. In addition, Kidzee has initiated strong systems and processes. For example, we have incorporated a robust training methodology to ensure consistent experience across preschools. We also believe in monitoring and measuring key metrics. Every year, we compute the Net Promoter Score, a standardized measurement tool for both parents and franchisees to measure stakeholder satisfaction. At the same time, we conduct regular audits of our preschools to ensure that appropriate teaching methodologies are being followed, as well as infrastructure and safety standards are being maintained.

4. How do you see your preschool business growing?

We plan to maintain market leadership in the preschool segment and operate about 2,500preschoolswithinthenextfiveyears.Atthesametime,wehavemadeastrongforay into the K12 segment from 2008 onward. We have signed up to establish 110 K12 schools, of which 54 are operational. We plan to run 250 schools over the next fiveyears.


Edvance premium is the way to go Transcript of interview with Ranjan Goyal, CEO, Edvance Preschools

1. Please tell us about Edvance preschools.

Edvance has two preschool brands: Vivero and Serra. Vivero targets globally mobile parents who want a largely international curriculum to facilitate geographical movement of children. We have two Vivero preschools. Serra targets the upper end of the Indian market and focuses on parents who seek admission for their child in leading Indian schools. We have six company-owned Serra schools and 30 franchisees, of which 15 were opened in the last one year.

2. What was the genesis of Edvance preschools?

Edvance is a joint venture (JV) between EtonHouse International Education Group, a prominent and aspirational preschool, and a K12 school chain with preschools and schools across Asia. Our Indian founders were Arun Arora and Anshul Arora. Arun Arora has had a distinguished corporate career and was the former President and Executive Director of Bennett, Coleman and Company. Anshul Arora is a Harvard Business School alumnus and has worked with McKinsey & Co. across the Asian, EuropeanandAmericanoffices.Bothofthemfeltatremendousneedgapforpreschool education in India and, thus, ventured into the space and into partnership with EtonHouse.

3. What is your positioning and differentiation?

We are positioned at the premium end of the market, with our fee ranging from INR35,000 to INR100,000 per year. We believe our quality and process of learning is significantlydifferentfromthoseofotherpreschoolsinIndia.ThisisbecauseourJVwith EtonHouse gives us access to the best methodologies and research worldwide. At the same time, we have a high quality and professional management. Thirdly, we focus onsignificantparentalinvolvement,whichyieldsbetterlearningoutcomes.

4. What are you looking for in your franchisees?

We are looking for like-minded partners. We want owner-managers with a commitment to quality and not pure investors. A franchisee needs to have more than 2,500 sq. ft. of space with willingness to lease and commitment to invest up to INR1.21.7 million.

5. What are the challenges you are facing?

The key challenge is hiring good quality and well-trained teachers. Despite rigorous shortlisting, we only end up selecting 1 teacher from every 10 we interview.

6. What are your growth plans?

A. We want to focus on the preschool segment and are looking to expand through both the company-owned and franchise models. At the same time, we are seeking to partner with real estate companies and property owners for establishing preschools and eventually K12 schools. Strategically, we are expanding at a steady pace to ensure that our focus on quality does not get diluted.


Bachpan seizing the mid market Transcript of interview with Ajay Gupta, Director, Bachpan

1. How did Bachpan start?

Well,interestingly,Bachpanwasnotourfirsteducationventure.Thegroupfirstforayed into education in 1994 in the vocational education space with a franchise network of more than 100 institutes focused on computer education and fashion technology. However, in the early 2000s, this market became highly competitive, and the group decided to look at other avenues of growth in the education sector. At that stage,weidentifiedthepreschoolsector,astherewerealimitednumberofbrandsandwesawsignificantpotentialforbrandedplay.Thisalsoallowedustoleverageourskillsineducationfranchising.ThisledustoestablishthefirstBachpanpreschoolin2002.

2. How has the journey been so far?

We started with low ambitions just wanting 10 schools, since we did not have any of our own school, familiarity with this space and had adopted a pure franchising model. While there was initial skepticism, soon the quality of our offering got us an unprecedented response. We now have more than 600 preschools across the country, of which 300 were set up in the last three years.

3. How is Bachpan different from other preschools?

We believe in offering a complete solution to all our stakeholders students, parents, teachers and franchisees. We have a very well-developed curriculum that is among the most structured and comprehensive in the industry. We also have a sustained focus on teacher training. We conduct multiple training programs at the school, state and national levels. At the same time, we have a huge focus on our franchisees. We have dedicated relationship managers for them and provide call center support and regular newsletters on how to scale up operations. We also organize national-level events to enable interaction with management and other franchisees, as well as sharing of best practices.

We have a wide variety of preschools spanning across locations and price points ranging from small towns to key metros.

4. What are your growth plans?

We are aggressively focusing on the K12 space and have launched our brand of schools, Academic Heights. Within about three years, we already have more than 50 CBSE-affiliatedoperationalschools.Ourgrowthisbasedonapure-playfranchiseemodel. We aim to have 100 K12 schools and 1,000 preschools in the next three years.

5. Why are you venturing into K12 and what is unique about your K12 model?

K12servicesareanaturalprogressionforusandaddsignificantlytoourrevenues.Our K12 schools are based on the hub and spoke model, relying on our preschools as feeders. We have also developed robust content and curriculum for these schools including more than 75 textbooks and 3,000 worksheets for primary classes alone. This content has been developed in-house by a team of the best-in-class academicians and ensures alignment across subjects. We are also developing our own multimedia solution in line with this curriculum to create a unique proposition for our schools.


Shemrock seeking sustainable growth Transcript of interview with Amol Arora, Vice Chairmain and MD, Shemrock

1. How did Shemrock venture into preschools?

In 1989, our family moved from Punjab to Delhi and my mother began looking for a good preschool for my sister. She had been exposed to international standards in preschool education and could not identify any preschool matching up to those standards. At the same time, an opportunity presented itself in the form of an ideal location for opening a preschool.

2. How has the journey been since then?

The beginning was the toughest. We had strong competition from a couple of local schools and were unsure of customer acceptance of our concept. But, the response wasindeedthrillingandsoontheschoolfilledup.Then,wesetupasecondschoolinPitampura, which was closer to our residence. By 1992, family and friends started seeking our assistance in opening preschools, and soon we initiated our franchising program.Wewereprobablyamongthefirsttohaveafranchisingprogramforpreschools in the country. By 2001, we had 20 preschools in the NCR, and then we started going beyond that as well. We now have 175 preschools, of which 52 are in NCR and 2 are outside India.

3. What is the philosophy of Shemrock preschools?

We at Shemrock have a philosophy of investing heavily in research to ensure that we have a developmentally appropriate teaching curriculum that gives the best results. We continually carry out research to understand international best practices and implement them in our schools, making them best in class and globally comparable. We also emphasize on systems and invested in implementing ISO many years ago. We do not believe that such a large chain can be run without strong systems and processes and, therefore, have focused heavily on building robust systems and processes.


4. How do you see growth over the next few years?

As a matter of principle, we do not want rapid growth, as this takes a toll on quality. We see our preschool network growing steadily to 300350 schools by 2015. In 2009, we also ventured into K12 with the Shemford brand. Shemrock and Shemford are supporting brands, and this was a natural growth strategy for us. We run 30 Shemford schools on a franchisee basis and target increasing the number to 75 by 2015.

All our growth would be through franchising, as we believe this is the most sustainable model and provides a healthy ROI.

5. What does it take to set up a Shemrock/Shemford school?

For a Shemrock preschool, a potential franchisee would need 2,000 sq. ft of built up area, which is suitable for operating a preschool. We have a license fee of INR100,000500,000 and share 15% of gross revenue. In the case of a Shemford school, the franchisee would need land as per CBSE requirements. Our license fee is INR1million, and we have a royalty of 8% of gross revenue.

6. How do you see the preschool market evolving over the next few years?

Whilethereissignificantgrowthopportunity,thepreschoolmarkethasbecomeextremely competitive. Entry barriers are relatively low in this market. This has attracted a large number of players, but they soon realize the challenges of operating in this market. I believe there would be an opportunity for sustained growth over the next few years for players that provide high quality and develop a strong brand.


Treehouse different model to create value Transcript of interview with Rajesh Bhatia, Managing Director, Treehouse Education

1. How did you enter the preschool business?

In 200203, I was looking to admit my son in a good preschool and realized that admission was a challenge, especially for middle class parents. I spotted this as an opportunityandpursuedacourseonMontessoritrainingbeforeopeningourfirstpreschool. We opened our second preschool in 2005-06 and from then on, it has been continuous growth.

2. You own all your preschools, which is different from the industry practice of franchising. What made you do that?

Ifirmlybelievethateducationisnotabusinesswherefranchisingwouldwork.Aparent entrusts his/her child into the care of a preschool with the belief that we would offer the same care as is provided at home. A good preschool should ensure superior quality and personalized care for each child, which is not possible under the franchising model. By owning all our preschools, we ensure there is no compromise on location, safety, quality of education and the care that the child gets, which forms the core of our model.

3. What is unique about the Treehouse proposition for parents?

Our curriculum and content is unique and based on well-researched pedagogies. I personally spend time at Stanford University every year to ensure that we are updated on the latest thoughts and methodologies in preschool education. Secondly, we have tremendous goodwill among parents because of the personalized care we provide. I personally travel across preschools and attempt to interact with every child and parent.

Thirdly, we strongly believe that education is not about haves and have-nots, and we attempt to cater to all sections of the society. We never say no to any child who seeks admission. Lastly, we focus on hiring the best of faculty. Approximately 100 people in our staff have a Masters in Human Development.

4. Where do you see Treehouse going from here?

We currently have 300 preschools and 20 K12 schools. We intend to continue growing through the owned model in preschools and would use the franchise model only for tier III and IV locations that are not accessible via road, rail and air. By 201516, we want to touch 100,000 lives a year, and our long-term aspiration is to become the leading self-operated preschool chain in the world.

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Eduletter Education sector update

Maharashtra Government sanctions 38 new colleges in Gadchiroli

The Maharashtra Government has sanctioned 38 new colleges for Gadchiroli in the current academic year to boost education. Gondwana University Vice Chancellor Vijay Ainchwar hassaidthattheincreasedstrengthofcollegeswouldcertainlybenefitstudentsandwillprove useful in catering to their academic needs.

Calicut Universitys plans to set up eight counseling centers

Calicut University (CU) is planning eight new counseling centers, seven of them in the UAE and one in Kuwait. Academicians have pointed out that overseas off-campus centers lack qualifiedpersonnelandcheatingisamajorworryduringexaminations.Recently,theUAEGovernment shut down off-campus centers of Mahatma Gandhi University and IGNOU for engaging in fraudulent practices and failure to meet academic standards. CUs counseling centers could suffer a similar fate.

India, UNESCO to set up research institute inspired by Gandhi

The Indian Government, in collaboration with UNESCO, will establish an institute Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development dedicated to research and innovation and regional networking, and inspired by Gandhis vision of peace and sustainability. The institutes core activity will be research and capacity building. It will encourage knowledge exchange and regional networking, as well as catalyze innovation by helping in the design and testing of new approaches to education.

16 new polytechnic colleges in Jammu by end 2012

Under the Skill Development Mission in Jammu and Kashmir, 16 new sanctioned polytechnic colleges would be made operational by end 2012. The establishment of polytechnic colleges will cost INR150 million and will be undertaken by JKPCC in two years. The colleges will be set up in uncovered areas and will open up vistas of opportunities for students to pursue professional courses.

Vivekananda study centers to be opened in 150 schools

The Tamil Nadu Government has launched the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan project to open Vivekananda Study Centers in 150 schools across Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Nilgiris.

IFC invests in Global Indian International School

IFC has proposed to grant SGD$25 million to Global Indian International School (GIIS), run bytheGlobalSchoolsFoundation,forexpansion.Theamountwillbeinvestedingreenfieldand acquisitions in lesser developed countries in South and Southeast Asia. GIIS plans touseasignificantpartofthefundinginIndiaforsettingupschoolsinBangaloreandAhmadabad to complement its existing schools in Noida, Surat and Indore.

Domestic news

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INR30-billion plan for facilities in government schools

APChiefMinisterN.KiranKumarReddyhasannouncedthatthegovernmenthasfinalizedan INR30-billion plan to upgrade amenities in the government schools. He claimed that thefundamounthadbeendoubledfromthelastfiscal.Ofthetotal,INR24billionwouldbespent on improving infrastructure and basic amenities in 500 schools. A substantial amount of INR12.8 million would be invested in the construction of a girls hostel, INR7 billion for the construction of 13,000 classrooms, INR400 million for the construction of compound walls and a sizeable money on toilets in schools.

IIPtoopenthreecentersinfiveyears

The Indian Institute of Packaging, under the Ministry of Commerce, would soon open three centers in Assam, Gujarat and Karnataka under the Twelfth Five-Year plan. The institute presently offers a two-year diploma program in packaging, and it is planning to start offering a four-year B Tech degree in Packaging Technology.

IIM-Trichy to open Chennai campus

The Indian Institute of Management, Trichy, has announced the setting up of a satellite center at Ekkattuthangal in Chennai. The center will offer short-term executive education programs. Faculty members said they expected the center to serve as a convenient platformtoconductplacement-relatedactivitiesforthetwo-yearflagshipfull-timepostgraduate program in Trichy.

Two private varsities to be set up in Bangalore

The Bangalore Government has approved the setting up of two private universities Devaraj Urs Private University in Kodagihalli in Doddaballapur and Dayanand Sagar Private University in Bangalore. The universities will be formally set up after the legislature passes two separate bills. The draft bills are yet to be cleared. The state government has also approved the establishment of 15 government and private engineering colleges under phase two of the center-assisted Technical Education Improvement Programme (TEQIP).

INR270 million allotted for second phase of research at Bharathiar University Center

The DRDO- Bharathiar University Center for Life Sciences has successfully completed itsfirstphaseofresearchprograms.FundingofINR270millionhasbeenallottedforthesecond phase.

IndiasfirstretailsectorbusinessschooltobesetupinHyderabad

Global Retail Education and Training (GREAT) India, in partnership with the Australian RetailCollege(ARC),issettingupthecountrysfirstretailsector-focusedbusinessschoolin Hyderabad. Apart from providing technical expertise, ARC will assist GREAT (India) with program content, facilitate visits of expert teaching staff and also explore opportunities for graduates with Australian retail employers.

Odisha set to make leap in medical education

Odisha is set to make a huge leap in medical education with at least 12 new medical colleges likely to be set up and operationalized in the next few years. Public sector National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) was said to have accepted the governments proposal to establish a medical college and a hospital at the tribal-dominated Koraput district. New Delhi-based Center for Joint Disorder is geared to establish a 150-seater medical college and a 750-bedded super specialty hospital in Bhubaneswar. Besides, it would start a dental and nursing college.

Punjab Government to set up advanced institute of dairy farming

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has announced plans to set up an advanced instituteofdairyfarmingatMohaliincollaborationwithIsraelifirmDairyFarmingSolutions(DFS). Badal believes dairy farming has huge scope and growth potential in the state on the back of strong conventional farming. He also assured the members of the association that setting up a chain of milk booths and dairy farming centers across the state, especially in and around Ludhiana, will boost dairy prospects.

Zee Learn to expand activity in Bengal

Zee Learn has revealed its expansion plans for West Bengal recently. In line with this, the organization announced plans to set up 50 Kidzee preschools across Kolkata, Jalpaiguri, Malda and Bardhaman by 2013. Zee Learn aims to cater to the growing needs of quality education in the state.

Center to set up Footwear Design and Development Institute campus in Punjab

The central government will set up a Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) campus in Ropar, Punjab, with an investment of INR1 billion. The campus is to be set up by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries and would offer a wide range of professional programsinfieldssuchasfootweardesign,management,retailmanagement,fashionmerchandising, visual merchandising, marketing, creative designing, leather goods and accessories design.

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Government to set up IITs in Assam, Tripura, Rajasthan

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has sanctioned a proposal to set up Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) campus in Assam, Tripura and Rajasthan. The move is in line with plans to set up 20 self-sustaining, research-led IIITs under the public-private-partnership model. The IIITs would be set up by the Ministry in collaboration with states and industry participants. Each of the establishments is likely to be set up at a cost of INR1.28 billion, of which 50% would be contributed by the central government, 35% by the state government and 15% by the industry.

20 new medical colleges in India in 2012

The Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India Chairman Dr K K Talwar has said that 20 new medical colleges, including 9 in the public sector, will be opened in 2012. Thecountryneedsatleast60,000freshmedicalgraduateseveryyeartofulfillitsrequirements. Currently, nearly 44,000 doctors graduate annually.

Skill development institute to be set up in Delhi with assistance from Singapore Government

The Delhi Government will set up a world-class institute for skill development with technical expertiseandassistancefromtheSingaporeGovernment.Thegreenfieldskilldevelopmentcenter would be set up at Jonapur in South Delhi and will impart training at par with the best of such institutes in the country.

Gujarat gets one new dental and three medical colleges

The Gujarat Government has given its nod to three new medical colleges and one dental college in the current academic year. The medical colleges are located in Gandhinagar, Valsad and Patan and can accommodate 150 candidates each. Additionally, the Rajkot and Bhavnagar medical colleges have got approval for an increase of 50 medical seats each.Kerala Agriculture University to start agro service centers in all districts

The Kerala Agriculture University (KAU) is setting up agro service centers (ASCs) in all districts. The centers will act as technology and information disseminating centers and provide modern machinery services to farmers. The state government has allotted INR25 million to KAU to start the centers.

Punjab Government to set up Forest Research Institute at Ladhowal

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has approved the establishment of a Forest Research Institute to boost agro-forestry, besides undertaking a massive plantation drive across the state. Taking part in the deliberations, Badal asked the Forest Research Institute Director to prepare a comprehensive plan for this proposed institution at the earliest.

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Six AIIMS-like institutes to start operations from September

The government has decided to set up six New Delhi AIIMS-like institutes in various states in this academic session, and admissions will start by end September. These institutes will be located at Patna in Bihar, Bhubaneshwar in Odisha, Jodhpur in Rajasthan, Rishikesh in Uttarakhand, Raipur in Chhattisgarh and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.

Next Education to raise INR1.5 billion by end 2012

Next Education India, a digital learning technology company, will raise INR1.5 billion from private equity players by December 2012. Next Education CEO Beas Dev Ralhan said, We are in talks with them. We hope to conclude the deal by the year-end. He said the company had so far invested INR2.5 billion, including INR600 million on the research and development of content. The company has tie-ups with 4,000 schools (in CBSE and ICSE streams) across India.

Centum Learning plans to set up 100 centers in FY13

BhartiGroupfirmCentumLearningplanstoexpanditsreachacrossIndiabysetting up about 100 training centers in FY13 as part of its roadmap to make 15 million people employment ready in the next 10 years. Centum Learning CEO and Director Sanjeev Duggal said, India faces the risk of 500 million people being unemployed in the next 10 years. For our part, we want to train 15 million people and make them employment-ready in 10 years.

XLRI to invest INR1.1 billion in Delhi; second campus in Jamshedpur

XLRI School of Business and Human Resources plans to expand its footprint in India by setting up a campus in Delhi. Plans are also afoot to set up a second campus in Jamshedpur. Setting up these campuses will entail an investment of about INR1.1 billion. The second campus, in Jamshedpur, will provide 120 seats for business and HRM courses, while the Delhi campus, which is to come up in the National Capital Region, willaccommodatecloseto120studentsinitsfirstphase.

SubhashGhaitosetupfilminstituteinNigeria

SubhashGhaisWhistlingWoodsInternational(WWI),Mumbai,willsetupAfricasfirstworld-classfilmandmediatraininginstituteinNigeria.Theinstitute,WhistlingWoodsInternational Nigeria (WWIN), will be set up in collaboration with Trend Media City Ltd (TMC), a Nigerian development company. The two companies have signed an MoU for this.

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Government ties up with Pearson in school education

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Pearson Foundation will set up acenterforassessment,evaluationandresearch.Thiswillmarkthefirstconcretemovebythe Indian Government aimed at fostering public-private partnership (PPP) in the education space and reforming the higher secondary segment. The center will develop research and assessment capabilities, as well as resources, for CBSE through its network of 13,000 schools and tens of thousands of teachers. It will focus on international best practices in school-based assessment, teaching techniques and high-stake examinations.

West Bengal in immediate need of 200 colleges

West Bengal Higher Education Minister Bratya Basu has said, The state immediately requires 200 new colleges and we will soon prepare a priority list for this. He said:We invite private entrepreneurs to come and invade the academic sector but we never want khaini sellers to come into selling education. We want people from academics to share the development in general education but we dont encourage maximum interest on technical education and medical education by depriving general education. Also, we never want political interference in the academic arena.

Indian Government wants medical colleges in every corner

The Indian Government wants a medical college in each of Indias 626 districts. A recent Planning Commission committee report pointed out that due to shortage of public health services, farmers are forced to pay for medical treatment at private hospitals. To counter the problem, the government will announce a scheme linking a medical college to every district hospital. The scheme is expected to cost the government INR200 billion over the next four years.

Bangalore Governor: set up private universities

Bangalore Governor H R Bhardwaj expressed the need for more private universities in the city. He said, We should encourage private universities to hold distinct positions amongst other universities in the world and strive for excellence. Chief Minister S Jagadish Shettar assured him of complete support of the state government for education and involvement in setting up private universities. He said, The government has approved six universities and hassetasideaboutINR150.71billionforeducationduringthecurrentfinancialyear.

TISS to set up center in Ranchi in November 2012

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) will set up a center in Ranchi this November and will offer three six-month diploma programs. The centre, set up through an MoU signed between the institute and the State Institute of Rural Development in Ranchi, will offer initialprogramsforpanchayatanddistrictadministrationofficials.

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Slew of research centers to come up in Gujarat

The Gujarat Technological University (GTU) is planning to launch a slew of research centers. The state government plans to set up post graduate centers that will foster research and development, besides developing centers for in-house online training programsandofferingconsultancyindevelopinge-content.AccordingtoGTUofficials, the research centers would focus on environmental and green technologies, mobile computingandwirelesstechnologies,cybersecurity,environmentandenergy-efficienttools, infrastructure, transportation and water management, technology education and public policy.

IL&FS Education to set up skill development center

IL&FS Education and Technology Services, in collaboration with the West Bengal Government, will set up a skill development center for IT and ITeS courses. As part of the National Skill Development Corporations program, IL&FS Education, a subsidiary of IL&FS India,aimstotrain2,000peopleperyearforfiveyearsattheproposedlocalcenter.Thecenter is expected to be commissioned by September 2012.

UK India tie up for setting up lifestyles academy in Delhi

New College Nottingham (a UK Further Education College) and the Batra Group will establish a lifestyles academy in New Delhi in September to deliver high-level vocational education to up to 1,000 students. The academy, called New College Nottingham International Lifestyles Academy (NILA), will focus on the delivery of a lifestyles curriculum andadvancedEnglishandteachertrainingqualifications.

US$5.3-million campus for ISB

The Indian School Bahrain (ISB) is planning to construct a campus and a higher education center for BD2 million (US$5.3 million) on a land area of 40,000 sq m. The project involves a 25,000-sq m campus to accommodate an estimated 5,500 students in 144 classrooms. The remaining 15,000 sq m is expected to be utilized for setting up the higher education center.

Punjab Government to develop four education cities

The Punjab Government gave in-principle approval to set up education cities in Mullanpur, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Bathinda to provide international quality education to students. Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has said that these education cities, which would be developed on the Oxford pattern, are likely to attract international universities. Badal asked the Chief Secretary to fast track the process of setting up international trade centers in Mohali and Amritsar, so that local industry could showcase its products to the international market.

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HCL acquires Edurix to strengthen its content capabilities

HCL Infosystems has announced the acquisition of Edurix, a part of Attano Media and Education Private. Edurix designs and implements content for the K12 education segment. The business transfer between HCL Infosystems and Attano has been completed and includedthetransferofallfixedassets,IPRandthehumanresourcesofEdurix.Theacquisition would supplement HCL Learnings current offerings across the various segments: K12, higher education and its Career Development Centre (CDC).

TIPS buys US academy for US$10 million

Indian Public School (TIPS), which runs a chain of International Baccalaureate education system schools in India, has acquired a school in Los Angeles, the US, for US$10 million. ThisisthefirsttimethatanIndianschoolhaspurchasedaninstituteintheUStocreateaglobalnetworkofinternationalschools.TIPShasfloateda100%subsidiaryintheUStoown and operate South Hill Academy, which opened in 1957.

NIIT Techs CEO, Chairman sell 7.4% stake

NIIT Technologies Chairman Rajendra S. Pawar and CEO of NIIT, Vijay Thadani, have sold a combined 7.4% stake for INR1.2 billion. The sale of 4.4 million shares was carried out via blockdealstoraisemoneyforthegroupsnon-profitventureNIITUniversity.PawarandThadani each sold about 3.7% of their stake, bringing down the share of the founders to about 31%.

Birla Shloka Edutech acquires 51.1% stocks in Ojus Healthcare

Birla Shloka Edutech, a Yash Birla group company that operates in educational services, has acquired a 51.1% stake in Bengaluru-based Ojus Healthcare Private Limited. Due to the majority ownership, Ojus Healthcare has allocated 12,50,000 equity shares and has become an auxiliary of BSEL. Ojus will be jointly managed by BSEL and the formers promoters.

Domestic deals

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Curro Holdings to set up another 11 schools in seven years

Curro Holdings, a private education company, has signed an investment deal with Old Mutual and the Public Investment Corporation to provide private education to the underprivileged in South Africa. Accordingly, the number of private community schools, also known as Meridian schools, will be increased to 11 in the next seven years, according to Curro CEO Chris van der Merwe.

Prestariang to set up University of Computing

Prestariang announced that the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), Malaysia, had approved its plans to establish a private higher education institution, the International University of Computing (IUC). The groups foray into the higher education segment will provide it with steady recurring income. The group will capitalize on its expertise in providing training for information and communications technology (ICT) professionals. ItoffersICTtrainingandcoursescertifiedbytechnologygiantssuchasIBM,Microsoft and Oracle.

University of South Carolina will open alumni center

The University of South Carolina in Columbia will open an alumni center across the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center by late 2014. In addition to housing 20 alumni staff members, the 60,000-sq ft building will include a ballroom that can seat 500 people, an auditorium and meeting rooms. The alumni association is buying the site for US$1.1 million from the City of Columbia.

International news

International dealsHealthStream acquires Decision Critical for up to US$4 million

HealthStream, a Nashville-based provider of learning and research solutions for the health care industry, acquired Texas-based Decision Critical, a provider of learning and competency management products for acute-care hospitals, for up to US$4.3 million. HealthStream paid US$3.5 million in cash, issued 22,124 shares of its common stock and has agreed to a contingent payment of US$0.3 million based on the achievement of certain milestones.

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Maha govt sanctions 38 new colleges in Gadchiroli, Press Trust of India, 13 July 2012, via Factiva, (c) 2012 The Press Trust of India Limited.

CalicutUniversityscredibilityatstakeoverseas,The Times of India, 12 July 2012, via Factiva, (c) 2012 The Times of India Group.

India,UnescotosetupresearchinstituteinspiredbyGandhi,The Times of India, 12 July 2012, via Factiva, (c) 2012 The Times of India Group.

TamilNaduGovernmenttoestablishVeterinarycollege,The Hindu, 12 July 2012, via Factiva, (c) 2012 Kasturi & Sons Ltd.

16newpolytechniccollegesbyyear-endinJammu,UnitedNewsofIndia, 12 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012.

TwovirologycentersinBihar,TheTelegraph,10July2012,viaFactiva, 2012 ABP Pvt. Ltd.

IRRIbreedingfacilityinIndia,Business Line (The Hindu), 10 June 2012, via Factiva, 2012 (c) 2012 The Hindu Business Line.

LaunchofVivekanandaStudyCenters,The Hindu, 10 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 Kasturi & Sons Ltd.

IFCInvestsInGlobalIndianInternationalSchool,DealCurry, 10 July 2012, via Factiva, EagleEye Research & Media Pvt. Ltd.

INR30billionplanforfacilitiesingovernmentschools,The Hindu, 10 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 Kasturi & Sons Ltd.

IIPtoopenthreenewcentersinnextfiveyears,PressTrustofIndia,9July 2012, via Factiva, (c) 2012 The Press Trust of India Limited.

IndianschoolchainbuysUSacademyforUS$10million,The Times of India, 7 July 2012, via Factiva, Bennett, Coleman & Co., Ltd.

IIM-TrichytoopenChennaicampus,TheTimesofIndia,7July2012,via Factiva, Bennett, Coleman & Co., Ltd.

TwomorepvtvarsitiesgetStatego-ahead,Deccan Herald, 7 July 2012, via Factiva, The Printers (Mysore) Private Ltd.

Rs27croreallottedfor2ndphaseofresearchatBharathiarUniversityCenter The Times of India, 6 July 2012, via Factiva, The Times of India Group.

IndiasfirstretailsectorbusinessschoolinHyderabad,The Economic Times, 6 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 The Times of India Group.

Statesettomakeleapinmedicaleducation,The Hindu, 6 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 Kasturi & Sons Ltd.

Sources

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CentertosetupFootwearDesignandDevelopmentInstitutecampusat Ropar, Punjab News Line, 3 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 Punjabnewsline.com.

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20newmedicalcollegesincountrythisyear,The Indian Express, 2 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 Indian Express Online Media Pvt. Ltd.

SkilldevinstituteinDelhiwithSingaporegovtassistance,PressTrustof India, 2 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 The Press Trust of India Limited.

Gujaratgetsonenewdentalandthreemedicalcolleges,The Times of India, 1 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 The Times of India Group.

KeralaAgricultureUniversitytostartagroservicecentersinalldistricts, The Times of India, 29 June 2012, via Factiva, 2012 The Times of India Group

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Dealtoexpandprivateeducation,Cape Argus, 28 June 2012, via Factiva, 2012 Independent Newspapers (Pty) Ltd

HealthStreamacquiresdecisioncriticalforuptoUS$4million,GlobalData Financial Deals Tracker, 3 July 2012, via Factiva, 2012 GlobalData.

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CentumLearningplanstosetup100centresinFY13,PressTrustof India, 12 August 2012, via Factiva, 2012 The Press Trust of India Limited. XLRI to invest Rs 110 crore in Delhi, 2nd Jamshedpur campus, Business Line (The Hindu), 12 August 2012, Factiva, 2012 The Hindu Business Line.

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Education is a focus sector for Ernst & Young. We provide strong capabilities as strategic consultants in this sector through a dedicated team of sector professionals. Our team combines deep insights with strong practical operational experience to provide implementable solutions that lead to tangible and sustained value creation.

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