Press Release | San Francisco/Gütersloh, 02/20/2015

Bertelsmann Expands Education Activities to Advance Innovation in Health and Human Sciences

• Through Arist, Bertelsmann establishes network of universities dedicated to addressing most pressing global challenges
• Education is core to strategic growth platform

Bertelsmann is augmenting its growth area of education with an investment in Alliant International University in the U.S. Alliant is a renowned university specializing in psychology. It has more than 3,700 students and operates ten campuses in California, Mexico City, Tokyo and Hong Kong. The Alliant investment will be made by the Bertelsmann-owned subsidiary Arist Education System, under whose umbrella an international network of universities in the Health and Human Sciences sectors will be established in the years ahead.

Thomas Rabe, Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann, commented: “We believe that world-class education programs will make a big contribution to solving global healthcare challenges. Over the next few years, we will build a network of universities that deliver innovative education programs in various fields of the health and human sciences. Having already entered into the e-learning segment for the healthcare sector last October with the acquisition of Relias Learning, this is the second step in the expansion of our education business.”

Geoffrey Cox, Alliant International University president, added: “Alliant’s mission is to improve health and wellness for individuals around the world by preparing students for professional careers of service and leadership. Through innovations in student assessment, learning management, and program delivery, we will create learning opportunities that are based in real-world needs and provide students with personalized support. It is this kind of innovation that the Arist network enables, so that we can prepare the next generation of professionals to address our most pressing social challenges.”

Universities in the Arist system will operate as benefit corporations, a unique structure which enables Bertelsmann to pursue a sound education investment strategy while contributing meaningfully to each institution‘s learning and social mission. As a result, universities in the Arist system will be publically accountable for continuous improvements in student diversity and success, community engagement, employee fulfillment, and financial sustainability.

Bertelsmann has been active in the education sector for several years and concentrates on three fields of education: “e-learning,” “universities” and “services.” In all three segments, a special focus is on healthcare. In October 2014, Bertelsmann acquired Relias Learning, the leader in SaaS-based training and compliance solutions for the health and human services market – the company’s largest acquisition since book publisher Random House in 1998. The company also acquired a stake in the U.S. education provider Udacity last year, and is increasingly active in education in its strategic growth regions of China, India and Brazil.

About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is an international media company whose core divisions encompass television (RTL Group), book publishing (Penguin Random House), magazine publishing (Gruner + Jahr), services (Arvato), and printing (Be Printers) in some 50 countries. In 2013, the company’s businesses, with their more than 111,000 employees, generated revenues of €16.4 billion. Bertelsmann stands for a combination of creativity and entrepreneurship that empowers the creation of first-rate media, communications, and service offerings to inspire people around the world and to provide innovative solutions for customers.