01 Oct
Plena Education Joins Europa Education and Strengthens Its International Reach
Europa Education expands its international presence with the addition of the Italian group Plena Education.
The transaction extends the education group’s academic presence to Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Italy, and marks a decisive step in its internationalisation strategy
Plena Education brings together six specialist institutions, around 5,300 students, nearly 90 academic programmes and 14 campuses across six Italian cities
The acquisition strengthens the academic model of Europa Education’s institutions across all fields of knowledge and creates new opportunities for collaboration, mobility and joint academic initiatives
On Thursday, Europa Education took a further step in its international growth strategy with the acquisition of Plena Education, one of Italy’s leading education groups specialising in the creative arts. The transaction strengthens the Group’s broad academic model across all fields of knowledge, marks its entry into Italy and extends its academic presence to a fourth European country, alongside Spain, Portugal and Andorra.
The acquisition reinforces Europa Education’s distinctive academic model with the addition of six leading institutions in the creative arts, with more than 5,300 students, nearly 90 academic programmes and 14 campuses across six Italian cities. This strategic step strengthens the Group’s European dimension and opens up new opportunities for academic collaboration, mobility and international exchange.
With a community in which around 19% of students are international, Plena Education brings a strong presence in Italy and a highly regarded academic offering closely connected to the professional and creative world.
The Italian group comprises six prestigious institutions with long-standing experience across different areas of the creative arts, enabling Europa Education to strengthen its presence in disciplines such as design, art, music, fashion, film, gastronomy and communication. These capabilities broaden and reinforce the Group’s academic model and underpin a European Hub for Design and Creativity connecting Universidad Europea’s Creative Campus, IADE and Plena Education.
“Entering Italy changes the scale of Europa Education and represents a very important step in our internationalisation project. Plena Education brings to our Group institutions with a strong track record, well-known brands, excellent professionals and a very close relationship with the creative industries. We want to preserve all of that value and offer our experience, our investment capacity and our international network to build new opportunities for our students,” said Otilia de la Fuente, CEO of Europa Education Group.
A distinctive academic model with strong creative capabilities
The academic model of Europa Education’s institutions spans all fields of knowledge and is based on experiential learning, innovation, employability and connection with the professional world. Plena Education brings deep specialisation and a close relationship with the creative industries. The European Hub for Design and Creativity is an example of the opportunities created by this wider academic network.
“This transaction will allow us to begin a new phase with greater capacity to grow and to raise the international profile of our institutions. We will do so while preserving what has made our schools strong: their identity, their specialisation, their faculty and their direct relationship with the Italian creative and professional world,” explained Alessandro Montel, CEO of Plena Education.
A gradual integration that respects each institution
Europa Education believes that Plena Education’s greatest value lies in the experience of its teams, the recognition of its brands and its relationships with the creative industries. For this reason, the integration is not intended as a process of standardisation, but as an opportunity to strengthen each institution and connect its capabilities with an international education network. The priority will be to ensure the continuity of academic activity and to preserve the identity of each institution.
Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Italy
Until this transaction, Europa Education had academic institutions in Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Its entry into Italy consolidates an education platform in major Southern European markets and confirms the European focus of its growth strategy. The Group will also continue to develop its international activity in Latin America, particularly through its online offering and its student service centres in countries such as Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
The acquisition of Plena marks the beginning of a new phase in which Europa Education plans to continue exploring opportunities to expand its presence in other European markets, always through high-quality education projects with their own identity and long-term development potential.