Maltese-owned EC English Language Centres has today announced its intention to acquire Embassy English from Study Group, subject to certain conditions.
EC, which has been in operation for over 25 years, is one of the leading schools in the language travel industry and is consistently awarded and acknowledged for its innovation and its use of cutting-edge technology in teaching students the English language.
A successful acquisition would mean that all of Embassy English’s full immersion programmes in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand would come under the EC banner, thereby making EC one of the largest English language schools in the industry with its expansion into Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Auckland.
The acquisition would also see EC take over Embassy’s Young Learners programmes, Embassy Summer and Embassy Academy. This move means that EC will expand its Young Learners’ locations in London, as well as Central and Southern England; gain locations in the US in New York State, Massachusetts, and California; and expand in Canada to offer Toronto.
As a result of the acquisition, EC will have an English language school in the most sought-after English-speaking destinations around the world.
In discussing the intended acquisition, EC’s Executive Chairman Andrew Mangion said:
“EC has always strived to be at the forefront of our industry and that position has allowed us to keep an eye on the various trends and changes taking place. I have been an advocate for consolidation in our industry at both the school and agency level for quite some time, and I believe that our intent to purchase Embassy English is the right strategic move at the right time. We believe that consolidation will strengthen our core business and allow us to further diversify geographically without creating more competition. We are, of course, very excited about our intent to acquire Embassy, as it has always been perceived as a strong and reputable brand, and we look forward to continued growth and success in our industry.”
Study Group CEO, Emma Lancaster, said:
“The proposed transaction is a strong development for the sector. Study Group will continue to focus on its core business which is unaffected by the potential sale, and EC will increase Embassy’s offer with its significant, global language teaching expertise. Through all of this, we remain steadfastly focused on ensuring we continue to deliver the best possible learning experience for our students.
Details of the acquisition are being finalised and the school anticipates closing the deal within the coming weeks.”
EC was recently awarded the 2018 ST Star Chain School Award, an accolade the school received in 2017, 2016 and 2011, and for which it has been nominated nearly every year since 2007.