Transforming international student recruitment
International Education
Espalier’s successful history lies in creating disruptive international higher education businesses by boosting enrolments, enriching the student experience and improving the career outcomes of international students on behalf of our university partners.
INTO University Partnerships
INTO is the world’s leading international education partnering organisation. It is a transformational force for students, universities and local and national economies.
Universities worldwide are transforming through internationalisation, to offset domestic funding challenges and to educate a growing generation of global citizens who want to travel abroad for their higher education.
Pioneering joint venture partnership
Since forming a pioneering joint venture partnership with the University of East Anglia in 2005, INTO has public/private partnerships with 23 universities in the US and UK, recruiting their international students, providing specialist programmes alongside the university’s faculty in purpose-built teaching facilities, and housing them in state-of-the-art residences, some of which are funded and built by Espalier.
Leeds Equity Partners
In 2012, US-based Leeds Equity Partners made a substantial strategic investment to fuel INTO’s growth. Founded in 1993, Leeds Equity Advisors has managed over $3.3 billion of capital across a broad spectrum of companies within the Knowledge industries.
INTO’s social and economic impact
$2.8 billion in annual economic impact
$1 billion in annual INTO system revenue
55 global locations
3,000+ international education recruitment agencies
10,000+ students educated each year
Students from over 100 countries
66% of enrolments coming from Asia
1,800 employees
2% penetration of the addressable market
Huge opportunity for continued growth
Study Group (exited)
Before INTO, Espalier founded Study Group in 1989 to help prepare international students for university degree programmes.
Study Group started as Bellerbys College in Brighton, East Sussex when Andrew Colin acquired the struggling English Language school for £1,000.
Over the next 10 years Study Group grew exponentially in the UK and across the world as it originated outsourced ‘pathway programmes’. International students were taught at an “International Study Centre” in partner university premises before progressing to their degree university programme.
Creating $1bn in value
By 1999 Espalier had successfully sold 100% of the business to the Daily Mail Group. Since then Study Group has changed hands three times creating over $1bn for its owners.