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| [January 21, 2013] |
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CIBT Launches New Division Global Education Alliance
VANCOUVER, British Columbia --(Business Wire)--
CIBT Education Group Inc. (NYSE MKT: MBA and TSX: MBA) ("CIBT
Group" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has launched a
new division called Global Education Alliance ("GEA") and its website www.myGEA.ca.
GEA is a student referral service for a list of carefully selected
schools in Canada and the U.S. GEA will leverage CIBT Group's extensive
international agent network and existing academic partnerships in
various countries to increase international enrollments at its North
American partner schools, which include high ranking primary and
secondary schools, and public and private universities in Canada and the
United States.
According to a report by NAFSA (an Association of International
Educators), international students contributed $21.8 billion to the U.S
economy in the 2011 academic year. Another research report, commissioned
by the Ministry of Economic Development Canada, indicated that
international students contributed over C$8.04 billion to the Canadian
economy in 2010, and created 81,000 jobs.
Desire to recruit international students is growing rapidly among North
American schools and universities due to the tightening of student loans
and reduced education budgets. These factors have resulted in a steady
decline in revenues and enrollment levels across the education sector.
To overcome their reliance on student loans and other forms of
government funding, North American schools are increasing their efforts
to attract international students to study at their schools, as
international students do not have access to the student loan system and
government funding is typically not provided. Although increasing
international enrollments is a common goal among North American schools,
most are unable to pursue the opportunity due to the lack of
international recruitment experience, inability to access infrastructure
abroad, and the extensive capital and human resource requirements. We
believe that GEA has the ability, experience and infrastructure to
assist North American schools with overcoming these issues.
"Currently, over $25 million of CIBT Group's education revenue is
generated from our global network of referrals. Over 4,000 agents from
42 countries are sending students to CIBT Group's subsidiary schools
annually" commented Toby Chu, Vice Chairman, President, and CEO of CIBT
Education Group Inc. "Over the past year, the Company has assembled a
team of experienced personnel with extensive international recruitment
experience for its GEA division. Utilizing this experience, we have
identified significant business opportunities among CIBT Group's global
infrastructure by providing a list of comprehensive student services to
international students wishing to further their studies in North merica.
"CIBT Group has over 19 years of experience in international education
and is currently enrolling over 13,000 students per year to study at our
campuses, nearly 9,000 of whom are international students. The GEA
division will be able to assist other schools to expand their
international recruitment network by representing them as their
exclusive global recruitment partner. As their recruitment partner, GEA
will be able to provide full service marketing efforts that
significantly expand their international student body as well as an
integrated marketing strategy, including pricing and promotion. This
consolidation of resources will allow CIBT Group and its partner schools
to capitalize on one another's expertise and infrastructure.
"In addition, our KGIC Language Training division will also provide
"K12" and "EPE" preparation programs to students applying for overseas
study at our partner schools. The K12 program is composed of Junior and
Senior preparation programs designed for students from kindergarten
through grade 12, and EPE is designed for post secondary students
planning to enroll in college or university. Such bridging programs will
assist students with meeting the language proficiency requirements of
our partner schools in North America, prior to leaving their home
countries to study overseas. KGIC, one of the Company's subsidiary
schools, has over 17 years of language training experience and has
developed its own course curriculums specifically for this purpose. We
believe that the combined services offered by GEA and KGIC will assist
international students by reducing many of the language and cultural
transition issues faced when studying overseas. These are significant
issues that many North American schools with sizable international
student bodies must also address for their international studies
programs to be successful.
"GEA started in 2011 as a department within CIBT Group. The revenue
earned by this department grew quickly, resulting in additional
resources being added, new staff members hired and a formal division now
being formed. The GEA has identified a number of elite primary and
secondary schools, universities and colleges for whom GEA could be their
international recruitment partner. With CIBT Group's capital, human
resources, infrastructure and expertise in international recruitment,
the GEA is in a strategic position to capitalize on these partnership
opportunities. In 2013, the GEA is expected to engage a number of
partner schools in North America ranging from primary schools to
universities with plans to add additional elite schools in the European
region. Further information will be announced as agreements are signed."
About CIBT Education Group: CIBT Education Group Inc.
is an education management company focused on the global education
market. Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE MKT LLC, CIBT
Group owns and operates a network of business, technical and language
colleges and offers cooperative joint programmes in 18 countries. Its
subsidiaries include Sprott-Shaw College (established in 1903),
Sprott-Shaw Degree College, CIBT School of Business China, and King
George International College. Through these subsidiaries, CIBT Group
offers Western and Chinese accredited business and management degrees,
and programmes in college preparation, healthcare, hotel management and
tourism, English language training, English teacher certification,
junior and high school preparation program for overseas study, and other
career/vocational training. CIBT Group also owns Irix Design Group, a
leading design and advertising company based in Vancouver, Canada, and
Global Career Center ("GCC"). GCC is a job placement call center located
in the Philippines dedicated to providing employment services to CIBT
Group graduates for free throughout their careers. Visit us online at www.cibt.net.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Some statements in this news
release contain forward-looking information (the "forward-looking
statements") about CIBT Education Group Inc. and its future plans.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts.
The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to
various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the
company's actual results or achievements to differ materially from those
expressed in or implied by forward-looking statements. With respect to
statements in this news release as to expectations for CIBT Group's
expansion of its GEA division, these risks, uncertainties and other
factors include, without limitation, uncertainty as to the company's
ability to achieve the goals and satisfy the assumptions of management;
and general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the
control of the company. Forward-looking statements are based on the
beliefs, opinions and expectations of the company's management at the
time they are made, and CIBT Group does not assume any obligation to
update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or
expectations, or other circumstances, should change.
Neither the NYSE MKT-LLC nor the Toronto Stock Exchange accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To
view this press release a webpage please click on the following link: http://www.usetdas.com/pr/cibteducationjan212013.htm

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