Now an entirely owned subsidiary of Manifest World, BridgeU joins a rising community of education-focused companies, together with Cialfo.
Each BridgeU and Cialfo, with their robust emphasis on worldwide college students, present platforms that assist customers discover universities, profession paths and join with greater schooling establishments – providing faculty and profession planning help on a world scale.
Chatting with The PIE, BridgeU CEO Patrick Whitfield asserted that BridgeU will stay a standalone model however famous the advantages of being beneath the identical possession as Cialfo – permitting the organisation to take care of alternative whereas collaborating on product innovation, shared know-how, and greatest practices.
Rohan Pasari, co-founder and CEO of Manifest World, mentioned that the acquisition of BridgeU permits the Singapore-headquartered international schooling funding agency to help extra colleges and information much more college students on their journey to greater schooling.
“That is about combining experience and accelerating our mission to open up extra life-changing alternatives for college students by connecting them with universities worldwide,” continued Pasari.
That is about combining experience and accelerating our mission to open up extra life-changing alternatives for college students
Rohan Pasari, Manifest World
Following the launch of BridgeU in 2015, the enterprise was acquired by Kaplan in 2021.
Whitfield described the newest acquisition as a well timed alternative to unite the 2 firms in help of scholars, colleges, and universities and believes that in Manifest, there’s a “nice new residence” for the organisation which he joined in 2023 as chief business officer and promoted the next the yr.
“Faculties can select from two platforms that occupy clear positions throughout the market and enchantment to completely different colleges with completely different wants. It will make the selection simpler for colleges and provides them confidence that whichever platform they select, they’ll be accessing high-quality instruments and providers tailor-made to their wants,” mentioned Whitfield.
“For universities, whereas we’re on the early levels, we see a serious long-term alternative via the mixed scale of the group. Manifest is bringing collectively a rising home of manufacturers to supply universities distinctive alternatives to entry a really various scholar viewers of potential undergraduate college students who’re making ready for worldwide examine.”
Contemplating what elements of enterprise would possibly evolve and what would stay unchanged, Whitfield informed The PIE: “Manifest is an bold investor that has acquired BridgeU with development and scale in thoughts. We’re clearly within the early levels however there are thrilling alternatives for BridgeU inside Manifest because of the alignment of our mission, and likewise the depth of shared experience inside our section.
“BridgeU has an exceptionally dedicated and proficient crew, and our folks have performed a key function in constructing our repute amongst colleges and college companions. Manifest recognises this and sees our expertise, tradition, and relationships as key strengths that may help development.”
Based on Pasari, the sector has been “crying out for devoted undergraduate international options” which incorporates information and perception that may “drive higher, more cost effective recruitment of a various vary of high-quality college students”.
“Price-effective options with clearly outlined ROI have by no means been extra vital to universities – at a time of uncertainty, turbulence and in lots of markets some important headwinds, establishments want that greater than ever,” he mentioned.
Pasari added: “I believe we’ve the chance to fill that area and in doing so assist extra college students on their worldwide schooling journey.”
The announcement follows Manifest World’s current enlargement, which included the addition of Delhi-based Kaaiser Australian Training Specialists to its rising portfolio.
