Bertelsmann Expands Education Activities with Takeover in the U.S.
- Bertelsmann subsidiary Relias Learning acquires e-learning company Advanced Practice Strategies
- Kay Krafft, CEO of Bertelsmann Education Group: “The acquisition of APS is a significant step in the expansion of our e-learning activities.”
Bertelsmann strengthens its education business with an acquisition in the U.S.: Relias Learning, a subsidiary of the international media, services and education company, today announced its full takeover of the in Boston, Massachusetts based e-learning provider Advanced Practice Strategies (APS).
Kay Krafft, CEO of Bertelsmann Education Group, says: “The acquisition of APS is a significant step in the expansion of our e-learning activities . The purchase significantly expands our range of services in the field of acute care and also further strengthens our range of services. We will continue to develop Relias – a core investment of our Group – organically and through acquisitions.”
APS was founded in 1992 and has approximately 60 employees. The company offers its customers – who include more than 500 hospitals in the U.S. – data-driven online courses to improve their employees’ performance. Targeted tests can be used to survey employees’ knowledge in various medical fields, and possible knowledge gaps closed through targeted training. The goal is to ensure a consistently high quality standard in the medical facilities. APS also offers a variety of recruitment tests that help institutions find qualified employees.
Jim Triandiflou, CEO of Relias Learning , added: “With the acquisition of APS, we will now be able to provide hospital clients a full-spectrum solution that will help them choose the right employees for their organization and make sure staff are placed in the correct department. Additionally, these assessments will assist with onboarding and provide career long adaptive learning based on the results. All of this has been proven to decrease turnover, and improve financial health.”
The APS acquisition is a further strategic step into the acute-care market for Relias Learning. The Bertelsmann subsidiary had first entered this business segment in summer 2016 with the takeover of Swank Healthcare and AHC Media. Since acquiring the two companies, Relias has addressed its e-learning services directly to hospitals and physicians in private practice as well.
The acquisition of Relias Learning in November 2014 was Bertelsmann’s largest acquisition in the U.S. since the Random House takeover in 1998.
Bertelsmann concentrates its education activities on online education, with a focus on healthcare and technology, and on education services. In the medium term, the Education division is to become Bertelsmann's third mainstay of business alongside media and services, with revenues of around one billion euros.
About Bertelsmann
Bertelsmann is a media, services and education company that operates in about 50 countries around the world. It includes the broadcaster RTL Group, the trade book publisher Penguin Random House, the magazine publisher Gruner + Jahr, the music company BMG, the service provider Arvato, the Bertelsmann Printing Group, the Bertelsmann Education Group and Bertelsmann Investments, an international network of funds. The company has 116,000 employees and generated revenues of €17.0 billion in the 2016 financial year. Bertelsmann stands for creativity and entrepreneurship. This combination promotes first-class media content and innovative service solutions that inspire customers around the world.
About Bertelsmann Education Group
The Bertelsmann Education Group encompasses Bertelsmann’s education businesses. The group is shaping professional learning in the twenty-first century with digital education and service offerings focused on the healthcare and technology sectors, and it draws on Bertelsmann’s resources and global network. The Bertelsmann Education Group is wholly owned by Bertelsmann
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