Chinese group Acquires Dublin Business School for $127.5 Million

Recently, China Chunlai Education Group Co announced that it has entered into a Share Purchase Agreement with Kaplan International UK Holdings Limited to acquire 100% of the issued share capital of Accountancy & Business College (Ireland) Limited for US$127.5 million. As part of the transaction, the Group will also acquire the relevant intellectual property rights transferred by Kaplan Inc. Upon completion of the transaction, Dublin Business School (DBS), operated by Accountancy & Business College (Ireland) Limited, will become a wholly owned subsidiary of China Chunlai.

DBS is Ireland’s largest independent third-level college. With more than 9,000 students, DBS offers a comprehensive range of full-time and part-time undergraduate, postgraduate, professional and executive education programmes. Established in 1975, the College quickly built an excellent reputation for teaching quality and academic standards, providing flexible and innovative learning opportunities that meet the evolving needs of students and employers.

DBS has a diverse international student body from Ireland, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. As the only English-speaking country in the European Union, Ireland offers a globally recognised education system and has attracted more than 970 multinational companies to establish operations there, creating strong employment prospects for graduates.

China Chunlai Education Group is a private higher education group founded in 2004. The Group currently operates four colleges in Henan Province, two colleges in Hubei Province, and one college in Jiangsu Province. For the fiscal year 2025 (ended 31 August 2025), the Group recorded annual revenue of RMB1.791 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.8% and marking ten consecutive years of revenue growth. Profit attributable to the Group’s owners reached a record high of RMB836 million, up 7.4% year on year. Notably, the Group achieved a net profit margin of 46.7%, placing it among the leading players in China’s private higher education sector.

During the 2024–2025 academic year, China Chunlai had a total student enrolment of 109,952, surpassing the milestone of 100,000 students for the first time. In 2026, the Group continued its growth momentum. According to its interim report for the six months ended 28 February 2026, the Group recorded revenue of RMB956 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.4%, while adjusted net profit rose 7.3% year on year to RMB432 million. Total student enrolment further increased to 116,784, representing a year-on-year growth of 5.3%.

The acquisition of Dublin Business School marks another step in China Chunlai’s expansion into global education. Prior to this transaction, the Group had already entered into Sino-foreign cooperative education agreements with institutions including the Australian Institute of Elite Education and Massey University in New Zealand.

DBS President Tim Bicknell said: “We’re excited about this next chapter alongside China Chunlai. Together, we will build on these strong foundations, enhancing academic excellence and creating even greater opportunities for our students, staff and wider academic community through the outstanding experience they have come to expect from DBS.”