🏆 Credentialing Solutions, MENA EdTech 50 + Summits

Happy Monday 👋

Digital badges and portable credentials are focused across all sectors, validating skills for a rapidly changing workforce and supporting continuous learning across education and industry. Explore 50 of MENAs most promising EdTech startups and join HolonIQ in 🇬🇧 London for EdTech week and 🇫🇷 Paris for the Future of Higher Education Summit, and 🇺🇸 New York City for the Back to School Summit.

This Week's Topics

🏆 Credentialing Solutions. Exploring credentialing solutions
📊 Chart Spotlight. On-the-job training is more valuable to adults and high schoolers
📈 Capital Markets. China education maintains positive momentum
🌐 2024 Global Student Flows: US Outlook. Catch up with our latest webinar and download the report containing insights about student flows in the US
🏆 MENA 50. The most promising EdTech startups in the region
🇬🇧 London EdTech Week. Join HolonIQ at the Awards Gala and Dinner
💬 HolonIQ Summits. Deep dive into HE futures, new models & more at our upcoming summits in Paris and New York
💰 Education Deals of the Week. Funding and M&A

Don't forget to check out the 2024 Global Education Outlook and sign up for our new Daily Newsletters, Chart of the Day, and Impact Capital Markets. For unlimited access to over one million charts, request a demo.

🏆 Credentialing Solutions

The adoption of digital badges and portable credentials has been growing across sectors, with increasing use in postsecondary education (watch HolonIQ's on-demand webinar on Micro-Credentials), corporate training programs, and technology-specific certifications. Governments, too, are actively participating, recognizing the value of digital credentials in validating the ever-evolving skill sets demanded by the workforce. As the trend of continuous learning and upskilling becomes critical for staying relevant in today's dynamic work environment, expect credentialing to gain even more traction across sectors soon.

HolonIQ's 2023 Global Survey on Micro-Credentials identified the continued institutional adoption of micro-credentials, with 88% of university leaders agreeing that micro-credentials would be an important strategy for their institution's future. Such increasing interest is also making change in the credentials market, with transactions such as Instructure's recent $835M acquisition of Parchment, ETS's acquisition of Mastery Transcript Consortium, along with fundraising in the last year by Accredify, Accredible, Certifier and DiplomaSafe. On the program supply side, we are also seeing system-wide strategies such as Texas and National Coalitions build 'infrastructure' for micro and alternate credentials. Expect to see continuing action in this market with progressive changes to policy & funding, as well as market demand from employers, industry, and students. HolonIQ's Credentialing Market map and Topic Feeds provide details and ongoing intelligence on this market segment. Learn More.

📜 Credentialing Solutions - Market Map

📊 Charts Spotlight - On-The-Job Training is More Valuable to Adults and High Schoolers 

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The rising popularity of alternative education pathways, often shorter, more cost-effective, and directly linked to specific jobs, is prompting a re-evaluation of the traditional four-year college degree. High school students and adults are skeptical regarding the return on investment (ROI) of a college degree, particularly with high tuition costs and student loan burdens. On-the-job training offers the appeal of acquiring specific skills and knowledge required for a particular job, while also facilitating continuous learning through internships, apprenticeships, and practical experiences. This growing preference for practical learning aligns with the demand for targeted qualifications tailored to specific job opportunities. This shift reflects a broader trend in the workforce, prioritizing skill-based education and micro-credentials to adapt to a rapidly evolving job market.

📈 Capital Markets - China Education Maintains Positive Momentum

HolonIQ tracks hundreds of listed education companies worldwide, acquisitions, and investment transactions. Our Impact Capital Markets newsletter tracks over 60 impact stock indices, including climate tech, emerging economies, and over 50 indices tracking healthcare innovation and education technology. Subscribe to Impact Capital Markets for data-driven insights on capital powering impact.

China’s education stock index almost doubled in value, indicating a strong performance and growth in the education sector stocks within the period observed above. The consistency of growth in the HolonIQ China Education Stock Index from July 2023 to April 2024 can be attributed to several key factors, such as heavily influential regulatory changes and technological advancements within the sector, particularly in e-learning, driving investor confidence. Additionally, robust corporate earnings reports from major companies in the index, such as New Oriental Education & Technology Group, TAL Education Group, and Offcn Education Technology Co, likely contributed to the overall growth and observed volatility, particularly towards early 2024.

🏫 2024 Global Student Flows: US Outlook

Expect the United States to attract nearly 1.5M international students by 2030, retaining a strong hold on its position as the top study destination globally. With a co-ordinated national strategy, the U.S. has upside potential for an additional 300K students. However, capacity constraints and the potential for a change in visa policy, cast a shadow over what should represent nearly $100B in direct economic benefit for the United States at the turn of the decade.

Catch up with HolonIQ's recent webinar, as HolonIQ unpacks its latest research and data on international student flows to the US, including recent performance, US State-level deep dive, competition, source market outlook, 2030 projections & scenarios, and disruptive factors. The full 2024 Global Student Flows: US Outlook report is here.

🏆 Middle East and North Africa 50

Each year, HolonIQ identifies the 1000 most promising EdTech startups globally. Region by region, we build a picture of each market and how technology is used in education, from PreK to Lifelong Upskilling. This week, revisit the 50 most promising EdTech startups in the Middle East and North Africa.

A particular member stood out with their latest announcement in the EdTech space. Augmental (a UAE-based, end-to-end AI-powered learning management system) announced that they are to be acquired by CME (a US-based technology solutions provider) for an undisclosed value. Increasingly, more technology firms are showing their interest in entering the education industry, and this announced acquisition is a part of this change. CME is a technology company that provides solutions to multiple industries and this acquisition would allow it to expand its operations to the education industry in the Middle East.

🎓 London EdTech Week, 17-21 June

HolonIQ will be in town for 🇬🇧 London EdTech Week! 🇬🇧 Join us at the Gala Dinner on 18th June where EdTech startups from all over the world will be recognized as the companies that are making a substantial impact to the digitisation of education, training and work. Use the code HOLONIQ30 for a 30% Discount. Register.

🍎 Back to School Summit 10-11 Sept NYC

Registration for our flagship Back to School Summit in New York on September 10–11 is now open. This year, we're bringing over 500 global education leaders together for three incredible tracks: Higher Education and Workforce, Foundation and Philanthropy, and Technology and Finance.

🇫🇷 Higher Education Summit - Paris 27 June

On June 27, Paris will transform into a hub of educational innovation as we will gather for HolonIQ's Future of Higher Education and Workforce Summit. Join over 100 thought leaders as we delve into new credentials, hybrid learning models, technology infrastructure of tomorrow's university, engaging faculty in digital learning, higher education's role in the new skills economy, and much more! Join us at the NEOMA Business School campus and connect with experts from INSEAD, Forward College UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning, University College Dublin, Skilled Education Audencia, University of Twente, IESE Business School, Instructure Digital Learning Institute, CY Cergy Paris Université, ETS, UCL, IE University, Unthinkable Digital and more. Join us!

Places are limited to 100. See Agenda & Speakers, Register now.

📖 2024 Global Education Outlook

HolonIQ's annual analysis of the global education economy offers over 180 pages of in-depth insights on market data, investments, strategic shifts, and trends in education. Download the extract or purchase the full report.

💰 Education Deals of the Week

HolonIQ actively monitors and tracks capital flow in the Education market, spanning across all regions and transaction categories. Subscribe to our Daily Capital Markets newsletter to see the top deals daily.

Funding

🏫 Odyssey, a platform connecting families with school choice programs, has secured $10M in a Series A funding round to expand educational opportunities nationwide.

🌍 Shorelight, a US-based OPM that specializes in international student recruitment, opened a $30M revolving facility with CIBC Innovation Banking, to finance its expansion operations.

🤖 Zhejiang Jingzhunxue, a Chinese EdTech start-up, obtained $27.6M in venture funding from Alibaba to support the development of Bong, an AI-based education platform.

🧑‍🏫 Aanaab, a Saudi EdTech that provides teacher support services, received an undisclosed investment from Rethink Education.

M&A

📚 Next Capital, an Australian-based private equity firm, acquired a majority stake in the Australian education and training group Scentia.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead! Have some feedback or want to sponsor this newsletter? Let us know at hello@holoniq.com