Cheltenham-based Ecctis has acquired international student compliance, visa and arrival management platform Enroly.
The Employee-Owned Trust (EOT) is recognised globally for its expertise in international education, training and skills solutions, and completed the purchase last week.聽
London-based Enroly is behind software platform CAS Shield, which automates the onboarding and arrival process for universities, their students and agents.
Today, 42% of UK universities use the platform to onboard international students, with hundreds of thousands of students and agents engaging across the ecosystem annually.聽
鈥淓nroly and Ecctis have a strong strategic and cultural fit, with big ambitions to be a central player in the student global journey,鈥� said Jeff Williams, CEO and co-founder of Enroly.
鈥淲e have a shared ethos of growth through quality solutions that solve real problems for the sector, particularly when domestic and key international markets are experiencing significant policy and financial constraints.聽
“By combining Ecctis鈥� capabilities with Enroly鈥檚 product suite, we will continue to automate and modernise the student experience. Ecctis’ dataset will also be instrumental in accelerating Enroly’s move into the admissions space.鈥�
Ecctis has confirmed that while Enroly will be part of the wider family of companies, it will continue to operate as a separate business.
Catherine Winter, CEO of Ecctis, added: 鈥淲e are delighted to welcome Enroly into the wider Ecctis family. This is a natural fit. Enroly brings proven technology and a strong presence across UK higher education.聽
鈥淭ogether, we鈥檒l accelerate innovation for our customers by combining our global reach, trusted government relationships, and experience working with thousands of universities worldwide.
鈥淟ike Enroly, we take a sector-first, agnostic approach, focused on enabling progress for all institutions, not just a few. This partnership brings together the best of our data, product, and people to support the future.鈥�
BDO advised Ecctis on the deal with a team including partner Paul Russell, Johnnie Buchanan and Ellie Hau. Pinsent Masons provided legal advice to the buyer.聽
Grant Thornton provided sell-side advice for Enroly, with legal advice led by Shoosmiths.