Globeducate strengthens Cyprus presence by acquiring OLYMPION schools

Globeducate has announced the acquisition of Educational Group OLYMPION School near Nicosia, a group of Greek private schools with nearly 450 pupils aged 6 to 18 across Gymnasium, Lyceum and, from September 2024, Elementary stages.

Globeducate - one of the world's leading K12 education groups with 65+ premium bilingual and international schools, and online programmes, in 11 countries – has now strengthened the group’s presence in Cyprus alongside PASCAL International Education group.

Educational Group OLYMPION, established in 2003, is fully recognised by the Cyprus Ministry of Education and Culture, and focuses on private mainstream education, preparing students for the national official secondary school qualification, the Cypriot Apolytirion. Students consistently achieve top results in national and international academic competitions including Olympiads in Mathematics, Physics and Biology, and the school has received several Education Leader Awards, including a Gold Award for its facilities and Silver Awards for online education and contributions to arts and culture.

The Educational Group OLYMPION has a pupil population of almost entirely Cypriot nationals and is located in Palaiometocho, with most students coming from Nicosia. A comprehensive educational programme nurtures the intellectual, artistic, and physical development of all students and, since its inception, it has grown to become a recognised exam centre for the University of Cambridge, offering students the opportunity to take international examinations in English and other subjects.

The school has a strong reputation for its innovative educational practices and exceptional facilities, including modern classrooms and laboratories for subjects such as robotics and astronomy; art and design studios with 3D printing technology; and extensive sports facilities including fields and courts for football, basketball, volleyball and futsal.

Co-directors George and Maria Kritikos, along with their son and daughter Andreas and Christina, also own Global College, a higher education institute that will not become part of Globeducate. Commenting on the acquisition, the Kritikos family said:

“At OLYMPION we have always prided ourselves on our supportive community and robust guidance services. We stand out in Cyprus for our commitment to fostering a nurturing and stimulating learning environment that prepares our students for success in their academic and personal lives and we are confident that joining Globeducate and developing a close relationship with PASCAL International Education schools on the island, will give us greater opportunities to grow further and to open our students to wider, global opportunities and a large network of peers across the world. We look forward to this next chapter in Olympion’s story.”

Chief Executive Officer of Globeducate Luca Uva said: “We are delighted to welcome The Educational Group OLYMPION to Globeducate, extending our presence in Cyprus. Our conversations with the Kritikos family and team at Olympion quickly highlighted many shared values and goals, and I believe this will be a dynamic and important step in the future growth of both organisations. Schools in Globeducate specialise in a variety of highly respected national curricula for Canada, Cyprus, France, India, Italy, Portugal and Spain, as well as international curricula including the English National Curriculum and International Baccalaureate, and our students achieve high grades and go on to higher education programmes at 25 of the world´s top 50 universities.”

The transaction was led by Globeducate’s lead legal advisors, Pittas + Koullouros LLC led by Panayiotis Koullouros, Operational&Educational: AfayaPartners, Real Estate: CBRE, Finance and Tax: Deloitte, and Commercial: Edacto.

Read more about this school here.

(Main photo: George Kritikos and Paddy Jansen, Chief Operations Officer of Globeducate)