Congita is considering strengthening its presence in Greece, either through new strategic partnerships with other private schools or by expanding the existing school units of the Doukas Schools, following its entry with a majority stake in the share capital of the historical educational organization. This is the third deal in the primary and secondary education sector in the country in just a few months, following the acquisition of the Moraitis School and subsequently the Kostea-Gitona Schools by Inspired Group. THE

HISTORY OF THE Dea 

Konstantinos Doukas, the CEO and third generation of Douka Schools, revealed during a press conference that communication between the two parties had increased over the previous two years in order to reach the framework of the partnership, but he had been researching the market for the previous seven years in search of the best fit for his school. "We worked hard and looked at various options. Some of them were primarily interested in the financial side, the returns and the financial results. We were looking for a co-founder who had education as a top priority so that we could have a shared vision and purpose," Doukas noted.

NOT A FUND, OTHER FOUNDATION 

He added that he found this companion in Cognita and especially in the Jacobs family, which, through Jacobs Holding, has been in control of the company since 2018. "Through its foundation, the Jacobs family has made a major investment in the field of education. So we are talking about a foundation, not a fund, about people who share the same logic and the same purpose," he said. He added that the strategic partnership will give the school's students new opportunities and tools, ensuring that "they get the tools they need to reach the heights they dream of." 

THE TWO MODELS

In the same vein, Germà Rigau, Managing Director Cognita Europe & US, stressed that Cognita, having a global reach, "is always looking for high-quality educational institutions to join our organisation and contribute to further improving the services we provide. Doukas Schools is a historic school that combines innovation with tradition and we are delighted to have them join our educational family." Regarding the growth plan in Greece, he noted that Cognita is considering either acquiring other schools or expanding geographically by creating new units in partnership with Doukas Schools. "We are working on both models," he noted. However, both he and Doukas said that at present, at least, expansion into higher education is not in their plans, although institutionally the window is now open. Both, however, admitted that apart from the improvement of the country's economic situation, the existing institutional framework was an important factor for the agreement to proceed and be implemented.

MR DOUKAS AT THE HELM

Mr. Doukas will remain at the helm of the school, as will the rest of the management team, it was clarified. "It is in our philosophy to trust local leadership because they know the needs of the community best," Mr. Rigau noted. Cognita was founded in 2004 and now has more than 100 schools in 17 countries. The Jacobs Foundation, a charitable organization based in Switzerland that Klaus J. Jacobs founded, oversees its operations and growth. It has a presence in the USA, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. It provides education to more than 95,000 students and has a teaching and support staff of more than 19,000 people.