VANCOUVER, April 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - CIBT
Education Group Inc. (NYSE AMEX and TSX symbol: MBA) ("CIBT")
announces that it has signed an expansion agreement with Yunnan
Open University ("Yunnan OU") formerly known as Yunnan Radio
Television University, to increase the scope of the initial
agreement to include the implementation of the Global Learning
Center ("GLC") platform into the joint program. The initial
rollout of the Global Learning Center to Yunnan OU will include
English Teacher Certification ("TESOL") and Hotel and Hospitality
Management training through CIBT's subsidiaries based in
Canada and China.
Since CIBT announced the partnership with Yunnan
OU on January 25, 2010, nearly 1,000
students have enrolled in the joint program. The success of
the first year of this partnership with CIBT has prompted Yunnan OU
to expand the relationship by offering CIBT programs utilizing the
company's newly launched GLC learning platform. CIBT's video
conferencing technology is broadcast from the company's
Vancouver based studio and
includes fully interactive instructional learning delivered by
western teachers in real time.
Yunnan Open University, is a division of The
Open University of China (formally
China Central Radio Television University), which has 3.2 million
students in its educational system. Yunnan OU is located in
Yunnan province and has a current
enrolment of 120,000 students, making it the largest University
within the province of Yunnan.
GDP for the province of Yunnan was over $107B
USD in 2010 with major industry contributors that include
tobacco, biology, mining, and tourism. With a focus on the
development of their major industries, the province has completed
major construction on highways, railways and other transportation
infrastructure. Yunnan has a
population of over 45 million ranking it the 12th most
populated province in China.
About Yunnan Open University
Established in 1979, Yunnan Open University is a
university directly under the Ministry of Education, giving it the
highest level of university accreditation in the Chinese education
system. With its main campus in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, the institution is the
largest university in Yunnan
Province with 66 campuses and 111 teaching locations. With
1,515 staff, 825 faculty members and over 130,000 graduates,
current enrolment at the university is 120,000 students.
Yunnan Open University employs a wide range of
media for its delivery of programs such as radio, television,
language teaching materials, audio-visual materials, computer
courseware and networks to deliver long-distance education programs
to students across China. It was
the first university college to deliver distance training based on
a combination of Satellite TV Network, Computer Network and
Teaching Management Network. The university offers many
programs through their various schools including the School of
Humanities, School of Science and Engineering, School of Economics,
School of Modern Educational Technology, as well as a vocational
training school.
About CIBT Education Group:
CIBT Education Group Inc. is an education
management company focused on the global education market. Listed
on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the NYSE Amex, CIBT Group owns
and operates a network of business, technical and language colleges
and has cooperative joint programmes at over 70 locations in 18
countries. Its subsidiaries include Sprott-Shaw Community College
(established in 1903), Sprott-Shaw Degree
College, CIBT School of Business China, and King George
International College. Through these
subsidiaries, CIBT Group offers Western and Chinese accredited
business and management degrees, and programmes in college
preparation, automotive maintenance, information technology, hotel
management and tourism, English language training, English teacher
certification, and other career/vocational training. In addition to
its wholly-owned subsidiaries, CIBT Group is the exclusive licensee
for the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational
Institute (ALHA-EI) in China and
the Philippines, and the WyoTech
Automotive Institute for China.
CIBT also owns Irix Design Group, a leading design and advertising
company based in Vancouver,
Canada.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
"Toby Chu"
Toby Chu
Vice-Chairman, President & CEO
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:
This news release contains forward-looking
statements about CIBT Education Group Inc. and its future plans.
Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical
facts. The forward-looking statements in this news release
are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that
could cause the company's actual results or achievements to differ
materially from those expressed in or implied by forward-looking
statements. With respect to the statements in this news release
that state the future plans of the GLC platform and the benefits to
partner schools, these risks, uncertainties and other factors
include, without limitation, uncertainty as to the company's
ability to achieve the goals and satisfy the assumptions of
management; uncertainties as to the demand for the programs offered
through the GLC platform; uncertainties as to the acceptance of the
GLC platform in Asia; and general
economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control
of the company. Forward-looking statements are based on the
beliefs, opinions and expectations of the company's management at
the time they are made, and CIBT does not assume any obligation to
update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or
expectations, or other circumstances, should change.
Neither the NYSE Amex nor the Toronto Stock Exchange
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news
release.
SOURCE CIBT Education Group Inc.