Atlantic Education International

Client: Consulting Services for Offshore School Expansion into France

Location: Paris

Target Sectors: Private education

Delivery: France

About the project

Atlantic Education International (AEI) is the sole entity authorized by the Government of New Brunswick, Canada, to provide the New Brunswick education program, which offers a North American English or bilingual curriculum to students enrolled in offshore schools. Marketing and selling the New Brunswick (NB) education program around the world is the core business of AEI. AEI has already partnered with international Schools in China, India, Bangladesh, Brazil, Québec, and Turkey.

AIE is seeking to develop new partnerships with French private high schools. France is a European country where many (English speaking) expats are living and would choose an English (or bilingual) education and qualification for their children. From a cultural perspective, Canada and France are two French-speaking nations, and they both share their presence in la Francophonie, which presents France with more credibility as a potential country partner. Ideally, AEI is looking to partner with one French private High School by September 2023 to offer the New Brunswick education program and diploma.

 

How OCO Global supported 

OCO approached the project in 2 phases over 8 months. We initially developed a Market Analysis with interviews conducted to provide AEI with a clear understanding of the French education ecosystem and to validate the opportunities in France for AEI’s business development activity. We focused on the benchmarking (competitors’ analysis), the positioning of AEI and we concluded with clear recommendations that led us to Phase 2. In order to determine the best French potential partners for AEI, OCO identified and qualified a list of 22 International private Schools in France based on several criteria previously agreed with AEI. OCO completed a detailed profiling of each International Private School before conducting the in-market outreach campaign. OCO contacted each School, with C-level key contact identification, and set up virtual introductory meetings with potential French International Schools.

 

Outcomes

OCO has provided AEI a complete Report that validated the opportunity in the French market for AEI’s expansion. In practice, OCO confirmed and hosted 2 virtual meetings for AEI with 2 different French International Private Schools who expressed interest in the AEI initiative in France. In addition, AEI has progressed discussions with one of them. The client also had the opportunity to travel to France in August and set up an in-person meeting with one of the Schools based near Paris. The client is confident in continuing the negotiations and has already set up further meetings with all the C-management team of this School since September 2022 to pursue the evaluation of this business opportunity.

 

“Atlantic Education International (AEI) worked with the experts at OCO Global to investigate opportunities to expand our offshore schools program into France.  They conducted a market research project, followed by a targeted outreach initiative.  OCO Global delivered on all expectations identified in our contract, and did so in a very professional manner, with great communication every step of the way.  I am very pleased with their work and would recommend this excellent team.”

John McLaughlin, President / CEO, Atlantic Education International