Maple Bear: Global Leadership within Grupo SEB
Maple Bear stands as a proud member of Grupo SEB, the world’s largest education group – ranked among the global TOP 10 networks, ahead of notable names. This partnership positions Maple Bear at the forefront of bilingual, future-ready education, combining academic excellence with an entrepreneurial approach to growth across emerging markets.
Consolidation and Scale
The rise of school groups is reshaping the sector.
- 40% of all international schools now belong to a group – a share growing rapidly through both acquisitions and greenfield expansions.
- Over half of future schools under development are group-affiliated, signaling the shift toward institutionalization and professionalized operations.
Europe Trends (2020–2025): Steady Growth and Value Creation
Indicator 2020 2025 Growth Schools +8.6%, Students +15.6%
Europe’s international education market remains resilient, characterized by strong value creation, higher fee yield, and rising domestic enrollment.
Central & Eastern Europe (CEE): A Regional Growth Engine
The CEE region – including Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Western Balkans – has become one of Europe’s most dynamic education markets.
Market Performance (2020–2025)
- Student Growth: +15–18%
- Schools: 400–450 (including bilingual institutions)
- Average Tuition: USD 8,000–12,000 (highest in Warsaw, Prague, Budapest)
Shift in Demand: From Expat to Local Families
Once dominated by expatriate enrollments, 60–70% of CEE international school students are now local – driven by rising incomes and aspirations for global university pathways. Demand is strongest in major capitals (Warsaw, Prague, Budapest, Bucharest) and accelerating in secondary hubs such as Kraków, Cluj-Napoca, Ljubljana, and Bratislava.
Curriculum & Academic Offer
CEE schools are increasingly hybridized – integrating international curricula with local content to align with national education frameworks. Bilingual and dual-diploma models are flourishing, particularly attractive to families targeting EU or North American university admissions.
Policy and Regulation
Governments across CEE are actively supporting private and bilingual education as part of national talent and innovation strategies – creating a favorable climate for sustainable growth.
Opportunities for School Networks (as Identified by ISC)
The ISC 2025 findings highlight several levers of competitive advantage – many of which are already core to Maple Bear’s strategy in CEE & Turkey:
✅ Invest in Teacher Development: Enhance retention, quality, and alignment with global pedagogical standards.
✅ Expand Bilingual & Hybrid Models: Meet local expectations while maintaining international pathways.
✅ Leverage Digital Assessment & Technology: Boost academic outcomes and operational efficiency.
✅ Build Leadership Pipelines: Empower and train regional education leaders for long-term scalability.
✅ Pursue Strategic Partnerships & Acquisitions: Consolidation is accelerating – scale and branding now define success.
Outlook: CEE & Turkey as Strategic Growth Markets
As the international school sector matures, Central & Eastern Europe – alongside Turkey – stands out as a region of sustainable, locally driven growth. Maple Bear, backed by Grupo SEB’s global reach and educational expertise, is ideally positioned to lead this next chapter, bringing premium bilingual education to the families shaping the region’s future.
Source: ISCReport2025
