Our history
AcadeMedia was founded in 1996, however, the oldest AcadeMedia business is much older than that. In 1898 Hans Svensson Hermod started the "Malmö Language and Trade Institute" which would later develop into what is today known as Hermods.
70 years later, another business that is now part of AcadeMedia began. In 1968 Romanian immigrant Mikael Elias started NTI. Mikael Elias came to Sweden in 1955 and with him brough his fascination with pedagogy, an interest that came to characterise his entire life. His fundamental theory was that all individuals can learn - as long as they have the appropriate attitude and conditions. One of his mottos was "You can become whatever you want, as long as you want it". This motto continues to live on within AcadeMedia.
Since 1898, AcadeMedia has had the time to write history. The preschool group Pysslingen was founded in 1984 and, despite a ban on grants for independent day care centres being introduced the same year (the so-called Lex Pysslingen), the group became the first in Sweden to run independent preschools.
Political reforms have since then changed the market. When the independent school reform was introduced in 1992, a large number of entrepreneurs started their own schools. Many of the education companies that are today part of AcadeMedia, such as the founded in 1993 Vittra and the founded in 1998 IT-Gymnasiet resulted from this deregulation.
Timeline
- 1898
Hermods
Hermods is founded under the name Malmö Language and Business Institute.
- 1968
NTI
NTI is established. NTI’s focus was technology which was taught via correspondence.
- 1986
Pysslingen
Pysslingen is established, the first independent preschools in Sweden.
- 1992
The free school reform
The free school reform is introduced and many entrepreneurs start their own schools.
- 1993
Vittra
The primary school company Vittra opens up its first school.
- 1996
AcadeMedia
AcadeMedia is founded.
- 2004
Eductus
AcadeMedia focuses on adult education and acquires Eductus.
- 2007
Independent school company
New focus is upper secondary school. The first acquisition is NTI. We become an independent school company.
- 2008
Education company
We join forces with Vittra’s owners, and become Sweden’s largest education company with 70 schools.
- 2010
Shares are delisted
EQT becomes the major owner of AcadeMedia and delists the shares from the stock exchange.
- 2011
Acquisitions
AcadeMedia acquires Pysslingen, ProCivitas and Plushögskolan, among others.
- 2013
JB
AcadeMedia takes over a number of units from JB. The schools continue to be run under our auspices.
- 2014
Norway
AcadeMedia makes its first foreign acquisition, Norwegian Espira with around 100 preschools.
- 2016
Germany
The German Joki becomes part of AcadeMedia. We are relisted on the stock exchange with Mellby Gård as the main shareholder.
- 2017
Praktiska Gymnasiet
The business in Germany is growing rapidly. In Sweden, the upper-secondary schools Praktiska and Hagströmska are acquired as well as Movant.
- 2022
The Netherlands
AcadeMedia continues to expand abroad with the acquisition of two preschools in the Netherlands.