Chinese education group to buy Dublin Business School for US$127.5m

China Chunlai agrees deal with Kaplan for Ireland’s largest independent third-level institution

China Chunlai Education Group has agreed to buy Dublin Business School from Kaplan in a US$127.5m deal.

The Chinese private higher education group filed details of the proposed acquisition with Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing this week.

The acquisition would give China Chunlai a foothold in European higher education, adding a Dublin city-centre institution with students from more than 80 countries and partnerships with more than 100 international colleges and universities.

Junyu Hou, the firms’s executive director, said: “DBS represents an important long-term investment for China Chunlai – a platform for future growth, innovation and international collaboration.

“This acquisition reflects our recognition of DBS’s strong reputation, academic quality, and long history of successfully delivering career-focused education.”

Dublin Business School, owned by Kaplan, is Ireland’s largest independent third-level institution and serves about 9,000 students a year.

The school was established in 1975 and offers undergraduate, postgraduate, evening degree, professional diploma, accountancy and executive education programmes.

China Chunlai operates four higher education colleges in China and had total enrolment of 116,784 students at the end of its latest reporting period on February 28, 2026.

Tim Bicknell, the president of DBS, said: “Kaplan has built DBS into a global institution, known for its high academic standards and supportive student-focused culture.

“We’re excited about this next chapter alongside China Chunlai. Together, we will build on these strong foundations, enhancing academic excellence and creating even greater opportunities for our students, staff and wider academic community through the outstanding experience they have come to expect from DBS.”

The deal remains subject to agreed completion conditions.

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