Mumbai, July 31: Imarticus Learning, among India’s professional education companies, announced the acquisition of Singapore-based BELLS Institute of Higher Learning , marking its first international acquisition and a significant milestone in its growth journey. This acquisition establishes Singapore as Imarticus Learning’s hub for Southeast Asia.
The acquisition brings together two institutions with a shared commitment to outcome-driven education and workforce development. Imarticus Learning, which has impacted over 1 million learners, joins forces with BELLS’ network of more than 150,000 alumni, seven training centres across Singapore and its long-standing contribution to Singapore’s skills ecosystem through collaborations with the Singapore government, SkillsFuture Singapore and leading enterprises across the region. The combined organisation comprises more than 1,100 employees and operates from over 25 offices across India and Singapore, positioning it among Asia’s largest outcome-driven professional education companies.
A Strategic Platform for Regional Growth
The acquisition marks a significant step in Imarticus Learning’s journey to build a pan-Asian professional education platform. While Imarticus Learning has established a strong platform in finance and professional education in India, BELLS adds complementary strengths across enterprise learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics, technology and workforce development along with established relationships with the Singapore government, SkillsFuture Singapore and leading enterprises across the region. Singapore’s position as a regional hub for multinational corporations and its progressive SkillsFuture Singapore ecosystem make it an ideal launchpad for Imarticus Learning’s expansion across Southeast Asia. Together, the two organisations are well-positioned to develop industry-aligned programmes, strengthen enterprise learning offerings and deliver outcome-driven education across the region.
“This acquisition marks the beginning of the next phase of growth for Imarticus Learning. Over the past 14 years, we have built a professional education ecosystem in India with a focus on learner outcomes. Partnering with BELLS gives us a presence in Asian workforce development ecosystems and serves as a foundation for expansion across Southeast Asia. Together, we are bringing complementary strengths in curriculum, technology systems and enterprise partnerships to build a career engine that prepares learners in India and Singapore for the evolving needs of employers,” said Nikhil Barshikar, Group CEO of the combined entity.
Commenting on the acquisition, Adrian Ang, CEO of BELLS Institute of Higher Learning, said:
“BELLS focuses on delivering industry-relevant education and workforce development in Singapore. Partnering with Imarticus Learning allows us to combine our understanding of Singapore’s skills ecosystem with Imarticus Learning’s technology platform and industry associations. Together, we aim to deliver greater value to learners, enterprises and the broader workforce across the region.”
The acquisition gives Indian learners access to globally benchmarked education, Singapore exchange opportunities, and ASEAN career pathways, while Singapore learners benefit from Imarticus Learning’s industry-led programmes in finance, data science, analytics and technology.
First Joint Initiative: BELLS School of AI
The first major initiative following the acquisition is the proposed launch of BELLS School of AI – a dedicated applied AI skilling and workforce development institute. BELLS School of AI is designed for working professionals, recent graduates, and enterprise teams seeking to build practical AI capabilities across finance, fintech, and digital operations.
Programmes will span foundational AI literacy, applied machine learning, AI for finance and fintech, and AI-enabled business transformation, developed in collaboration with industry partners and aligned to employer demand across Singapore, India and the broader ASEAN region. For Singapore learners, programmes will be offered under relevant Skills and Workforce Development Agency, SkillsFuture Singapore and Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore frameworks, making them eligible for government subsidies.