The newly formed Axis Education Group comprises The Dublin Academy of Education, Independent College, International House Dublin and Public Affairs Ireland.
Axis Education Group is to invest €7m in a new 28,000 sq ft state-of-the-art campus in Blackrock, which will open its doors in September 2005.
The Axis Education Group is a newly established entity comprising The Dublin Academy of Education, Independent College, International House Dublin, and Public Affairs Ireland.
“Our educational institutions have proven their ability to have transformative impact in their parts of the education sector and we want to do more”
The opening of the new campus will be marked by the addition of a new Transition Year programme and an enhanced student capacity of 500 learners.
Powering effective education
The group employs over 220 people, provides in-person and online educational services to over 20,000 learners, and has a combined turnover of €20m.
This investment marks the first announcement from the newly formed group whose establishment was made possible by a recent divestment of shares in several of the group’s companies by Padraig Hourigan (President of Independent College).
The Axis Education Group is 100% Irish owned, jointly held by education entrepreneur, Chris Lauder (37), who founded the The Dublin Academy of Education, and serial investor, Donagh Barry.
As part of the establishment of the group, Lauder has taken on the role of Group CEO, while Hourigan will remain President of Independent College and also serve as Group Director of Strategy and Partnerships.
The Dublin Academy of Education was founded by Lauder in 2010 as a weekly Maths grind for Leaving Certificate students from a community hall in Cabinteely before expanding to offer grinds in a range of subjects. This expansion culminated in the opening of its full-time day school for fifth year, sixth year and repeat Leaving Certificate students in 2018, from its current base in Stillorgan, Co. Dublin.
Today, it has an enrolment of 360 students at its full-time day school with 220 of these sitting their Leaving Certificate exams in June this year. It also currently provides in-person and on-line grinds to over 10,000 students, as well as past-paper solutions to over 25,000 students through its Crazam app.
Central to the Group’s investment is its belief in expanding beyond traditional education, focusing instead on what it calls ‘effective education’. This is a philosophy shared by all four educational institutions, and one that emphasises not just academic achievement but also confidence, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
By joining forces, they aim to strengthen their shared mission of empowering learners at every stage of their education journey.
“It’s not just about preparing students for exams and getting the best results possible. It’s about preparing students for their lives after the Leaving Certificate and developing in them the confidence, mindset and skills required to succeed at third-level and beyond – whatever profession they decide to go into,” Lauder said.
In addition to the investment in the campus in Blackrock, the group has ambitious plans for growth and development over the next 24-36 months.
“Our educational institutions have proven their ability to have transformative impact in their parts of the education sector and we want to do more”, said Hourigan.
“In addition to our new Blackrock campus and provision of a Transition Year programme at the Academy, we’re also increasing our range of post-graduate programmes at Independent College to include digital business, AI and business analytics, as well as looking to further expand our geographic footprint in Dublin,” he added.
Main image at top: Chris Lauder, group CEO, Axis Education Group; Dawn McCarron, director of Admissions, Dublin Academy of Education; and Padraig Hourigan, group director of Strategy and Partnerships, Axis Education Group
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