Plato

completed

Plato is a Turkish private education provider which started operations in 2009 with two vocational education institutes: Plato College for Higher Education in Istanbul, Turkey and Plato University of Management and Design (PUMD) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Plato has grown from 70 students in academic year (AY) 2009-2010 to 1900 students in AY 2012-2013. Plato currently has eleven vocational training centers in Turkey and one university in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Of these eleven in Turkey, six are operational and the remaining will be functional in the coming few months.Plato is implementing its 2012-15 expansion plan which constitutes: (i) expansion of its vocational learning network across Turkey, (ii) introduction of new programs in its existing university in Bishkek and establishment of vocational training centers in Kazakhstan, and (iii) entrance into the Middle East and North Africa region with offering of post secondary vocational education programs. Their physical expansion of facilities will be mainly carried out through existing structures that will be renovated and restored, but may also include construction of new facilities in the future. Turkey InstitutionsIn Turkey, Plato has 3 facilities in Istanbul, and another 8 facilities outside Istanbul in state premises as described below. Among the Istanbul facilities the largest and main campus is known as the Balat Campus, which is composed of 9 buildings of 4500m2 closed spaces and 1000m2 of open spaces that are scattered around in an old historical neighborhood of Istanbul. Most of the buildings are at least 150-200 years old. Each building has been restored and renovated to fit the criteria of the institution according the Law of Renewal in Turkey. Balat in Istanbul’s Fatih district is among the city’s oldest neighborhoods, dating back to well before the Byzantine period. Part of the district is included on the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the historic areas of Istanbul, within the Golden Horn harbor area. UNESCO is regenerating the area to retain the old heritage of these historical sites. Plato in conjunction with the municipality is restoring these buildings for the expansion of the Balat Campus in this area. Most of the employees of the Balat Campus are employed from this area. The second facility is known as Fatih Campus which is composed of 1 building of 1000m2 of closed space in a commercial area that is more modern in Istanbul focusing on IT services and education with a student capacity of 200. The third facility is known as Althunizade Campus which is composed of 1 building of 800m2 of closed space in a residential area in the Asian side of Istanbul. This campus has a student capacity of 250 students but is still not yet operational. Plato has entered into a cost sharing agreement with state-owned vocational institutions to use the state’s premises to deliver Plato’s educational services. This model is currently functioning in 8 cities outside Istanbul including Ankara, Adana, Trabzon, Bursa, Izmir, Antalya, Konya, and Samsun. Of these 8 cities, Izmir, Samsun, Konya and Antalya are near completion whilst the rest are operational.Central AsiaThe Group currently has 1 facility in Central Asia, one in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Plato University of Management and Design (PUMD) which is operational. PUMD is 1 building in Bishkek of 800m2 of closed space and 100m2 of open space. The building capacity can withstand 200 students, and offers vocational based Bachelor of Arts (BA) programs in Bishkek. Plato is in the process of establishing a regional learning center in Chimkent, Kazakhstan that delivers PUMD programs through face-to-face and distance learning modules.