• Signing of a new outline contract for the integration
of e-learning training modules

• Enhancement of the initial outline agreement

Paris, 18th January 2010,

Demos, one of the leaders of continuing education in Europe, has announced its success in 2 further invitations to tender from the European Commission, thereby heightening its position as a key partner of this international institution. These agreements add to their success of the previous tender at the beginning of 2008 and are in perfect keeping with the group’s development strategy. Owing to its wide and innovative offer and its notorious know-how in the field of e-learning, Demos is able to offer large-scale systems adapted to the needs of an organisation such as the European Commission.

• Signing of a new outline contract for the integration of e-learning training modules

The outline contract obtained by Demos for a period of 2 years with an initial budget of 500 000 euros will enable 25 000 collaborators of the European Commission to access the Demos standard e-learning COTS module offer. The 80 modules (management, personal development, communication, …), amid the 1400 developed by the Demos e-learning Agency, will be available to all the European civil servants via an entirely customised platform for the European Commission, integrating the "training card” system, inherent in the European Commission, for the follow-up of its staff’s continuous education programs.

Different elements have contributed to the positioning of Demos as a privileged partner in the field of e-learning, namely:
- The most complete offer on the e-learning market, owing to the integration of the entire value chain enabling full control of the content, design and associated engineering
- The possibility to combine standard offers with customised modules
- A proprietary technological platform and dedicated in-house teams, enabling great adaptability and flexibility of the entire system
- User-friendly solution implementation and tool use
- Possible complementarity of the units, combining on-site training with distance training tools

Means of coaching and advice will be offered to ensure optimum quality of the services.

This contract also anticipates the possibility of developing customised contents and modules for any specific demands that the European Commission may have.

• Implementation of a training system for the Directorate-General for Communication

Within the framework of its partnership with the European Commission, Demos obtained another invitation to tender with a budget of approximately 2 million euros over a 4-years period for the training of the representatives of the Europe Direct network - 700 representative offices throughout Europe – managed by the Directorate-General for Communication. The system, which will be set-up for a period of 4 years, is focused on the training of representatives entrusted with the task of providing European citizens with information by organizing training events in Brussels and on other European sites. Demos will provide operational management of events (on-site training), of which 6 are scheduled for 2010, and will further implement an e-learning system providing access to a package of 20 modules directly associated with communication vocations.

• Pursuance of the initial outline contract focused on 3 thematic training packages :

The group calls to mind that at the beginning of 2008, it won a tender for a maximum amount of 28 million euros for the development, production and organisation of catalogue and customised training for the members of the European Commission over a 4-year period. In accordance with the services provided in 2009, the Group will pursue the implementation of training programs in 2010.
The Demos group intervenes in 3 main areas:
- Relational skills: Training aimed at improving interpersonal relationships,
- Financial management: Training for financial management and internal control procedures,
- Training for technical teams: Supporting technical teams in their fields of activity and developing public services skills.

Jean Wemaëre, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Demos, comments: “The European Commission invests huge amounts in training; the strengthening of our collaboration with this institution confirms the validity of Demos’ strategic choices and its potential to develop further. The different agreements announced today bear witness to its strong will and its capacity as a group to offer a set of services and complementary packages adapted to large-scale programs. The flexibility of our business model, our organizational skills and our expertise enable us to offer increasingly innovative contents and supports. In this context, the industrialization of our e-learning offer is a strategic cross-workstream resource for our group, namely to meet the needs of account-trade clients and international institutions such as the European Commission.”

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Next financial communication meeting :
Thursday, 8th April 2010: presentation of annual results of the fiscal year 2009
 

About the Demos group

A key player in operational knowledge economy
The Demos group is a global player in professional training world. Focusing on its main trade, continuous professional training of all types (on-site and distance training), Demos has developed innovative and complementary means of training, including e-learning. Other activities related to knowledge economy also enhance this group’s offer, particularly skills management consulting and the dissemination of educational content.

A successful activity model that can be replicated on an international scale
Established in 16 countries and in the main towns across France, Demos has managed to combine strong organic growth with an efficient external development policy that now enables it to support its international clients and to develop its local clientele. On a growing market, the diversity of its offer, its high quality requirements, its incessant endeavour to innovate and its flexible and efficient business model have made this group one of the reference companies in the field of professional training.

Steady and profitable development
In 2008, the group’s turnover was 97.4 million euros, an increase of 24.5% in comparison to 2007, for an operating result of 8.7 million euros and a net group income of 4.0 million euros.

Contacts :
Demos                                                   Kaélia
Emmanuel Courtois                               Cécile Sornay
Deputy General Manager                     Financial Communication Advisor
ecourtois@demos.fr                            +33(4) 72 00 46 54 or cecile.sornay@kaelia.fr