The Apollo Education Group has acquired a South African University , another sign the Phoenix-based business is looking outside the U.S. for growth.

The deal to buy an 81 percent stake in Milpark Education (Pty) Ltd. will cost Apollo $25.6 million, the company announced Tuesday. It follows the December purchase of an Australian online education company for at least $99 million. In both cases, the purchases were made by Apollo Global Inc., a subsidiary of Apollo.

The international buying binge has happened even as the parent company of the University of Phoenix has continued cutting its U.S. work force amid dwindling enrollment, growing competition and a regulatory climate in Washington seen as threatening to the for-profit education industry.
Curt Uehlein, president of Apollo Global, said international expansion remains a top five priority for the company

“Additional assets, either through partnerships or acquisition, is a very, very important part of our strategy going forward,” he said.

Apollo Global brought in about $276 million of Apollo Education’s $3.7 billion in revenues last year, according to the company’s latest annual report.

Milpark Education began in 1997 and claims to be one of the first private providers of management education in South Africa. The company has tailored its offerings to adult learners, suggesting its business model is similar to Apollo’s.

It offers classroom and online courses in business, commerce, investment, banking, financial planning, insurance, and government and public management.