Using partnerships and AI to enhance India presence: Ebrahim Matthews, Senior VP, International Higher Education, Pearson – Digital Transformation News

Global education company Pearson has started using artificial intelligence (AI) to translate some of its international blockbuster titles into Indian languages. “India is Pearson’s largest higher education market after the US and Canada, and we are doubling down on our investment here,” said Ebrahim Matthews, senior VP, International Higher Education, Pearson. Recently in India to forge new partnerships with edtech companies and educational institutions, he told FE’s Vikram Chaudhary that, using the power of AI and partnerships, Pearson is making global books more suited to the Indian market, both in terms of context and content. Excerpts:

Are you using GenAI to translate Pearson’s global books into Indian languages?

We are not simply translating books using AI, but are making these more suitable for Indian readers. For example, ‘Marketing Management’ by Kotler is a gold standard in management studies, and the newest edition we have released includes references from India – such as the case study of Nestle’s Maggi in India, and how they brought back the brand after the noodle fiasco in 2015-16. We have also worked on how Mercedes-Benz India used the Retail of the Future strategy to increase car sales.

But translations are also happening. For example, we are working on translating ‘Conceptual Physics’ – one of the world’s most revered titles – in Indian languages.

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How big is the Indian market for Pearson?

It’s the third-largest market for Pearson after the US and Canada, but the market is priority not only because of its current size, but also because of its potential. We recently introduced the top-90 global titles in India, with our AI study tools. With AI, we can personalise learning at scale. But we are cautious that AI doesn’t spoon feed, but instead provides contextual understanding, which happens via the AI bot.

Another tool we have is leveraging Gen AI to help educators create assessments on the fly, to make their lives easier. We form direct relations with institutions, and via that we reach the faculty to upskill them.

How popular is the Pearson Test of English (PTE) in India?

The PTE is rising in popularity stakes. In India, over 1.8 million English proficiency tests were conducted in 2023 specifically for opportunities to study, immigrate, or work abroad. Almost all universities in Australia, Canada, and over 3,300 universities worldwide including Oxford, Harvard Business School, Yale, Stanford, University of British Columbia, among others, accept PTE Academic scores.

Why did you partner with Veranda Race for bank PO exam prep?

While we are into test preparation market, an area missing out was bank probationary officer (PO) prep series. Now, it’s estimated that over 3 million students in India prepare for the bank PO examinations annually, so that’s a big market. We have created (with Chennai-based Veranda) a hybrid test preparation content for bank PO exam, which includes eight 8 books and digital assessments, and is designed with mock papers that closely simulate the entrance exams for POs and clerks conducted by IBPS and SBI. With this, we have expanded our test preparation portfolio, which already includes NEET, IIT JEE, UGC, and UPSC.