the sector, one company is preparing its launch.

What separates this internet venture from its start-up counterparts is that it has been educating around
800 mostly overseas students in Sydney the traditional way for the past two years.

Public and private investors, under the Group College banner, chose to overlay an internet-based
distance learning model over an existing bricks-and-mortar college which they bought two years ago
with part of the $6 million raised for that specific purpose.

Via the Broadway-based Central College in Sydney, Group Colleges now aims to export a range of
diploma courses to international students via the internet by next year with the first to go live next
month.

"I knew the web and education were natural partners. I had a theory that if we first raised some money,
we could then take over and convert a going business," said Group Colleges director, Mr Alan Manly,
a former computer engineer and business college manager.