Europe’s largest LMS provider reflects on its milestones and looks ahead to 2019
Bergen, Norway: itslearning AS, the world’s largest commercial provider of Learning Management Systems exclusively focused on the education sector, is marking its 20th anniversary this April. It is a major milestone for the company, with its software being used by 7 million people around the world.
In 1998, a group of students at Bergen University College in Norway asked themselves a simple question: Why were digital tools rarely being used to teach at their school? They decided to change that and built a learning management system. A single site where teachers could share educational resources and files, and students could complete and hand-in assignments. It was a hit.
Here are some of our most memorable moments from the last 20 years.
1999
it:solutions is founded in Bergen.
2002 – 2008
Spectacular growth – itslearning quickly becomes the top Learning Management System in Norway by 2008. Despite stiffer competition today, itslearning leads as the preferred choice in Norway.
The key to the success of itslearning then, as is now, is its ease of use and focus on standardization.
2003
itslearning begins expanding outside Norway and signs up its first international client – Karlstads University in Sweden.
2005
Changes name to It’s Learning.
2009
Opens an office in Massachusetts to provide more effective service to education institutions in the US, a new and important market for itslearning.
Sets up an office in the UK and acquires Netmedia Ltd.
2010
Acquires Infostance in France.
2011
Acquires Dactique in the Netherlands, which remains the second biggest market for itslearning.
2012
The apostrophe goes as the firm becomes itslearning.
2013
Continues expansion by buying Danish LMS provider Skolesoft, makers of the Skoleintra platform.
2014
Houston Independent School district with 211,000 students, four times bigger than any previous customer, joins the itslearning family.
2015
Buys Fronter from Pearson. The acquisition makes itslearning the largest provider of Learning Management Systems in Europe.
2017
Signs up its biggest customer yet, the entire Pays-de-la-Loire region in France with 338,000 students.
2018
Announces GDPR compliance. itslearning is one of the first LMS providers to do so, establishing its credentials as being serious about personal data protection.
2018 – August
Signs a strategic partnership agreement with Google. Teachers love our G-Suite Integration which has made their jobs faster, easier and more effective.
2018 – October
Seals MOU to establish a joint venture with Traceboard Technology creating a favorable path for itslearning to enter China, the world’s largest education market.
2019
SPARK Schools in South Africa deploys itslearning across its network of private and independent schools. Their decision was prompted by the itslearning and Google partnership.
Education is very local. The itslearning platform reflects this in every sense – it’s market specific, multi-lingual, with local content aligned to local standards.
We are as committed now as we were at the very beginning of our journey.
We hire the best talent and work very closely with educators to build an ecosystem that encourages, improves, and elevates learning. We want to spark joy both for teachers and learners.
We’re not just another software company.
Our aim is to be the world’s education partner.
About itslearning
We improve education through technology that helps students realize their potential. Our learning-centric system connects and improves teaching and learning processes. This creates engaged learners, delighted teachers, and improved outcomes. We serve over 7 million teachers and students worldwide. Based in Boston, MA and Bergen, Norway, we live at the heart of education.
