Description of Business

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Description of Business

Description of Business

Laureate Education, Inc. and subsidiaries (hereinafter Laureate, we, us, our, or the Company) provide higher education programs and services to students through an international network of licensed universities and higher education institutions (institutions). Laureate's programs are provided through institutions that are campus-based and internet-based, or through electronically distributed educational programs (online). On October 1, 2015, we redomiciled in Delaware as a public benefit corporation as a demonstration of our long-term commitment to our mission to benefit our students and society.

The Company's shares are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol ‘‘LAUR’’. In its initial public offering (IPO) on February 6, 2017, the Company sold 35,000 shares of its Class A common stock at a price of $14.00 per share, resulting in net proceeds to the Company during the first quarter of 2017, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us, of $456,359.

Discontinued Operations

On August 9, 2018, the Company announced the divestiture of additional subsidiaries located in Europe, Asia and Central America, which are included in the Rest of World (formerly called EMEAA), Andean (formerly called Andean & Iberian), and Central America & U.S. Campuses segments. Previously, the Company had announced the divestiture of certain subsidiaries in the Rest of World and Central America & U.S. Campuses segments. After completing all of the announced divestitures, the Company’s remaining principal markets will be Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru, along with the Online & Partnerships segment and the institutions in Australia and New Zealand. This represents a strategic shift that will have a major effect on the Company's operations and financial results. Accordingly, all of the divestitures that are part of this strategic shift, including the divestitures announced on August 9, 2018 and those announced previously, are now accounted for as discontinued operations for all periods presented, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 205-20, ‘‘Discontinued Operations’’ (ASC 205). See Note 4, Discontinued Operations and Assets Held for Sale, for more information. Unless indicated otherwise, the information in the footnotes to the Consolidated Financial Statements relates to continuing operations.