8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 16, 2004

                            LAUREATE EDUCATION, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          Maryland                   0-22844                     52-1492296
(State or other jurisdiction       (Commission                  (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)           File Number)              Identification No.)

                  1001 Fleet Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202
               (Address of principal executive offices) (ZIP Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (410) 843-6100

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
    CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
    CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



Section 2 - Financial Information

Item 8.01   Other Events

     On December 16, 2004 Laureate Education, Inc. (the "Company") issued a
press release announcing the acquisition of the remaining interest in
Universidad Europea de Madrid ("UEM"). The Company acquired the remaining 22.3%
of UEM from the minority shareholders in exchange for $29 million Euros ($38.5
million USD) in cash and a parcel of non-adjacent land owned but not used by the
University. A copy of the release is furnished as Exhibit 99.01 to this Current
Report on Form 8-K. The Registrant has posted this Current Report on Form 8-K on
its internet website at www.laureate-inc.com.

Section 9 - Financial Statements and Exhibits

Item 9.01   Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c)  Exhibits

99.01 Press Release issued December 16, 2004.




                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                                LAUREATE EDUCATION, INC.


                                                /s/ Sean R. Creamer
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Name:  Sean R. Creamer
                                                Title: Senior Vice President and
                                                       Chief Financial Officer

Date: December 16, 2004



Exhibit Index

Exhibit       Description
- -------       -----------

99.01         Press Release issued December 16, 2004.

EX-99.01

                                                                   Exhibit 99.01

Laureate Education Acquires Remaining Interest in Universidad Europea De
Madrid


   BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 16, 2004--Laureate Education,
Inc. (NASDAQ:LAUR), today announced the acquisition of the remaining
interest in Universidad Europea de Madrid ("UEM"). Laureate Education
acquired the remaining 22.3% of UEM from the minority shareholders in
exchange for $29 million Euros ($38.5 million USD) and a parcel of
non-adjacent land owned but not used by the University.
   Universidad Europea de Madrid became Laureate Education's first
campus-based university in April 1999, when the Company acquired its
initial controlling interest in the University. Since becoming a
member of Laureate International Universities, UEM has expanded its
program offerings, increased student enrollment by over 26%, and
served as a destination university for nearly 1,000 study abroad
students from Laureate's international network of universities.
   UEM's accomplishments also include becoming the first completely
wireless campus in Europe and the creation of new graduate programs
for working adults through a new downtown campus in Madrid. Recently,
UEM launched a combined study program with Laureate's Universidad del
Valle de Mexico that allows students from Mexico to obtain a degree
recognized by both the Spanish and Mexican governments. Such
innovations provide a powerful competitive advantage to Laureate's
universities throughout Latin America.
   This transaction, coupled with the previously announced
acquisitions in Peru and France, is expected to replace all of the
interest income previously contemplated in the Company's 2005 guidance
related to the $55 million note receivable from Education, Inc. that
was repaid earlier this year.
   Laureate Education reiterates both its 2004 guidance of $1.31 to
$1.33 ($1.24 to $1.26 excluding the one time net gain from the
repayment of the aforementioned note receivable) and its 2005 guidance
of $1.60 to $1.65 per diluted share.
   Signal Hill Capital (www.signalhillcapital.com), a boutique
investment bank providing clients with objective strategic advisory
services, acted as financial advisor to Laureate Education, Inc on
this transaction.

   About Universidad Europea de Madrid

   Located in Villaviciosa in Odon, a part of Madrid, Universidad
Europea de Madrid first opened its doors to students in 1995, and
today ranks as one of the largest private universities in Spain. This
well known university offers nationally recognized undergraduate and
graduate programs in a wide array of fields, including architecture,
business, communications, engineering, health sciences, information
technology and sports science. UEM, the recipient of the Madrid
Excelente award in recognition of quality facilities and services,
enrolls over 7,600 traditional and working-adult students through
three locations in Madrid. UEM was accredited by an act of Spanish
National Parliament, law 24/95, on July 17, 1995.

   About Laureate Education, Inc.

   Laureate Education Inc. (NASDAQ:LAUR) is focused exclusively on
providing a superior university experience to nearly 155,000 students
through the leading global network of accredited campus-based and
online universities. Addressing the rapidly growing global demand for
higher education, Laureate offers a broad range of career-oriented
undergraduate and graduate programs through campus-based universities
located in Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Through online
universities, Laureate offers the growing population of
non-traditional, working-adult students the convenience and
flexibility of distance learning to pursue undergraduate, master's and
doctorate degree programs in major career fields including
engineering, education, business, and healthcare.

   Forward Looking Statements

   This release includes information that could constitute
forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision
of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such
forward-looking statements may involve risk and uncertainties.
Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, the
Company's actual results could differ materially from those described
in the forward-looking statements.

   The following factors might cause such a difference:

   --  The Company's operations can be materially affected by
        competition in its target markets and by overall market
        conditions, among other factors.

   --  The Company's foreign operations, in particular, are subject
        to political, economic, legal, regulatory and currency-related
        risks.

   Additional information regarding these risk factors and
uncertainties is detailed from time to time in the Company's filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not
limited to, our most recent Forms 10-K and 10-Q, available for viewing
on our website. (To access this information on our website, please
click on "Investor Relations," "SEC Filings")


     CONTACT: Laureate Education, Inc.
              Sean Creamer, 410-843-8991
               or
              Chris Symanoskie, 410-843-6394