Press Release
Skilled Education Global acquires Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna
Marks the first university in a new global higher education group focused on healthcare education.
2 June 2026
Skilled Education Global (“SEG”), a newly formed private higher education group, today announces the acquisition of Sigmund Freud Private University Vienna (“SFU”), one of Central Europe’s most respected private universities.
This strategic acquisition represents SEG’s first institution and the official launch of its global Group. SFU brings exceptional academic rigour and a pioneering reputation in medicine, psychology, psychotherapy science, dentistry and law, complemented by its multi-campus presence across Europe (Vienna, Berlin, Milan, Paris, Ljubljana).
This move comes at a critical time as the world faces severe and chronic shortages of skilled healthcare professionals. According to the World Health Organization, there is a projected global shortfall of 11 million health workers by 2030. By building the SEG Group with a sharp focus on healthcare and health technology education, SEG aims to help close this gap — training more competent, compassionate, and career-ready professionals who will strengthen healthcare systems and improve health outcomes for communities worldwide.
Students and faculty at SFU will now benefit from the resources of the SEG Group, including tech-enabled learning platforms, expanded career partnerships, shared digital infrastructure, and access to a growing international community of students, educators, and employers. At the same time, SEG is committed to sustaining the culture, academic independence and autonomy that is so valued at SFU.
“We are truly excited and honoured to welcome Sigmund Freud University as the foundation of the SEG Group. While we are a new Group and this is our first university, our leadership team brings a proven track record of building and scaling world-leading education businesses that have already transformed the lives of more than one million students across over 70 countries. Together with Sigmund Freud University, we will create a powerful global platform in healthcare and health technology — delivering personalised, future-ready education that will help close the world’s critical healthcare workforce gap and create lasting impact for generations to come. We look forward with great excitement to welcoming several more exceptional institutions into the SEG Group in the very near future.”
— Kevin Lynch, CEO and Founder of SEG
“I am deeply honoured and genuinely excited that Sigmund Freud University is joining the Skilled Education Global Group. With SEG’s visionary leadership and extraordinary track record, we have found the ideal partner to preserve our unique academic independence and autonomy, culture, and high standards while opening powerful new doors for growth and innovation. Together, we will create even greater opportunities for our students and faculty to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the future of healthcare, mental health, and human wellbeing across Europe and beyond.”
— Professor Dr. Johannes Pollak, Rector of SFU
“Oakley has a strong track record as a credible, empathetic partner for exceptional schools and universities. We firmly believe that investing in quality education provision helps strengthen society and supports economic wellbeing. We anticipate that demand for private universities such as SFU will only increase as European governments look to fill a shortfall in healthcare professionals.”
— Peter Dubens, Oakley Capital co-Founder & Managing Partner
Academic disciplines at SFU Vienna
Medicine | Psychotherapy Science | Psychology | Law | Education Science | Business Psychology
This acquisition aligns with SEG’s mission to build a student-first global education Group that delivers personalised, technology-enhanced, and career-focused education in healthcare and health technology — the two primary focus areas for all future acquisitions.
About Skilled Education Global
Skilled Education Global is a newly established private higher education Group dedicated to building and transforming institutions through AI-powered personalisation, industry-aligned programs, and student-first innovation. Founded by a team with deep experience in creating and scaling leading global education businesses, SEG has a core focus on healthcare and health technology and will pursue future acquisitions primarily in these high-impact areas to address global workforce shortages. The Group expects several more high-quality institutions to join in the near future as it builds its global platform.
About Sigmund Freud Private University
Founded in 2005, SFU is one of Austria’s leading private universities, renowned for its pioneering role in Psychotherapy Science and excellence across psychology, medicine, law, and related disciplines. It operates multiple campuses across Europe.
About Oakley Capital
Founded over 20 years ago, Oakley Capital was established to be the partner of choice for exceptional founders and entrepreneurs. We back private, pan-European businesses across our four core sectors of Education, Consumer, Business Services and Technology. Within Education, we have successfully partnered with a range of institutions from early years education, through to K12 schools and universities. We are committed to supporting quality teaching and academic excellence across our investments. www.oakleycapital.com