CSI Global Education Inc. (CSI) announced Friday that it has acquired the Institute of Canadian Bankers (ICB), a division of Thomson Canada Ltd. The transaction will close before the end of March.

“This acquisition brings together two of Canada’s foremost educational institutions serving the financial services industry,” said Roberta Wilton, president and CEO, in a news release. “It allows CSI to immediately expand its services to new content areas that have been underdeveloped for CSI, including the mutual fund industry, and better positions us for international growth.”

CSI is one of Canada’s leading providers of interactive educational services to the financial services industry.

The Institute of Canadian Bankers is a leader in the field of innovative and client-focused financial services training and education offering self-paced, distance, online, and classroom learning in addition to its consulting services to professionals in more than 40 countries. It awards four professional designations, delivers one of the most sought after mutual funds licensing courses in Canada, and offers a Bachelor of Commerce degree in partnership with Nipissing University and a Master of Business Administration in Financial Services degree in partnership with Dalhousie University and the University of Québec at Montréal. ICB was founded in 1967 as part of the Canadian Bankers Association and acquired by Thomson Corporation in 2004. It has offices in Montreal and Toronto.

“CSI understands and shares our commitment to delivering quality educational products and services to our students,” said Marie Muldowney, executive director of the ICB. “In turn, ICB customers will benefit from a larger number of integrated educational offerings to choose from and will enjoy a variety of delivery methods and a wider range of educational products and services.”

The specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Operations of both organizations will continue as usual for the time being and all commitments to students currently enrolled in ICB courses will be honoured.