AURELIUS Equity Opportunities & : subsidiary AKAD receives the eLearning Award and other awards

AURELIUS subsidiary AKAD receives the eLearning Award and other awards

- Chosen for its highly efficient and individual digital studies model

- Several top scores compared to other distance learning providers

- Operational realignment leads to high level of customer satisfaction

Munich/Stuttgart, May 2018 - AKAD Bildungsgesellschaft mbH, the subsidiary of the pan-European investment group AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN DE000A0JK2A8) ("AURELIUS"), has recently received several awards for its AKAD University. First, the eLearning Journal gave it the eLearning Award 2018 in the "Digital Studies Model" category at the world's leading education fair, didacta. The project presentation in the portal of the eLearning Journal states that AKAD University "raised the efficiency and practicability of distance learning for students to a new level" with the advancement of the virtual AKAD Campus. It also stated that "The student can be supported and guided through the entire program of study much more efficiently and in a way that is tailored to his or her personal learning behavior and learning pace than would be possible in some classroom programs."

Top score in DeutschlandTest

In the "Learning for Life" DeutschlandTest published by Focus magazine in its 5/2018 issue, AKAD University was awarded the title of "Top Distance Learning Institution/Distance University." It received an above-average score of 2.97 (2 = very satisfied, 3 = satisfied) in this category. The private, Stuttgart-based distance university also scored above-average customer satisfaction in the category of "Institutions for Vocational Education" (2.92). Therefore, AKAD University is the only German university to be listed as the best provider in two different categories.

DeutschlandTest had commissioned the analysis and consulting firm ServiceValue to study the continuing education market. It assessed 116 providers in eight categories, based on the opinions of 17,436 customers.

Comparison portal also gives good grades

The comparison portal FernstudiumCheck.de also gave AKAD University good grades after being evaluated by 344 users last year. The result: 95 percent recommend it to others, for an average grade of 4.1 (best grade: 5.0). AKAD University is therefore entitled to bear the quality seal of "Top Distance University" as one of the most popular German providers.

Prof. Dr. Ronny Fürst, CEO and Chancellor of AKAD University: "Satisfied customers are also the result of the successful realignment of AKAD University, by which we made the transformation from classroom university to online university. Without the financial support of our shareholder AURELIUS and its courage to harness technological advances to enable people to study even better from any place and at any time in the near and distant future, we would not have received these special awards."

About AKAD University

AKAD University is regarded as an industry disruptor of the digital transformation in the German higher education sector. Specializing in distance studies which working people can pursue anywhere and anytime, it offers programs of study in Business & Management, Technology & Informatics and Communications & Culture leading to bachelor degrees, master degrees and MBAs, as well as numerous continuing education programs. The online studies model facilitates flexible, individual and efficient learning. More than 60,000 people have graduated from its programs since 1959. The company is based in Stuttgart. Exams can be taken in any one of 33 AKAD Exam Centers located across Germany.

To find out more, visit www.akad.de.

ABOUT AURELIUS

AURELIUS Group is a pan-European investment group with offices in Munich, London, Stockholm and Madrid. Since it was founded in 2006, AURELIUS has grown from a local turnaround investor to an international multi-asset manager investing in a wide range of sectors and across the capital structure.

AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN: DE000AOJK2A8, Ticker Symbol: AR4) represents the listed entity within the AURELIUS Group that focusses on investing in special situations and mid-market transaction opportunities. AURELIUS Equity Opportunities currently has 21 portfolio companies located across Europe which employ around 20,000 people and generate annual revenues of more than EUR 3.5 billion. The shares of AURELIUS Equity Opportunities are traded on all German stock exchanges. The company's market capitalization is approximately EUR 1.9 billion (as of April 2018).

With its group charity AURELIUS Refugee Initiative e.V., AURELIUS provides comprehensive support for refugees on their way towards a better life.

To find out more, visit www.aureliusinvest.de

CONTACT

AURELIUS Group
Anke Banaschewski
Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 (89) 544799 - 0
Fax: +49 (89) 544799 - 55
E-mail: investor@aureliusinvest.de