UL Broadens Regulatory and Compliance Solutions with EduNeering Acquisition

Northbrook, Ill.-based UL has acquired EduNeering, a provider of compliance and training solutions for the life and health sciences sector, from Kaplan Inc., an educational and career services company. The addition of Princeton, N.J.-based EduNeering will enhance the online training and software offerings of UL’s Knowledge Services business unit with a solution focused on pharmaceuticals, medical devices, clinical research education and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection and enforcement.

EduNeering features governance, risk management and compliance operational software and online training that are relied upon by more than 400 companies across 50 countries, according to a news release. It serves as the online compliance learning partner for the FDA, the Advanced Medical Technology Association, Duke Clinical Research Institute and the Drug Information Association, among others. In addition to life and health sciences solutions, EduNeering’s courseware addresses compliance and regulatory issues in the energy, manufacturing, construction, engineering, health plan and food processing sectors.

Since 1999, EduNeering has maintained a unique partnership with the FDA, under which it develops and maintains the agency’s online training, documentation and validation technology system for ORA-U, the agency’s virtual university. ComplianceWire, EduNeering’s learning management technology, has been used by the FDA to train and certify more than 35,000 federal, state, local and global investigators. More than 150 pharmaceutical, medical device and biologic companies use ComplianceWire to organize, distribute and monitor all training and qualification activities, according to the company.

“Adding EduNeering extends our commitment to product safety and helps people and the companies they work for to be smarter, safer, healthier, more efficient and more effective,” said Patrick Boyle, president of UL Knowledge Services. “We are adding a high-caliber staff, a highly scalable learning management platform and an extraordinary course library that extends our world-class training software and solutions to the health sciences community.”

Knowledge Services, UL’s fast-growing training, advisory and software solutions business unit, will integrate EduNeering’s team of 85 employees, its technology platform and the course library of 700 online training modules, which also cover energy operations, manufacturing, ethics, environmental health and safety, engineering and construction, and food safety. EduNeering is the second acquisition to join Knowledge Services in six months, following the December purchase of Occupational Health and Safety software solutions leader PureSafety.

“We’re thrilled to be joining the world’s most recognized safety organization, and dedicating our people, technology and services to the advancement of UL’s global mission,” said Lisa Clune, president of EduNeering. “UL affords us an extraordinary growth platform of global resources, reputation and social mission that will bear fruit for our team and customers alike.”

Clune will continue to manage EduNeering, which will remain headquartered in Princeton and will continue to help guide the business, which will be branded under UL. She will report to William Grana, vice president of Knowledge Services and head of its software capabilities.