Al-Bassam Group

What Al-Bassam Group does

Al-Bassam Group is a privately held, family-owned Saudi Arabian conglomerate founded in 1985 by Dr. Yusuf Hamad Al-Bassam and headquartered in Dammam, Eastern Province. It operates five wholly owned subsidiaries spanning education, technology, construction, real estate, and printing/publishing. The core business is the Albassam Institutes (established 1985), which delivers diploma programs (1-2.5 years, priced 2,990-5,290 SAR) and short professional development courses (345-1,150 SAR) in English language, computer science, HR management, and business administration, accredited by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and the Saudi Ministry of Education. The institutes operate as an authorized Pearson VUE, Cisco, and Microsoft testing center offering 850+ professional certification exams, and issue certificates through TVTC's national Minar platform. Course delivery runs through a hybrid model combining in-person instruction at the Dammam training center (Hajar District) with synchronous live sessions via Zoom/Teams and asynchronous recorded content managed through the EduNation LMS on albassam-elearning.com. The group also runs Albassam Schools (K-12, founded 2001) as a captive pipeline for continuing-education enrollment, plus Albassam Construction (founded 2010, SAR 500,000 capital) for civil and school projects across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, Bassam Tech for IT and platform management, and Albassam Real Estate Development for property and urban projects.

The business model is predominantly B2C, monetizing through one-time tuition fees and certification testing, supplemented by project-based construction and real estate revenue. Distribution is omnichannel: a self-serve WooCommerce storefront with Tabby buy-now-pay-later, dedicated male and female registration portals, walk-in enrollment at the Dammam center, and social media-led acquisition (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook). Customer segments are individual learners seeking career advancement (primary), plus corporate and institutional clients and government employees as a secondary segment. Cross-subsidiary synergies (schools feeding institutes, construction building facilities, tech running the LMS) create a vertically integrated education conglomerate, though all operations remain domestic within Saudi Arabia.

Name

Al-Bassam Group

Legal name

Al-Bassam Group

Website

https://bassamgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Al-Bassam Group is a family-owned Saudi Arabian conglomerate founded in 1985 in Dammam, operating Albassam Institutes (vocational and language training with TVTC accreditation), Albassam Schools (K-12), an authorized Pearson VUE/Cisco/Microsoft testing center, and construction and real estate subsidiaries serving individual learners and corporate clients in the Eastern Province.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Training and Education Services

NAICS

Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Networking & Telecommunications (Routing/Switching, Wireless, VoIP) (EDABAFAG), Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.) (BPAEANAA)

Keywords

• Vocational training services
• Professional certification exams
• K-12 private education
• E-learning platforms
• Authorized testing centers

Headquarters

HQ city

Dammam

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Course and Diploma Tuition Fees: Revenue is generated primarily from tuition fees for diploma programs (1–2.5 years, priced from 2,990 to 5,290 SAR) and short development courses (priced from 345 to 1,150 SAR). Payment options include full upfront payment and installment plans (Tabby buy-now-pay-later). Registration requires fee payment to confirm enrollment.
2. STEP Test Preparation Course: A recorded online course (600 SAR) that includes 6 developmental resources, 5 practice tests, 9 hours 22 minutes of content, 14 sessions over 7 days, and an accredited certificate from the National Center for E-Learning.
3. Professional Development Courses: Short certification and upskilling courses in areas such as cybersecurity, HR management, graphic design (Photoshop), AI in HR, and Microsoft Excel, priced per course with durations ranging from 3 days to 6 months.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Al-Bassam Group is a Saudi family-owned conglomerate that primarily sells vocational and technical training through Albassam Institutes (diploma programs in computer networking, HR management, administrative technology, office applications, and English language, plus short courses in English, computer skills, cybersecurity, Photoshop, Excel, and AI in HR) and K-12 education through Albassam Schools. The group also operates an authorized Pearson VUE/Cisco/Microsoft testing center delivering more than 850 professional certification exam types, an EduNation-powered e-learning platform, and ancillary construction, real estate development, IT services, and printing/publishing subsidiaries.

Product overview

Al-Bassam Group is a diversified Saudi conglomerate operating across education, technology, construction, and real estate. The core educational portfolio consists of Al-Bassam Institutes (established 1985), offering computer science, English language, and professional development programs including diplomas and short courses; and Al-Bassam Schools (established 2001), providing K-12 education. Technology services are delivered through Bassam Tech and the Albassam E-Learning Platform (powered by EduNation LMS), which supports synchronous/asynchronous training, virtual classrooms, and certificate issuance. The group also includes Bassam Construction (founded 2010) and Bassam Real Estate Development as subsidiaries. Diplomas offered include Computer Science (Network Technology) and Human Resource Management. The Exams Center provides proctored testing for professional certifications through Pearson VUE, Cisco, and Microsoft partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Albassam Schools (مدارس البسام): Private K-12 schools for boys and girls in Dammam, Saudi Arabia
• Albassam Institutes (معاهد البسام)
• Bassam Tech (البسام للتقنية)
• Albassam Construction (البسام للمقاولات)
• Albassam Real Estate Development (البسام للتنمية العقارية)

Products and services

• Al-Bassam Institutes (معاهد البسام) A vocational training institute selling diploma programs (1-2.5 years) and short professional development courses in English, computer skills, HR, and business administration to individual learners in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Courses are priced 345-5,290 SAR and offered in-person, live online, and recorded formats.
• Al-Bassam Schools (مدارس البسام) Private K-12 school offering kindergarten, primary, middle, and secondary education for boys and girls in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ graduates produced since 1985
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationAl-Bassam Institutes operates as an authorized Pearson VUE testing center, offering more than 850 types of professional certification examinations on-site. This partnership enables the institute to serve as a licensed exam delivery venue for globally recognized credentials.
• CiscocoreTechnology or IntegrationAl-Bassam Institutes is an authorized Cisco testing center, enabling delivery of Cisco certification exams (e.g., Network+, CCNA) as part of its IT and networking diploma and course offerings.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationAs an authorized Microsoft testing partner, the institute offers Microsoft certification exam administration, supporting its computer skills and IT training programs.
• EduNation (E-Learning Platform)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe institute uses EduNation's globally recognized LMS system to host its online courses, manage student enrollment, deliver virtual classrooms, administer electronic assessments, and track learner progress. Technical support is provided by EduNation's customer success team.
• Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC)coreTechnology or IntegrationTVTC is the governing body that accredits the institute's programs and issues certificates through the national Minar digital platform. Student data is submitted to TVTC through its official portal for certificate issuance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Edraak: Arabic-language MOOC platform founded by the Queen Rania Foundation, offering online courses from top universities. Comparable to Al-Bassam's e-learning platform in serving Arabic-speaking learners, but operating purely online and free of charge.

Broad incumbents

• GEMS Education: Largest K-12 private school operator in the MENA region with diversified education services. Comparable to Albassam Schools as a regional schools incumbent operating under a similar family-controlled model, but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Prometric: Global testing and assessment services network operating thousands of authorized test centers worldwide. Comparable to Al-Bassam's Exams Center, with Prometric functioning as a competitor to Pearson VUE in the same authorized testing channel.
• IDP Education: International education services company co-owner of IELTS and provider of English testing and study abroad placement with Middle East offices. Comparable to Al-Bassam's English test preparation and IELTS-adjacent positioning in the Saudi market.
• British Council Saudi Arabia: UK government-affiliated international cultural and educational organization offering English training and IELTS testing in Saudi Arabia. Comparable to Al-Bassam's English and STEP prep courses, but operates at significantly larger scale and with international brand recognition.

Direct peers

• Kaplan International: International English language and test preparation provider (IELTS, TOEFL, university pathway programs) with Middle East operations. Comparable to Al-Bassam's English development courses and STEP test prep, with overlap in standardized test preparation.
• Global Knowledge: Worldwide IT and professional skills training company delivering vendor-authorized courses (Cisco, Microsoft, AWS). Comparable to Al-Bassam in its reliance on authorized certification partnerships and corporate learner base.
• New Horizons Computer Learning Centers: Global authorized IT training and certification provider with strong Middle East presence, offering Cisco, Microsoft, and Pearson VUE-aligned programs — directly comparable to Al-Bassam Institutes' authorized testing center model and IT diploma offerings.
• EC English Language Centres: International English language training provider with schools across the Middle East. Directly comparable to Al-Bassam's English Language Skills Development courses (live and recorded) and STEP test preparation offerings in Saudi Arabia.

Regional players

• Aldar Academies: UAE-based K-12 school operator with multiple curriculum streams (British, American, Indian). Comparable to Albassam Schools as a regional Gulf schools operator, though focused on UAE rather than Saudi Arabia and serving expatriate-heavy segments.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookar-ar.facebook.com/Albassaminst
• Instagraminstagram.com/albassaminsg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/albassam-group

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Al-Bassam Group