Prometric Forms Joint Venture With Recruit Group To Extend Reach Of Computer-Based Testing In Asia Market

Baltimore, Md. – October 2000 – Prometric, the technology-based testing division of Thomson Learning, announced today the formation of a joint venture with the Recruit Group, Japans leading employment information-based publisher.

The new company, to be based in Tokyo, will be called R-Prometric. Prometric, building upon its existing operations in Japan, has formed the joint venture to aggressively market computer-based testing in the academic, information technology (IT), corporate and professional licensure and certification industries in the Japanese marketplace.

R-Prometric will actively seek indigenous testing opportunities within major Japanese corporations.

Prometric will hold 66 percent of the equity in the new company and Recruit, along with its sister company HRR, will hold the other 34 percent. HRR specializes in the area of corporate human resource assessment and self-assessment testing.

Were excited to welcome Recruit Group and HRR into the Prometric family, said Steve Hoffman, chief executive officer of Prometrics global operations. As the need for computer-based testing and assessment continues to grow in the Japanese market, we recognize the need for local expertise to expand Prometrics reach in the area.

Japan is the largest standardized testing market outside of the United States, said Stephen Phipps, Prometrics executive vice president, international. Recruit Groups long-standing relationships with Japanese corporations and educational institutions, together with HRRs human resource expertise will allow us to rapidly expand our computer-based testing activities within the indigenous sector in Japan.

Each company will provide senior executives for the management functions within R-Prometric. This will include Hirohisa Abe as President, and Takanori Sueyoshi as COO. I am extremely pleased to be leading our joint venture through this exciting period of growth, said Hirohisa Abe, President of R-Prometric.

Prometric KK, Prometrics Japanese operation, has been delivering tests in the region since 1993, including the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification for IT professionals and tests on behalf of the Educational Testing Service such as the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT?) and the Graduate Record Examination (GRE?). Additionally, Prometric KK and ETS launched the delivery of the computer-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL?) in Japan at the beginning of October 2000.

About Prometric®, a Thomson Learning company

As the global leader in the delivery of technology-based testing and assessment services for information technology (IT) industry certification, academic admissions, and professional licensure/certification, Prometric delivers standardized tests for more than 180 clients, through its network of more than 3,500 Prometric Testing Centers® in 128 countries. Worldwide, Prometric delivers exams in 25 different languages and employs more than 1,500 full-time employees. Prometric can be found on the World Wide Web at www.prometric.com.

Based in Baltimore, Maryland, Prometric is the technology-based testing division of Thomson Learning, which is among the largest providers of lifelong learning information. Visit www.thomsonlearning.com for more information.

Contact Info:

Susan Robinson

Prometric

(443) 923-8079

susan.robinson@prometric.com