Education group Pearson said an "outstanding" performance in English language learning had helped deliver 7% growth in underlying sales in the last nine months, ahead of market expectations and keeping it on track for the full year.
The UK company reported 28% growth in English language courses, with demand boosted by the reopening of borders after the pandemic.
Underlying sales in assessment and qualifications grew 12%, it said today, while higher education was down 4%, which it said was consistent with its expectations.
Chief executive Andy Bird said the company was "very encouraged" by recent enrollment data in the US that showed a 1.1% decline, which analysts said was about half the rate of a year earlier.
He said the data showed more students were physically going back to college, while a 12% increase in the number of 16-18 years old doing college credits was a positive early indicator of future enrollments.
Shares in the group, which have risen 41% in the last 12 months against a 4.6% fall in the FTSE 100, were trading up 6% at 941 pence today.
Much of the spending on education is non-discretionary and non-cyclical, Bird said, which are advantages in worsening economic conditions.
"While we're mindful of the challenging macro environment, we have confidence of being able to navigate these headwinds," he told reporters.
Analysts at Citi, who have a "buy" rating on the shares, said the company's organic growth had come in "materially ahead of expectations", notably in English language learning, assessment and qualifications, and higher education.
