Global publishing firm Pearson, which owns the Financial Times and Penguin Books, has announced an investment of $30 million through stake acquisition in two India-based education services companies – Educomp Solutions and TutorVista.

While the company has acquired a 50% stake in Educomp Solutions?s vocational training business for $17.5 million, it has bought 17.2% stake in the Bangalore-based online tutoring firm TutorVista for $12.5 million.

?TutorVista?s online tutoring model brilliantly marries the abundance of Indian teaching skills with the application of advanced consumer-facing technology. Through this investment, we expect to increase TutorVista?s reach in its core US market, and to strengthen one of Pearson Education?s central strategies ? the provision of online consumer learning to students of all ages,? said chairman of Pearson India, John Makinson.

The transaction will involve issuance of new shares as part of third-round funding in which two of the founder investors in TutorVista ? Manipal Education & Medical Group and Lightspeed Venture Partners ?? have also participated. The company had raised $18 million in venture funding prior to the latest investment.

With Pearson becoming the single largest shareholder post the stake acquisition, Peter Cohen, CEO of Pearson Education?s US School Curriculum Group, will be appointed to the board of TutorVista.

As part of its agreement with Educomp, the two companies will set up a 50:50 joint venture, which will provide training in professional skills and English language, along with assessment and accreditation to students and professionals. ?The JV will target sectors such construction, hospitality, IT and security for skills training and will benefit both the companies tremendously,? said Pearson India?s deputy chairman Khozem Merchant.

While Pearson will bring its educational content, faculty and assessor development services to the joint-venture, Educomp will provide its expertise in recruiting and training faculty as well as in distance education programmes.

The JV will also provide industry-standard certifications provided by Edexcel, which is Pearson?s qualifications and accreditation arm.