Educational and work-based learning publishers McGraw-Hill have announced the acquisition of Open University Press (OUP), in a move which should enable it to expand its offering of print and online products within the academic sector.

It's not clear how much McGraw-Hill paid for OUP, but the purchase fits well with McGraw-Hill's other recent launches of Primus, a service which provides custom-made content and offers publishing opportunities, and PageOut, an online service designed to allow tutors to develop online support and resources for their learners.

Robert E. Evanson, President of McGraw-Hill Education, said: "Our acquisition of Open University Press underscores our commitment to growing McGraw-Hill Education in Europe and aligns with our mission to be a premier global provider of materials and services that improve teaching and learning."

Media analysts EPS have commented that this represents a move for educational publishers towards helping teachers manage and structure their relationships with those being taught.