http://www.insidehighered.com/sites/all/themes/ihecustom/logo.jpgBy Elizabeth Redden and Paul Fain. Laureate Education is big. Like 800,000 students attending 78 institutions in 30 countries big. Yet the privately held for-profit university system has largely remained out of the public eye. That may be changing, however, as the company appears ready for its coming out party after 14 years of quiet growth. Laureate has spent heavily to solidify its head start on other globally minded American education providers. In addition to its rapid growth abroad, the company has courted publicity by investing in the much-hyped Coursera, a massive open online course provider. And Laureate recently made news when the International Finance Corporation, a World Bank subsidiary, invested $150 million in the company -- its largest-ever investment in education. Read more...