Elsevier, a Dutch publishing and analytics company specialising in scientific, technical, and medical content, and part of RELX, has acquired Authess, a Boston-based developer of a performance-based competency assessment platform that evaluates how students solve complex, open-ended problems they would encounter on the job.

Founded in 2015, Authess has built a platform for authoring, delivering and scoring performance-based competency assessments. The company’s machine-learning models and data analytics observe students as they work through a task, capturing their answers and their behaviour, process and problem-solving approach.

Paul Crockett, co-founder and chief executive of Authess, said: “When we founded Authess, our goal was to help ensure that learners are job-ready and not just test-ready. That’s why we developed an authentic assessment platform that leverages real-world scenarios, advanced technology and machine learning to measure competency. Now, with Elsevier, we are looking forward to a new and exciting future to help develop more competent, job-ready nurses.”

Elsevier has long been involved with nursing and health education, building a portfolio of brands. These include HESI, the comprehensive review and testing solution that prepares nursing and health students for exams, and Sherpath, the personalised teaching and learning technology built specifically for health care education.

Brent Gordon, managing director of nursing and health education at Elsevier, said: “We are excited to work with Authess’s breakthrough technology to advance our assessment solutions, enable improved customer outcomes, and help prepare future health professionals.”