Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.

Napoleon Hill

 

Jennifer Bruce

Job summary/responsibilities

Since 2007 Jen has been working in the Higher Education industry, joining Studyportals in May 2013. Over her time at Studyportals she gone from leading regional teams to managing large business units for the UK and EMEA, and from June 2023 has joined the Management Team as the new Global Commercial Director.

In this role she will continue to build the global commercial organisation, together with a team of over 60 superheroes globally, she will deliver on the overall strategy, goals and vision we have at Studyportals. Jen and the business unit’s will continue to focus on providing long-term partnerships, data-driven solutions and diversity strategies to the ever-changing Higher Education landscape. The commercial success Jen and the team deliver allows Studyportals to continue to give back, (check out our very own Studyportals Scholarship’s) and re-invest in new innovations to ensure we reach every single potential student globally. After all our mission is to create global education transparency, choice, and access across borders.

General introduction/background

Jen is a frequent attendee at international conferences and events, joining panels to contribute research and opinions and delivers key research and data findings at higher education workshops.

Jen studied her BA Tourism and Recreation Management at Sheffield Hallam University and as part of this 4-year degree spent a year completing her SWE in the USA split between New Paltz, NY and San Antonio, TX. Prior to joining the Higher Education Sector, she worked for British Airways and Thomas Cook, where her love of education and travel has taken her all over the world with her favourite places being Cape Town, Melbourne, Hong Kong and Eindhoven (Of Course).

Key challenge

Jen tells us that fortunately, Studyportals has a mission and core values which she very much believes in. We are continuing to grow our student users and our clients, making education the thing that energises our whole company personality. We share insights, innovate our products, develop ourselves, and – most importantly – contribute to an educated global society that is more tolerant and open. The key challenge for Jen is how to bring the innovations we build and develop to market faster.

Favourite listed programme

Jen said that she is forever finding new programmes that spark curiosity, and appeal, one she most recently found interesting is: Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, from Colorado State University. This is a programme very topical in her view, it provides a strong scientific foundation in ecosystem ecology integrated with a broad knowledge of the cultural, social, economic, and political issues that are shaping the issue of sustainability.