Gaurav Jain, SP Jain London School of Management

Describe yourself in three words or phrases.

Ready for change, fast-paced, and ambitious.

What do you like most about your job?

Interacting with young people and witnessing their incredible drive. They talk about changing the world before lunch. Their optimism isn’t weighed down by old-school thinking, and it’s refreshing.

Describe a project or initiative you’re currently working on that excites you.

Working on the APP (Access and Participation Plan) has given me a deep sense of perspective. The plan is designed to ensure that students from underprivileged backgrounds can genuinely benefit from higher education. It has been a humbling and meaningful experience to help create opportunities not only for these students to pursue their degrees but also to travel the world while doing so. The outcomes we’ve seen have been immense, many of these students have transformed their lives through the support they received and I’m incredibly proud to have played a part in that journey.

What’s a piece of work you’re proud of – and what did it teach you?

I worked on integrating UK higher education practices with our international campuses — basically trying to get multiple academic cultures to coexist. It taught me that no single system is perfect and that every country has something to teach, even the tiny ones you need to zoom in twice to find on a map.

What’s a small daily habit that helps you in your work?

Taking short breaks. Not dramatic, but essential like giving my brain a tiny reboot before it starts buffering in real life.

What’s one change you’d like to see in your sector over the next few years?

I’d love to see better student outcomes and more freedom from regulators to actually make that happen. Universities are trying to evolve quickly but sometimes it feels like running a marathon while the rulebook updates every mile. A little flexibility would go a long way.

What idea, book, podcast or conversation has stayed with you recently?

The idea that education shouldn’t just be sitting in a classroom listening to a professor. Real education is lifelong – the thing that keeps humans curious, adaptable, and less likely to shout “I’m too old for this!” every time something changes.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone starting out in this field?

Be ready for change. Seriously. The education sector is shifting so fast it should come with a seatbelt. If you can adapt, stay curious, and laugh when the rules change (again), you’ll thrive.

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