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Nuno Fernandes
President at American Public University System
Nuno Fernandes is the fifth and current President of American Public University System (APUS), a position he has held since September 1, 2022.12 He is known as a visionary leader in the field of online higher education, focusing on making it more affordable and accessible while maintaining high-quality education and favorable student outcomes.1
Career Background
Higher Education Experience:: Fernandes brings extensive experience in higher education, technology, and business to his role at APUS. Prior to joining APUS, he served as the president and CEO of Ilumno, the largest online program manager in Latin America.13 During his tenure at Ilumno, which lasted about a decade, he held various executive roles and was instrumental in:
- Tripling the number of students served to over 300,000
- Improving student retention, satisfaction, and graduation rates
- Expanding access to quality online and on-ground higher education in several Latin American countries2
Previous Roles:: Before his time in higher education, Fernandes worked in other industries:
- Managing Director at Overseas Leisure Group, a luxury tourism provider2
- Vice President of Marketing and Product Management for Bosch's Thermo-Technology division in the United States2
- Various roles in product management, marketing, and sales at Bosch Group across multiple countries over 11 years23
Education and Skills
Fernandes holds the following educational qualifications:
- MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University13
- Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the University of Porto, Portugal13
- Executive education programs at Harvard Business School and Carnegie Mellon University13
He is trilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Portuguese.12
Vision and Focus at APUS
As President of APUS, Fernandes is focused on:
- Implementing a global digital journey that integrates personalized, collaborative, and technology-driven learning experiences1
- Preparing students for future challenges and opportunities1
- Continuing to make online higher education more affordable and accessible1
Fernandes's leadership at APUS builds on his successful track record in expanding access to quality education and improving student outcomes in the online learning space.
