Automattic, Inc. Sponsors University Lives Collection

Cambridge, UK 11 September 2009 — The World University Project (WUP), a charitable trust based in Cambridge, today announced a sponsorship agreement with Automattic Inc., best known for its contribution to WordPress, the open source blogging platform. Automattic will provide the technology platform and hosting for the University Lives Collection, an initiative to publish video snapshots of student experience worldwide.

“Automattic is the perfect sponsor,” says J. Nathan Matias, Executive Producer of the World University Project. “They have a fabulous reputation for quality and integrity in online publishing. VideoPress is great for processing and publishing footage from students with varied technologies worldwide. We can use PollDaddy to conduct student surveys. And our globally-distributed team of volunteers can use the WordPress.com platform to work together on the project wherever we are.”

Automattic will be providing WordPress.com and VideoPress VIP hosting for the University Lives Collection. During the 2009-10 academic year, students will be invited to submit short films about student experience, the role of education in their society, and other key education issues in their region. In the summer of 2010, prizes will be awarded to the best submissions, and the films will be published together as an interactive documentary on global student experience.

The World University Project is a charitable trust founded by international students at Cambridge, Oxford, and Anglia Ruskin universities to advance the understanding and development of higher education around the world. WUP uses online film and interactive documentary to bring global voices into debate on education issues.

The University Lives Collection will go online in November 2009.

For more information:

The World University Project:  www.WorldUniversityProject.org

Automattic, Inc.: automattic.com

CONTACT:

World University Project
J. Nathan Matias
44 7985 747 444