Web visionaries celebrate “strong match” that will promote the development of global Web standards

The University of Southampton’s Web Science Institute (WSI) was praised for its “energy and community” at the official launch of a new partnership that will help the adoption and implementation of Web standards in the UK.

The WSI is the new host of the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) UK & Ireland Office, supporting an international community of member organisations that is leading the Web to its full potential. The Office was formally launched at the University on Friday 14 October at a packed event that included talks from W3C experts on current W3C activities. The day concluded with a Distinguished Lecture by political scientist Professor Jeanette Hofmann from the Social Science Research Centre Berlin (WZB).

Professor Dame Wendy Hall, Executive Director of the WSI, said: “The University of Southampton has played an active role in the Web community since 1994. The WSI feels like a natural fit to host the UK & Ireland Office.”

The W3C UK & Ireland Office will foster relationships with UK technology and policy leaders and help to promote the adoption and implementation of W3C standards in the UK. It will also recruit and engage with members in the region, and develop education and outreach programs to raise awareness of W3C’s role and standards activities by sponsoring and supporting local events where there is a focus on W3C topics.

Bernard Gidon, W3C’s Europe, Middle-East and Africa Business Development Leader, commented: “We have found a strong match with the WSI as we continue toward the W3C’s mission. It is fantastic to see the energy and community at the WSI, and I look forward to moving on together as we develop the web community in the UK.”

The University of Southampton has been a member of the W3C since 1998, promoting new futures of the Web through W3C community groups including the Web Observatory, Annotations and Web of Things.

The W3C UK & Ireland Office is staffed by Office Manager Susan Davies and Senior Advisor Professor Leslie Carr.