Our web presence

Our University web presence refers to the entire online digital space of the University. It is made up of multiple websites and web applications, all serving different functions and engaging with a range of audiences.

Our University website

At the top of our University web presence is our main University website: www.essex.ac.uk. All other websites and web applications must consider their impact on our main site and support the overall needs and core aims of our University. It is therefore vital that the relationship between www.essex.ac.uk and any website or web application is clearly defined to avoid any confusion in the minds of our audiences.

Why visual identity of the University online matters

The management and creation of any websites outside of our main www.essex.ac.uk site are carefully managed to ensure that we maximise and leverage our University brand equity and that our overall web presence is not impacted negatively.

In the first instance, all website-based decisions should be discussed with the Web and Digital Media Team – wedm@essex.ac.uk who are responsible for maintaining and supporting this.

What do we mean by website and web pages?

A website is the collective term given to all web pages that sit within a single web domain – for example, www.essex.ac.uk. In University terms, this means that a website is any site, where the University is the primary stakeholder and must therefore:

• have a clearly identified purpose and audience
• visually represent the University in accordance with our brand, styles and tone of voice
• be optimised for responsive browsing ie., adapt for mobiles and tablets
• legally comply with the University’s website privacy and data protection policy
• legally adhere to the W3 WCAG Accessibility standards to an AA level
• comply with university standards for cyber security and server protection