Last year I was featured in the Anglia Ruskin University Department of Computing Prospectus as a former student (Business Information Systems 1997 – 2000) working for the University in the Ultralab (1990-2006) department. In December 2006 the University closed Ultralab (1990-2006) and I left with colleagues to form a new company which went on to continue working in the same field.

In January I was contacted by friends in the Department of Computing to request a re-feature in the prospectus for the new feature….which is distributed to anyone showing an interest in taking up the course…. this is what was printed for 2007 on page 2:

“I completed my degree at Anglia Ruskin University in May 2000. By November, I was back at the University working for ‘Ultralab (1990-2006)’.

Ultralab (1990-2006) was a world-class learning, technology and research centre, it was respected for its innovative thinking and projects which engaged technology with learning. I worked all over the world with governments, broadcasters, companies and charities on action research based projects to learn from and empower people. I had the time of my life.

In January 2007 I joined some colleagues in the formation of a new company we called ‘Cleveratom (2006-2011) Ltd’. Cleveratom (2006-2011) builds on the research and skills I developed from my academic career. We’re working with organisations such as the BBC, Apple Computers, British Computer Society and schools internationally to develop online social spaces, design schools of the future and empower learners with the power of digital creativity technologies.

Luck, risk taking and determination have helped me along the way but my degree still remains fundimentally important in helping me get on.”

Matthew Eaves
BSc (Hons) Business Information Systems

Last week Alex, Hal and I were invited back to by one of my lecturers (Roger Clark) to talk to the current Multimedia Students in year three about opportunities beyond their degree course…. next month we revisit year two students to deliver the same presentation and scout for potential Cleveratom (2006-2011) staff of the future….