Long-term digital partners for higher education
We work with higher education teams who are responsible for digital platforms that must remain reliable, accessible, and fit for purpose over many years, not just at launch.
10 Degrees exists to help universities, research teams, and academic organisations make calm, informed decisions about WordPress platforms and bespoke systems, and to take long-term responsibility for the outcomes of those decisions.
How we think about digital work
Digital platforms in higher education sit at the intersection of people, policy, technology, and time. Teams change. Requirements evolve. Governance tightens. Content grows.
Our approach is shaped by the belief that the most valuable work happens after launch: maintaining accessibility, supporting editors, managing risk, and evolving platforms without unnecessary disruption.
Rather than defaulting to short-term projects, we focus on stewardship by designing, evolving, and supporting systems so they continue to serve students, staff, and stakeholders well.
Led by experience, not scale
10 Degrees is led by Jonny Vaughan, who has worked with WordPress and open-source platforms in higher education for over a decade.
Jonny is closely involved in every engagement – from early conversations and technical direction through to long-term support – ensuring continuity, shared context, and clear decision-making throughout the life of a platform. Clients work directly with the person responsible for technical direction and long-term outcomes, rather than through layers of account management.
Jonny is widely known within higher education as a WordPress specialist, particularly in contexts involving accessibility, governance, and complex editorial workflows. This depth of experience means clients aren’t just buying delivery capacity, but informed judgement about what WordPress should, and should not, be used for.
A focused practice with trusted partners
Rather than operating as a large agency, 10 Degrees works as a focused, senior-led practice.
This model allows us to take long-term responsibility for platforms without handovers, dilution of context, or competing priorities. When additional capacity or specialist expertise is required, such as design, research, or front-end development, we collaborate with a small network of trusted freelancers and partners.
These are people we’ve worked with repeatedly in higher education contexts, and who share the same expectations around quality, accessibility, and accountability. Responsibility for outcomes always remains with 10 Degrees.
Guiding principles
We don’t just build websites. We make decisions that affect people and institutions over time. These principles guide how we work with higher education teams:
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Skilful
We combine deep technical craft with practical judgement, so platforms are robust, maintainable, and proportionate to their context.
Transparent
We communicate openly about options, trade-offs, and constraints, so decisions are clear and defensible.
Empathetic
We listen carefully to teams and stakeholders before proposing solutions, recognising the realities of academic and public-sector environments.
Ethical
We choose work that we are well-suited to, act responsibly as a business, and consider the wider impact of the systems we help create.
Reliable
We do what we say we’ll do – and we remain accountable long after launch.
How we work with teams
We don’t start with assumptions about platforms, projects, or technology.
Sometimes our work leads to new development. Other times it leads to governance improvements, editorial systems, or long-term support arrangements. In some cases, stewardship means advising against change rather than pursuing it.
What every engagement has in common is a focus on long-term responsibility, predictable outcomes, and platforms that continue to work well as needs evolve.