FOSTER CITY, Calif., October 28, 2003 -- Electronics For Imaging, the world leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced it has teamed with Clemson University of South Carolina to take a leading role in furthering variable data printing (VDP) education. EFI and other industry leaders have joined forces with Clemson University to form the VDP Hands-On Training Consortium. Together, the consortium is working to educate printers, print buyers and designers on personalized printing methods and technologies through hands-on training workshops. EFI and other consortium members contributed seed money as well as VDP hardware and software to jumpstart the program, which is available in cities across the United States. Led by Professor John M. Leininger of Clemson University's Department of Graphic Communications, the one-day workshops give participants a solid working knowledge of the process of preparing and managing a complete VDP workflow from database creation to print production. The consortium plans to host additional seminars as interest continues to rise. "Learning by doing is the core teaching strategy at Clemson University. Understanding how all the pieces fit together to make VDP work is best learned from first hand experience," says Dr. Leininger. "With the help of VDP industry leaders like EFI, we can teach the foundations for applying variable data in print production. Participants can see how the tools work together to organize and retrieve variable information, and as a result optimize the effectiveness of the process and final product. By hosting the program, we hope to accelerate the evolution of variable data printing forward to the level so many industry experts have predicted." "Together this consortium is opening doors for anyone in the industry to learn the practical lessons of developing a complete system for printing variable information easily and effectively," added Kathy Wilson, senior product marketing manager, EFI. "It is not only the printers that are interested in understanding the process, it is also the print buyers, designers, sales representatives and the customers using the one-to-one marketing service. A hands-on training of the approach as well as the uses of VDP presents a unique opportunity for all those involved to learn the full gamut of the process." Any printing industry company, trade association or educational institution can host a hands-on VDP training session. For more information, contact Dr. John Leininger, Clemson University, (864) 656-3447, [email protected] or visit http://graphics.clemson.edu