This is the home of the Make Community team for the WordPress open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project!
Here is where we have policy debates, project announcements, and assist community members in organizing events.
Everyone is welcome to comment on posts and participate in the discussions regardless of skill level or experience.
Get Involved
If you love WordPress and want to help us do these things, join in!
The Community Team chat takes place the first Thursday of every month in the #community-team channel on SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/.
This meeting is meant for all contributors on the team and everyone who is interested in taking part in some of the things our team does. Feel free to join us, even if you are not currently active in the team!
You will find a preliminary agenda for the meeting below.
If you wish to add points to discuss, comment on this post or reach out to one of the team reps: @adityakane, @unintended8, @thehopemonger, @webtechpooja. It does not need to be a blog post yet, the topic can be discussed during the meeting nevertheless. We use the same agenda for both meetings.
⚡️ Check-ins: Program and event supporters / Contributors
What have you been doing and how is it going?
What did you accomplish after the last meeting?
Are there any blockers?
Can other team members help you in some way?
🚀 Highlights to note
Here are a few things everyone should be aware of.
Community Team at WordCamp Asia 2026 in Mumbai. Written by Devin Maeztri, this post announces that the Community Team will have a table at WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia 2026 Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ (April 9, Mumbai), co-led by Devin and Rocío Valdivia. Whether you’re a seasoned contributor or brand new, all are welcome to stop by, get involved, and help support WordPress communities across the region.
Getting Local with WordCamp Marketing. Nicholas Garofalo proposes a strategy to boost flagship WordCamp attendance by reaching out to local businesses, creators, and influencers who already use WordPress but haven’t yet engaged with community events. The post outlines a four-step action plan: from identifying and inviting potential attendees to amplifying their involvement before and after the event.
WordCamps in Africa: announcing events on WordCamp CentralWordCamp CentralWebsite for all WordCamp activities globally. https://central.wordcamp.org includes a list of upcoming and past camp with links to each.. Two African communities used WordCamp Central to share their upcoming events: Emmanuel Eluwa introduced WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026, a community-led event in Nigeria’s Garden City focused on learning and open-source celebration, while Moses Cursor Ssebunya announced WordCamp Mukono 2026 in Uganda, themed around “Sustainable Growth – Building a Lasting WordPress Future.”
WordCamp recaps. Lena Iñurrieta shares a detailed recap of WordCamp Valencia 2025, which brought together 300+ attendees for talks, Lightning Talks, the Speed Builder Game, and a Contributor Day, all with a strong local identity. Aditya Shah, meanwhile, reflects on WordCamp Bhopal 2025, a milestone 10th-anniversary edition with 400+ attendees and a program that felt more like a community reunion than a conference.
Campus Connect around the world. Bringing WordPress Campus Connect to Malaysia, written by Nasim Miah, recaps the first-ever Campus Connect event in Malaysia, held at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with 54 students from five countries. Meanwhile, WordPress Campus Connect Jinja 2025, by Mohammed Kateregga, tells the story of Africa’s first and largest Campus Connect program, which reached 1,293 students and 81 educators across 12 schools in Eastern Uganda.
📝 Open posts
Check out these new and ongoing discussions needing review, feedback, thoughts and comments.
Where should content live: WordCamp Central vs. Make Community? Posts announcing or recapping WordCamp events sometimes appear on WordCamp Central, sometimes on Make Community… without a clear pattern. Should we define clearer editorial guidelines for each platform? What criteria should determine where something gets published? Open for discussion.
How do we make these meetings worth attending? With the number of supporters, mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., and community contributors we have, attendance at these monthly meetings remains low. If the meeting can be fully absorbed by reading the agenda or the recap, there’s little incentive to show up live. What could we do to make this hour genuinely valuable for everyone, not just informative, but worth the time? All ideas welcome.
📢 Announcements / Newsletters
2026 Community Team Reps. The Community Team welcomes its new Team RepTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. for 2026: Juan Hernando, joining the three continuing reps from last year’s cohort. The post, written by Kasirye Arthur, shares a bit of Juan’s story: from accidental WordPress user in 2008 to Program ManagerProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule. and now Team Rep.
Monthly Education Buzz Report – February 2026 Destiny Kanno rounds up February’s highlights across WordPress Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student Clubs. Notable this month: 3,933 students reached across 51 institutions, 158 new students onboarded into the WordPress Credits program, and a new self-onboarding pilot launching at the Krakow University of Economics. Missed January’s report too? Catch up here.
Retiring the WordPress Campus Connect–Specific Mentor Program Destiny Kanno announces that the Campus Connect–specific mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. program is being dissolved and its responsibilities absorbed into the existing Event Supporters program. The change simplifies the support structure, reduces process duplication, and allows the full Event SupporterEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. team to support WPCC events going forward.
🎤 Open floor
This is your chance to discuss things that weren’t on the meeting agenda.
We invite you to use this opportunity to share anything that you want with the team. If you currently have a topic you’d like to discuss, add it to the comments of this post and we will try to update the agenda accordingly.
Hope to see you on Thursday, either in the Asia-Pacific / EMEA (12:00 UTC) or Americas-friendly version (21:00 UTC) of the meeting!
What a journey it has been getting here. After nominations, deliberations, and a community vote, we are ready to share some exciting news about who will be helping steer the WordPress Community Team in 2026.
A Year of Reflection
The rep structure we introduced back in 2024 — four seats, two-year terms, staggered transitions has continued to serve us well. It creates space for institutional knowledge to carry forward while still bringing fresh energy into the room each cycle.
This year’s process was quieter in volume but no less meaningful. The community showed up thoughtfully, and when the votes were counted, one candidate stood out clearly, earning their seat through a process the community participated in with care.
Only one new rep joins the team this cycle, stepping in alongside the three continuing reps from 2025.
If you’ve spent any time around WordPress events in Europe, there’s a good chance you’ve already crossed paths with Juan — even if you didn’t catch his name.
His story with WordPress starts in 2008, not as a community builder, but as someone who just needed a blogging tool. Seventeen years later, that accidental beginning has grown into a career, a calling, and a network of people he genuinely cares about.
The community piece snuck up on him. He showed up at WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Cantabria in November 2015 out of curiosity and — as tends to happen with the right community — never really left. From there, things moved quickly in the best way: co-organizing the Pontevedra meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., leading local WordCamps in 2018 and 2019, contributing to four more events after that, serving as team lead across 2022 and 2023, and eventually taking on the lead organizer role for WordCamp Europe 2024.
These days, Juan serves as a Program ManagerProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule. on the WordPress Global Community TeamGlobal Community TeamA group of community organizers and contributors who collaborate on local events about WordPress — monthly WordPress meetups and/or annual conferences called WordCamps., sponsored by Weglot through Five for the Future. He works behind the scenes to support organizers running WordCamps, meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., and a growing range of community programs around the world. It’s unglamorous, important work — and he’s clearly built for it.
He lives in Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain, and when he’s not helping an organizing team find their footing or reviewing an event budget for the fourth time, you’ll likely find him watching sports or working through an indie music playlist.
Ask Juan what WordPress has meant to him and he’ll point straight to the people. That’s not a talking point — it’s the throughline of everything he’s done. His goal as a rep is simple: make sure more people get to experience that same thing.
To everyone who nominated, voted, or simply paid attention during this process — thank you. The health of this community depends on people who care enough to show up, and you do.
Juan joins Pooja, Aditya, and Arthur in carrying this work forward. We couldn’t be more excited to see what this team does together.
We’re looking forward to meeting, collaborating, and reconnecting in person at WordCamp Asia 2026 in Mumbai, India. Events like this are a special opportunity for community contributors from across Asia-Pacific and beyond to come together, share experiences, and support one another in growing the WordPress project locally and globally.
This year, WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia 2026 will be held in Mumbai, India, bringing together attendees for Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/, conference sessions, networking, and community-building activities. If you’re attending, we would love to welcome you to the Community Team table at the Contributor Day.
Contributor Day is one of the most welcoming and energizing parts of any WordCamp. It’s a dedicated day for attendees to contribute to the WordPress open-source project by joining one of the many Make WordPress teams.
For the Community Team, Contributor Day is a chance to:
welcome new contributors,
reconnect with existing contributors,
support community organizers,
improve resources and documentation,
discuss community programs and processes,
and work together on initiatives that help WordPress communities thrive worldwide.
If you are new to Contributor Day, don’t worry; you do not need prior experience to join. The Community Team table is a great place to learn how the team works, what kinds of contributions are possible, and how your skills or interests can help support local communities.
Detailed Contributor Day Schedule
Community Team Contributor Day Schedule
Location: Community Team Table, Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai Date: April 9, 2026
08:00 am IST Registration Open and Networking Time
09:00 am IST Opening Remarks 09:30 am IST Contributing to WordPress/WordPress 7.0 Release Session/Workshop/Open-Source Library 11:00 am IST WordPress Release Panel Discussions and Open Floor 11:45 am IST WordPress Release Ceremony
12:00 pm IST Long Break and NetworkingTime
01:45 pm IST Family Photo 02:00 pm IST Contributing to WordPress/Workshop/Open-Source Library 04:30 pm IST Closing Remarks
05:00 pm IST Contributor Day Wrap-up
What to Expect at The Community Team Table
At the Community Team table, participants may work on:
onboarding new contributors,
reviewing and improving documentation,
identifying updates for organizer resources,
discussing MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and WordCamp program needs,
helping improve clarity around event applications and support pathways,
brainstorming process improvements,
and contributing to ongoing Community Team priorities.
There will be a mix of discussion-based and task-based contributions, so whether you enjoy writing, reviewing, organizing, mentoring, or problem-solving, there will be ways to get involved.
Contributor Day Goals for The Community Team
Our goals for Contributor Day include:
Welcoming and onboarding new Community Team contributors
Helping attendees better understand how official WordPress community programs work
Improving Community Team documentation and contributor resources
Supporting event organizers and aspiring organizers
Gathering ideas and feedback from community members across the region
Encouraging ongoing contribution beyond WordCamp Asia
Call for Support
We would also love support from experienced WordPress community organizers who will be attending WordCamp Asia.
If you have experience as a:
WordPress Meetup organizer,
WordCamp/other WordPress event organizer,
event volunteer,
event mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.,
or long-time Community Team contributor,
please consider stopping by the Community Team table and helping welcome new contributors. Your experience, perspective, and encouragement can make a big difference for attendees who are just getting started.
If you’ll be at WordCamp Asia and would like to support the Community Team table, please reach out in advance or come say hello on Contributor Day.
Table Leads
Devin Maeztri
@devinmaeztri is an active WordPress community contributor and community leader with experience supporting community initiatives and helping create welcoming spaces for contributors. Devin has been involved in WordPress community efforts and brings enthusiasm for collaboration, contributor engagement, and strengthening connections across local communities.
Rocio Valdivia
@_dorsvenabili is a long-time WordPress contributor and community leader who has supported the WordPress project in many capacities, including community-building, events, contributor engagement, and open-source advocacy. Rocio brings extensive experience in helping contributors connect with teams, grow in the project, and strengthen the global WordPress community.
Things to Prepare Before Contributor Day
To make your Contributor Day experience smoother, here are a few things to prepare ahead of time:
Register for a WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/ account. If you don’t already have one, please create your account before the event: Create a WordPress.org account
Read more about the Community Team. You can explore the team and its work here: WordPress Community Team
Interested in organizing an official WordPress event? If you are interested in organizing an official WordPress event, you can submit an application in advance.
Explore other community event programs. To learn about additional official WordPress community event formats and guidance, visit: Community Team Handbook
Join Us in Mumbai
Whether you are an experienced contributor or completely new to the WordPress project, we’d love to see you at the Community Team table during Contributor Day.
Come learn, contribute, connect, and help shape the future of WordPress communities.
Joining us in Mumbai? Stop by the Community Team table and be part of the conversation. Let’s build community together!
As we all work to make meetups, WordCamps, and other events successful, one tactic we have yet to try at scale is engaging with influential users who are local to these events. All regional WordCamps take place in major cities, where plenty of businesses, creators, influencers, and even celebrities use WordPress (some of them are even in the Showcase). Let’s make sure these folks feel welcome.
Objective: Increase flagship WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. attendance by engaging and connecting with local WordPress users.
Strategy Overview
Utilize the influence of local businesses and creators (such as authors, photographers, filmmakers, and artists) who actively use WordPress but have not yet engaged with WordPress community events like meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. or WordCamps. By connecting with these WordPressers, we can introduce the WordPress community and events to audiences who may be unfamiliar with these aspects of the project. This approach expands awareness, fosters community growth, and attracts diverse participants who resonate with the creators’ fields of interest.
Who to Invite
With millions of WordPress sites in the world, and even more users, here’s the kind of person we should specifically look for.
WordPress user: Actively uses WordPress to showcase, publish, or sell their work, even if the site is managed by someone else.
Close geographic proximity: Resides within a convenient and affordable travel distance (ideally a short, inexpensive flight or driving distance) to the event location.
Prominent online presence: Possesses a significant online presence, preferably with a follower base exceeding 10,000 followers across verifiable social channels OR a website/ad spend exceeding $10,000/year (suggesting an investment in visitor experience).
Reminder: Everyone is welcome at WordCamps. This persona is merely to narrow the scope of potential work for organizing teams.
Action Plan
Step 1: Identification and Outreach
As soon as we know the location of the event, we can start finding and contacting people.
Identify users: Conduct research through social media platforms, local publications, and industry databases to find suitable WordPress users matching the desired profile. Verify that their sites are using WordPress using a tool such as BuiltWith.
Personalized invitations: Reach out individually, highlighting mutual benefits: enhanced exposure, networking opportunities, learning, and introduction to the WordPress ecosystem. If need be, offer reasonable ticket discounts for those who express interest, but let’s not rely on this tactic.
Example outreach email (customize and make it your own)
Subject: An invite to connect at WordCamp [Region]
Hi [Creator Name],
I recently came across your profile on [platform] and noticed you’re using WordPress for your [website/blog/shop]. I’m a volunteer organizer for WordCamp [Region], a community-driven event where you’ll find hands-on WordPress workshops, inspiring sessions about content creation and design, and plenty of opportunities to connect with other creators and professionals.
I’d like to invite you to attend and possibly collaborate—whether that’s joining a panel, sharing your story with our audience, or just exploring what the event has to offer. You’d get to connect with other creative professionals, learn more about the platform, and expand your network.
Would you be interested in participating? I’m happy to answer any questions or provide additional details.
Looking forward to your reply!
Best, [Organizer Name]
Step 2: Content and Promotion
For those who choose to sponsor and/or attend, let’s show them some love.
Feature spotlights: Publish interviews, guest blog posts, and creator profiles on event websites and promotional materials.
Co-created content: Collaborate with selected creators on exclusive event-related content such as behind-the-scenes stories, tips, or tutorials related to their use of WordPress.
Step 3: Event Integration
As the event allows, and depending on who chooses to participate, here are some ideas for how to more deeply integrate these folks. These would benefit both the business/creator and the event.
Panel sessions and workshops: Incorporate interested creators into the event programming through panels, keynote speeches, or specialized workshops relevant to their fields.
Networking events: Host dedicated networking sessions, allowing attendees to interact personally with these users.
Showcase booths: Offer a booth or dedicated showcase space for creators to exhibit their work and share their WordPress journey.
Step 4: Amplification Post-event
At the end of the event, we should also have a bunch of great collaboration content to share and feedback from a diverse set of sponsors and attendees.
Follow-up engagement: Produce post-event content (video highlights, interviews, creator testimonials) that creators can share, sustaining momentum and building future event anticipation.
Feedback loopLoopThe Loop is PHP code used by WordPress to display posts. Using The Loop, WordPress processes each post to be displayed on the current page, and formats it according to how it matches specified criteria within The Loop tags. Any HTML or PHP code in the Loop will be processed on each post. https://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop: Gather feedback from invited attendees to continually refine outreach, event integration, and collaborative opportunities.
Event Attendance: Increased attendance from first-time WordCamp attendees.
Social Engagement: Growth in event visibility and engagement across social platforms.
Feedback: Positive feedback and testimonials from participating creators and their audiences.
Next Steps
As I mentioned in Marketing Lessons from WordCamp Asia, @bjmcsherry and I are working across flagship WordPress events (WordCamp Asia, WordCamp Europe, WordCamp US, and State of the WordState of the WordThis is the annual report given by Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress at WordCamp US. It looks at what we’ve done, what we’re doing, and the future of WordPress. https://wordpress.tv/tag/state-of-the-word/.) to provide event-to-event recommendations in a world where each event may be in a different location and have a different set of contributors. We’ll help provide lists of potential contacts for each event. I’ve already shared lists of local WordPress sites with the organizers of all 3 flagship WordCamps this year. It will be up to the local organizing teams to decide when and how to best do any outreach.
Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.
26 more events are currently in the planning stages! We are actively working to expand our global reach and bring more educational opportunities to students worldwide. Come find us in the #campusconnect Slack channel.
Event Highlights
WordPress Campus Connect continues to grow globally, with multiple successful events, new resources, and increased community engagement this month.
WordPress Campus Connect Rajshahi
Rajshahi Court College
Date: February 16
Attendees: 91
Varendra University, Rajshahi
Date: February 23
Attendees: 82
All events went over the following topics:
Building a WordPress website from scratch, including domain setup, hosting, WordPress installation, theme customisation, and content publishing.
Freelancing with WordPress, highlighting market-ready skills such as theme customisation, pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. configuration, performance optimisation, and client communication.
Open-source contribution and licensing, with an overview of the GNU General Public License (GPLGPLGPL is an acronym for GNU Public License. It is the standard license WordPress uses for Open Source licensing https://wordpress.org/about/license/. The GPL is a ‘copyleft’ license https://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html. This means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD license and the MIT License are widely used examples.) and how it enables freedom to use, modify, and distribute software.
The WordPress contributor credits system, learning how contributors receive recognition for contributions to coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., documentation, design, accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility), translation, and community initiatives.
WordPress Campus Connect – Universitata de Lleida (Cappont Campus)
While the event ran smoothly, organizers noted opportunities to make sessions more interactive in the future. Experiments are underway using WordPress Blueprints to help create interactive learning materials for specific concepts during Campus Connect workshops.
WordPress Campus Connect – St. Philomena College, Puttur
Date: January 30 – 31
Attendees: 51
Program topics:
WordPress as a platform for building real-world web applications
The open-source ecosystem
Opportunities for learning and contributing to the WordPress community
WordPress Campus Connect Event in Pakistan – Faisalabad
Organisers shared plans to establish a WordPress Student Club at Career Institute, with the goal of continuing to mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. and support students interested in WordPress and open-source development.
WordPress Campus Connect Jinja 2025
The WordPress Jinja Community has completed the WordPress Campus Connect Jinja 2025 event series, which involved visits to 12 campuses across Eastern Uganda.
The program ran over approximately three active months, with a two-month pause due to holidays and national elections before resuming when schools reopened in February.
This initiative represents a significant milestone as one of the largest Campus Connect series organised in the region, bringing WordPress education to multiple institutions and expanding the local open-source ecosystem.
A comprehensive recap article and photo collection are being prepared by the organising team.
Other Program Updates
New Handbook Resources: Several new resources have been published to support contributors and program organizers.
New Themes:@debdesign has created a base theme designed specifically for WordPress Campus Connect and Student Club organizers, helping simplify the process of building event websites.
Active mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.: 63
Active students: 285
Highlights
158 students from Universidad Fidélitas were onboarded in February as part of the Technology and Society course integration.
The program is currently in discussions with additional institutions in Spain, India, Costa Rica, and Chile, which may join in the coming weeks.
New Pilot Initiative
A WordPress Credits Self-Onboarding Pilot is launching with 14 students from the Krakow University of Economics, beginning in early March.
This pilot tests new approaches that allow students to independently join and begin contributing to the WordPress ecosystem through structured learning materials.
Another session was organised using an interactive quiz format, designed to help students learn WordPress concepts through participation rather than a traditional lecture.
Highlights included:
Interactive exploration of WordPress fundamentals
Questions explaining real-world use cases for WordPress websites
High student participation and engagement
The session was well received, with students finding the quiz-based learning format both fun and informative.
WordPress Student Club GWECA
Held a WordPress Learning Session & Live Design Activity that included a hands-on WordPress workshop combined practical learning with a live website design activity.
Students were introduced to:
The Twenty Twenty-Three theme
GutenbergGutenbergThe Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc.
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ blocks
Page structure and layout alignment
Spacing and visual consistency in design
Participants recreated a reference webpage layout, applying their learning in real time while experimenting with design elements and building live pages.
The session provided a valuable opportunity for students to develop both technical and creative website-building skills.
WordPress Student Club ACERCWordPress Student Club ACERCWordPress Student Club ACERCWordPress Student Club ACERCWordPress Student Club GWECAWordPress Student Club GWECAWordPress Student Club GWECAWordPress Student Club GWECA
As WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) events have continued to grow and mature, so have the processes and documentation that support them. When WPCC was first introduced, we created a separate, WPCC-specific mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. program to meet an immediate need. At the time, information was limited and we needed a focused group to help define, document, and guide this new event format.
Today, that is no longer the case.
With stronger processes, clearer documentation, and an established foundation for supporting WPCC events, we will be retiring the WordPress Campus Connect–specific mentor program and integrating its responsibilities into the existing Event Supporters program.
Why We’re Making This Change
Over time, we found that maintaining a separate WPCC mentor group:
Created the perception that WPCC events are fundamentally different from other supported event types — which is not the case.
Introduced additional process layers on top of an already well-established mentorship structure.
Limited opportunities to leverage the full strength and experience of our broader Event SupporterEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. team.
WPCC events are simply another important event format within our community. By integrating WPCC mentorship into the Event Supporters program, we can:
Ensure more sustainable growth for WPCC events.
Empower more contributors to support these events.
Reduce unnecessary process duplication.
Strengthen consistency across event mentorship overall.
What This Means
The WPCC-specific mentor program will be dissolved.
Eligible WPCC mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. will onboard as Event Supporters.
WPCC mentoring responsibilities will now be handled within the Event Supporters framework.
Documentation & Resource Updates
To support this transition, documentation has been updated and integrated into existing resources:
Additionally, available WPCC resources will continue to be integrated into established handbook pages as needed.
We believe that dissolving the separate WPCC mentor group and strengthening our existing Event Supporters program is the best path forward. This change allows us to streamline processes, reduce complexity, and build a more resilient and scalable support structure for WordPress Campus Connect events.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed to building and mentoring WPCC events thus far — your work laid the foundation that makes this transition possible.
Bringing WordPress Campus Connect to Malaysia marked an important milestone for open-source education and community-driven learning in the region. On 3 January 2026, the first-ever WordPress Campus Connect event in Malaysia was held at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru, welcoming students, educators, organizers, mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., and volunteers for a day dedicated to learning, collaboration, and open-source exploration.
WordPress Campus Connect is part of the WordPress Education initiative, designed to help students learn by doing — building practical skills with WordPress, understanding open-source values, and exploring career pathways through community-led learning. Hosting this initiative at UTM provided a meaningful opportunity to connect academic learning with real-world digital experience.
Preparing for the Event
Preparation for the event began with close collaboration between the organizing team, volunteers, and mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.. The goal was to create an inclusive and beginner-friendly environment where students could engage with WordPress beyond theory and gain practical insights into how open-source communities function.
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia supported the initiative by providing the venue and encouraging student participation, making it possible to host the first Campus Connect event in the country. Organizers and volunteers worked together to ensure smooth coordination across registration, logistics, audio-visual support, and on-site engagement.
The event was supported by WordPress Community Sponsors, with funding assistance of USD 300 used for printing, swag, refreshments, and other essential arrangements. We are thankful to the global sponsors who continue to enable community-led learning initiatives across the WordPress ecosystem.
Website Setup
Organizing the first WordPress Campus Connect event in Malaysia also provided valuable insights into the operational aspects of running a community-led education event. These learnings may be helpful for future Campus Connect organizers.
Website Setup and Design
The event website was designed following the same standards used across other WordPress Campus Connect events. Organizers should note that the Campus Connect website environment follows WordCamp.org guidelines, meaning:
The website must be built using GutenbergGutenbergThe Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc.
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ (BlockBlockBlock is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. Editor)
Page builders or additional plugins are not available
While this may feel limiting at first, it encourages thoughtful design using coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. WordPress tools. The dashboard experience is identical to a WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. site, including access to sessions, speakers, organizers, volunteers, and sponsors.
A ticketing page was also enabled, allowing students to register and “purchase” free tickets through the official system, helping organizers manage attendance in a structured way.
Although the setup has constraints, there are still many creative possibilities within Gutenberg. For new organizers, it is recommended to allocate sufficient time for design planning and collaborate closely as a team when structuring the website.
Venue Coordination with the University
Securing the venue required working through the university’s official venue approval process, similar to how venue agreements are handled for WordCamps. This step is essential for scheduling a Campus Connect event officially.
The venue contract process has recently been improved, with options for both paid and free venue agreements, making it more flexible for universities and organizers. Completing this process correctly is a critical milestone before confirming the event date.
Design and Printing Resources
Most of the official design assets are available through Figma, including:
Logos (multiple formats and print-ready versions)
Posters and covers
Presentation slides
Certificates
Wappu illustrations
Sticker-ready logo variations
The organizing team customized these assets to suit the local event while maintaining the official branding. The design kit also helped guide color selection, which was used consistently across digital and printed materials. Having ready-to-use logo variations made printing stickers and materials much easier.
Issuing Certificates of Participation
All participants received e-certificates of participation following the event. For many students, this recognition carried meaningful value, not only as proof of attendance but as acknowledgment of their first engagement with the global WordPress community.
Several students shared that receiving the certificate increased their confidence and motivated them to explore further involvement in open-source initiatives and future WordPress events.
Behind the Scenes
The success of the event was made possible by a dedicated organizing team led by Mohammad Ibrahim as Lead Organizer, with Nasim Miah serving as Co-Lead. The organizing team also included Yves Tan, Kamil Sharip, Eric Low, Teh Yong Li, Peng Hao and Ts. Chan Ler-Kuan, who collectively supported planning, logistics, sessions, and community coordination.
A committed volunteer team supported the event throughout the day, assisting with registration, attendee support, floor management, audio-visual operations, photography, and logistics. Their efforts ensured a welcoming and well-organized experience for all participants.
Student Engagement and Activities
The event received over 100 registrations, with 54 students attending in person on 3 January 2026. Participants represented five different countries, creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment.
Throughout the day, students actively participated in Q&A sessions, interactive discussions, and the quiz segment. Many attendees stayed after sessions to speak directly with speakers and organizers, asking follow-up questions about WordPress development, UIUIUI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing. design, freelancing opportunities, and career pathways.
The quiz session generated high energy and enthusiasm, with students competing enthusiastically and celebrating the top performers and lucky draw winners.
This milestone at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia demonstrates how community-driven education can create meaningful learning experiences and lasting connections for the next generation of digital creators.
First, the current Team Reps of 2026 would like to thank each one of you for voting. Voting has ended.
You made your voices heard and participated in voting.
Your selection of the two new nominees means they will join the Team Reps in 2026.
What happens next?
The Voting Process has ended, and we are counting the votes to ensure everything was done correctly and fairly.
The next steps are contacting the nominees who have the highest votes. We will ask them again. We want to know if they are willing to accept the role. They would represent the WordPress Project’s Community Team in 2026.
Once they accept, we will announce who they are to the entire community. We will arrange a series of Hand-offs and Onboardings for them.
Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.
18 more events are currently in the planning stages! We are actively working to expand our global reach and bring more educational opportunities to students worldwide. Come find us in the #campusconnect Slack channel.
Event Highlights
WordPress Campus Connect continues to grow globally, with multiple successful events, new resources, and increased community engagement this month.
Campus Connect UTM (Malaysia, 2026)
51 attendees
First-ever WordPress Campus Connect event held in Malaysia
Hosted at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)
Program Highlights:
Introduction to WordPress and open-source collaboration
Knowledge sharing across students, developers, and educators
All WordPress Education initiatives were represented at WC Nepal Contributor Day by @pooja
Discussion Highlights:
15–20 participants engaged (students, faculty, meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. organizers, contributors)
Explored launching programs in local cities
Discussed outreach challenges and practical solutions
Shared pathways for ongoing support and mentorship
Following the recent Campus Connect Kathmandu event:
Organizer shared positive event experience
Two colleges expressed potential interest in launching Student Clubs and WP Credits.
Office HoursOffice HoursDefined times when the Global Community Team are in the #community-events Slack channel. If there is anything you would like to discuss – you do not need to inform them in advance.You are very welcome to drop into any of the Community Team Slack channels at any time.: 4 Education Office Hours sessions hosted this month
The WordPress Credits program continues expanding across institutions and regions with strong academic integration and partnership growth.
Fidélitas University (Costa Rica)
WordPress Credits is now a mandatory component of the Technology and Society course
158 students enrolled in the current cohort (completion expected in May)
5 teachers are being trained to serve as mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. for their students
Spain – Vocational School Expansion
Partnerships signed with 2 new vocational schools
5 teachers at one institution being trained as mentors
Program will support:
4 student cohorts (~70 students)
Approximately 8,500 contribution hours
Timeline: late February – June
New Institutional Interest
8 new applications received from institutions across: Spain, Cambodia, Chile, India, & Bangladesh.
External Feature
WPBakery published an ExcerptExcerptAn excerpt is the description of the blog post or page that will by default show on the blog archive page, in search results (SERPs), and on social media. With an SEO plugin, the excerpt may also be in that plugin’s metabox. Talks episode about WordPress Credits featuring Ivana Cirkovic, Isotta, Maciej and can be watched here.
WordPress Student Clubs
Strong participation and energy set the tone for continued workshops and hands-on learning ahead.
WordPress Student Club GWECA — Second Official Event
The club hosted a learning session combined with a WordPress Website Challenge kickoff.
Activities included:
Mini-quiz competition covering WordPress basics, themes, and plugins
Discussion on pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. functionality and website enhancement
Introduction to the upcoming Website Challenge: Students will recreate and redesign a real website using WordPress
Two new student clubs were created, bringing our total to 12.
WordPress Student Club GWECAWordPress Student Club GWECAWordPress Student Club GWECA
