Bringing WordPress Campus Connect to Malaysia: A Milestone for Open-Source Education at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

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 Supporter Event 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 Supporter Event 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.

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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 GutenbergGutenberg The 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/ (BlockBlock Block 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 coreCore Core is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. WordPress tools. The dashboard experience is identical to a WordCampWordCamp WordCamps 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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, UIUI UI 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.