This is the English rendition of the article originally written in Japanese. The original text reads ăäžçććœăźć€§ćŠçăŠăŁăăăăŁăąăłă»ăłăă„ăăăŁă.
This article outlines several Wikipedian communities composed of university students from various regions across the globe. Additionally, as the initiator of the “Student Wikipedian Community in Waseda University, Tokyo,” I will elaborate on the aspects that resonate with me.
My aspiration is that this article proves informative for individuals interested in the collaborative relationship between Wikipedia and academic institutions, those striving to integrate Wikipedia in educational settings, and, in particular, university student Wikipedians.
Japan
Within Japan, there exists the “Student Wikipedian Community in Waseda University, Tokyo.” The group extends beyond the confines of the university and involves online interactions with students from other institutions. The article below offers a succinct overview of the community’s historical trajectory.
The community periodically convenes with the “Toumon Wikipedian Club Tokyo,” which is their alumni association, and generates diverse articles on the Diff.
Moreover, the community organizes editathons in various GLAMs, including the Oya Soichi Library, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, and Tokyo National Museum, in partnership with Dr. Sae Kitamura, also known as [[User:ăăăŒăŒ]].
Nigeria
At Kwara State University in Nigeria, the “Wikimedia Fan Club, Kwara State University” exists. The group has organized editathons such as the Wiki Loves SDGs Campus Tour and participated in various Wikimedia Project events, including the Wiki Loves Monuments 2022 in Nigeria, in collaboration with the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. Furthermore, this student community strives to augment the quantity of Wikipedia articles in African local languages.
Additionally, Nigeria houses the “Wiki Club, Lagos State University” at Lagos State University and the “Wikimedia Fan Club, University of Ilorin” at the University of Ilorin.
Both the “Wikimedia Fan Club, Kwara State University” and the “Student Wikipedian Community in Waseda University, Tokyo” share a common practice of collaborating with Wikipedians outside of their respective communities. Despite the absence of a User group in Japan, the Waseda Wikipedians collaborate with Dr. Sae Kitamura and Hiroshi Kamoshida from Oya Soichi Library.
Tanzania
In Tanzania, the “Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians User Group (TUSWUG)” exists. TUSWUG is comprised of students hailing from various universities across Tanzania and organizes numerous Wikipedia events. Additionally, the group collaborates with the “Wikimedians of Arusha User Group,” “Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania,” and “Jenga Wikipedia ya Kiswahili.”
The history of TUSWUG is detailed on a MetaWiki page, and Magotech, the founder of TUSWUG, reports on the group’s activities on Diff, the official blog of the Wikimedia Foundation.
I was impressed by the article “A Life as a Wiki Club Leader” on Diff, as a Wikipedian who has also led a university student Wikipedian community. Magotech’s insights on maintaining the community were enlightening, and I particularly resonated with the statement “Stay up to date.” This article highlights the importance of continually expanding one’s knowledge.
Stay up to date: Keep abreast of new developments and best practices within the Wikimedia movement, and incorporate them into your clubâs activities as appropriate.
Turkey
There is a recently established community at ĂskĂŒdar University in Turkey called the “ĂskĂŒdar University Wikipedia Student Club.” This community was formed during the “Wikidata Trainings For Turkish Wikimedians 2022” event held in September 2022.
Between 2017 and 2020, the Erdogan government of Turkey had imposed strict limitations on access to Wikipedia. Although these restrictions were eventually lifted in January 2020 following the decision by the Constitutional Court that deemed it unconstitutional in December 2019, the fact that the state had prohibited access to Wikipedia for several years is an issue of great gravity. Further details on the subject can be found within the English Wikipedia article titled “Turkey Wikipedia access restrictions in 2017” (as of 20:43, 6 January 2023 UTC).
Given these circumstances, the emergence of a university Wikipedian community in Turkey fills me with immense joy. As a fellow Wikipedian, I hold this community in high regard and express my heartfelt admiration for their efforts.
Further information
If you’d like to learn more about university students’ involvement with Wikipedia, educational activities using Wikipedia, and the Wikipedian community, I recommend checking out the following pages:
Conclusion
From the standpoint of the founder of Student Wikipedian Community in Waseda University, Tokyo, I introduced university Wikipedian communities around the world. I focused on cooperation with people outside the community, how the community is managed, and the social background. I hope that various university Wikipedian communities will continue to be active in the future.
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