From Volunteers to Visionaries: Launching the EduWiki Hub

On the 22nd and 23rd April, 46 Wikimedians (educators, volunteers, and affiliate leaders) joined our two-part online session tagged “The Future of EduWiki.” Hosted by the EduWiki User Group board members LiAnna Davis, Bukola James, João Alexandre Peschanski, and Shreya Dwivedi, these meetings provided participants with progress update about the EduWiki Conference 2025 in Bogotá, refreshed our collective understanding of the EduWiki Theory of Change, and invited the community to help evolve our entirely volunteer‑run User Group into a sustainable Hub model.

LiAnna Davis opened both calls by reminding everyone that from May 30 to June 1, about 100 educators and open‑knowledge advocates will convene in Bogotá to share best practices, strengthen capacity, and continue the conversation we began online. With 73 program proposals already submitted across the tracks of Sharing Learnings, Capacity Building, and Future Roadmapping she painted a vivid picture of an event that truly spans the globe.

Building on that momentum, Bukola James and Shreya Dwivedi traced EduWiki’s journey from its volunteer‑only origins through mentorship programs, regional meet‑ups, edit‑a‑thons, international curriculum support, and monthly newsletters. They explained how, between mid‑2023 and early‑2024, 52 experienced Wikimedia education‑program leaders co‑created our formal Theory of Change. From those consultations emerged 5 essential community needs: a clearer definition of “education” within Wikimedia; stronger global coordination; richer sharing of open educational resources (OER); robust technical infrastructure; and flexible services tailored to programs of every size. These insights now underpin a blueprint for an EduWiki Hub‑like structure inspired by the Wikimedia Movement Strategy’s “Hubs” concept.

We then outlined the pilot Hub model: 2 dedicated staff positions (an EduWiki Hub Coordinator and a Technical Coordinator) under Wikimedia Brazil’s fiscal sponsorship; 4 working‑group pillars (Outreach & Engagement; Resource Curation & Development; Technical Infrastructure; Capacity Building & Volunteer Support) forming an advisory committee; and first‑year services that include an enriched newsletter workflow, monthly EduWiki connection calls, a global OER directory, structured mentorship pathways, and full logistical support for future EduWiki conferences.

The Q&A that followed covered a wide range of topics. One attendee asked how the new Hub model differs from our current volunteer coordination; we explained that this initiative is a funded pilot — staffed and community‑owned — to test sustainable support structures before any larger rollout. Others inquired about virtual participation for those unable to travel to Bogotá, and we confirmed that every session will be recorded and accompanied by post‑conference online debriefs. Questions also arose about long‑term ownership of our technical infrastructure, leading us to share the draft Working Groups page on Meta and note that the launch protocols and feedback forms are still being finalized.

We heard strong feedback on the need for consistent Spanish‑language inclusion across all administrative and educational processes, as well as requests for affiliates to propose concrete, territory‑based collaborations. Additional discussion focused on whether the Hub will serve public audiences, affiliates, or local communities directly; on integrating sustainable‑education practices adapted to each region’s realities; and on how the Hub might advocate data‑driven needs to the Wikimedia Foundation through our advisory committee.

In the second call, participants asked how university WikiClubs could get involved, and we discussed strategies for engaging diverse stakeholders to improve collaboration. Attendees also highlighted the session’s long‑term value for future generations and requested case studies of successful projects to inform their own local WikiClub efforts.

Before we concluded the 1st call, 35 participants rated the session’s usefulness an average of 4.5 out of 5. They praised the clear conference preview and Theory of Change insights, said they now understand exactly how to shape the Hub’s community engagement and governance, and reported feeling more confident about future EduWiki initiatives. When asked how the current structure aligns with their vision, respondents stressed the need for a more welcoming environment for newcomers, deeper cultural and generational diversity, broader language inclusion, and a commitment to qualitative research and accessibility.

Finally, participants signaled which working groups they would join; Resource Curation & Development led the pack, followed by Outreach & Engagement, Technical Infrastructure, and Capacity Building & Volunteer Support and outlined personal pledges: designing and curating OER in Spanish, writing for our newsletter, sharing affiliate‑level insights, forging educational partnerships, and dedicating 2 to 3 hours a month to working‑group calls.

That spirit of generosity and shared purpose convinces us that EduWiki is fully ready to grow up. In the coming weeks, we will finalise advisory‑committee appointments, launch our hiring process for Hub and Technical Coordinators under Wikimedia Brazil’s sponsorship, and stand up our pilot services transforming our volunteer‑run User Group into a staffed, governed, and community‑powered Hub.

Thank you to everyone who logged in, spoke up, and is already rolling up their sleeves. Stay tuned on Meta for slides, recordings, and the full Hub‑model proposal, and let’s keep building the future of Wikimedia in education together.For more information and updates, visit: Future of EduWiki 2025