DrupalCamp England 2025: Sessions on Drupal Open University Initiative and Drupal CMS Recipes

DrupalCamp England 2025 is set to be an exciting return to the country’s premier Drupal event after a five-year absence. Held at the Faculty of Law in Cambridge on March 1st, the event will bring together Drupal professionals, developers, and enthusiasts to discuss the latest advancements in the content management framework. Among the many compelling sessions, two stand out for their impact on the future of Drupal education and best practices: The Drupal Open University Initiative and Drupal CMS Recipes.

Drupal Open University Initiative: Status and Vision

One of the key sessions at DrupalCamp England 2025 is “Drupal Open University Initiative—Status and Vision,” presented by Hilmar Hallbjörnsson. The Drupal Open University Initiative is a community-driven effort aimed at integrating Drupal into university curricula to cultivate a new generation of Drupal developers. Led by Hilmar Hallbjörnsson, CEO, CTO & Senior Drupal Developer at Um ad gera ehf., a Drupal agency based in Iceland, the initiative does not function as an online university but rather seeks to incorporate Drupal into certified academic programs.

The goal is to ensure that students graduate with knowledge of Drupal and PHP, equipping them with real-world skills and increasing their employment opportunities, Hilmar explained.

During his session, Hilmar will showcase his own experience teaching "Developing Open-Source Web Software with Drupal" at Reykjavik University. Since 2020, this intensive three-week course has immersed students in hands-on development, culminating in a group project where students build a Drupal module integrating Spotify and Discogs. They implement autocomplete functionality, customize fields, and store data in nodes or custom entities. Hilmar hopes to bring together more educators under this initiative to foster greater collaboration.

For businesses looking to bridge the talent gap, there are multiple ways to get involved. Financial support can help sustain the initiative, given that much of the work is done voluntarily. Companies can also contribute by reviewing course materials and providing feedback on graduates’ skills.

“Reaching out to universities and colleges in their local region and asking why they don’t teach Drupal and PHP as part of their curriculum is another impactful step,”

he suggested. The long-term benefits for businesses are substantial—hiring graduates with Drupal expertise can save months of training and allow them to enter as junior developers rather than interns.

Drupal CMS Recipes: What Do They Do?

Another highly anticipated session at DrupalCamp England 2025 is "Drupal CMS Recipes – What Do They Do?" presented by Gareth Alexander, Senior Drupal Developer at Zoocha. This session will take attendees on a guided tour of Recipes in Drupal CMS, examining whether these pre-configured site setups introduce new best practices or build techniques.

Gareth acknowledges that Recipes are still evolving, comparing them to how modules and themes are installed. However, he notes that there are still technical challenges to overcome. While his session won’t dive deeply into how Recipes work, he will provide resources for those who want to explore them further.

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As the Accessibility Tools Track Lead for the Drupal Starshot Initiative, Gareth also discussed whether Recipes could improve accessibility best practices. While he believes it is too early to rely on Recipes for accessibility tools, he sees potential for future advancements.

However, he confirmed that the Drupal Core accessibility team is actively exploring new ways to use Recipes to enhance accessibility in both Drupal Core and Drupal CMS.

With its return after five years, DrupalCamp England 2025 promises to be a valuable event for professionals across the Drupal ecosystem. The event offers not only learning opportunities but also the chance to network with like-minded professionals, share ideas, and contribute to the growth of the Drupal community. Learn more about the event here.