Drupal Open University Initiative Expands with "Drupal in a Day" Workshop at Drupaljam 2025

When Hilmar Hallbjörnsson—known to many as @drupalviking—started the Drupal Open University initiative, he wasn’t looking to reinvent the wheel. He just wanted to solve a simple but pressing problem: why are so many students graduating with computer science degrees but with no experience in modern web development tools like Drupal?

Hilmar explains, 

“Students who graduate with a B.Sc. degree in computer science don’t know much about CMSs or web programming in general. They’ve done some frontend work with JavaScript frameworks, but no real backend work—maybe a small Python project. But there’s no focus on PHP or working with a codebase that thousands of people contribute to.”

That’s where the Drupal Open University comes in.

The idea is both powerful and practical: create open-source teaching materials—freely available to anyone—that universities, colleges, and community trainers can use to teach Drupal. From full university courses to one-day introductions, the initiative is building slide decks, syllabi, and even an open-source textbook to make it easy to start learning and teaching Drupal.

And now, those materials are making their way to a much-anticipated live event at Drupaljam 2025.

“Drupal in a Day” at Drupaljam: An Open Invitation

On May 21st, 2025, Drupaljam will host a special student track called Drupal in a Day—a crash course for newcomers who want to dip their toes into the world of open-source web development.

This isn’t your average classroom setting. It’s a hands-on, fast-paced experience that puts laptops and creativity front and centre. No dry lectures. Just building.

“We’re offering ‘Drupal in a Day’ at Drupaljam and hopefully at DrupalCon Vienna as well, It’s an introduction for everyone who’s interested in Drupal but not sure if they want to start this journey.”

The workshop is built to be accessible. You don’t need to know Drupal. You don’t even need to know PHP. All you need is curiosity and a desire to learn how open-source tools like Drupal can be used to build powerful, scalable websites—and even careers.

An International Effort, a Shared Vision

Drupal Open University started small—just a BoF (Birds of a Feather) session with four people at DrupalCon Barcelona 2024. But by the end of that week, momentum was already building.

“Before the end of DrupalCon Barcelona, we had the initiative running at 150 mph,” 

Hilmar says.

“And now we are here, collaboratively writing a book together, designing syllabi, and offering ‘Drupal in a Day’ workshops.”

That speed came from the community. Today, the initiative has over 100 contributors across its Slack channel and four main focus areas: Courses, Teachers, Universities, and Community. From Japan to Canada, the US to Australia, people are showing up—not just to share knowledge, but to co-create something meaningful.

“I think it’s popular because it’s never been actively done before, and people see the potential. Instead of every teacher writing their own materials, we can collaborate and have one great source of information.”

And it’s not just about educators. The initiative hopes marketing professionals, agencies, and employers will also get involved by encouraging schools to add Drupal courses to their curricula, turning students into contributors before they even hit the job market.

From Interns to Juniors: A Smoother Path into the Industry

The long-term goal? Make it easier for students to start their Drupal careers.

Hilmer explains,

“We’re hoping to better prepare B.Sc. students to work in the web industry while still in school, making them more eligible to start working as juniors instead of interns” 

It’s a win-win: students get real, applicable skills while still studying, and agencies benefit from hiring juniors who can hit the ground running.
But there’s another important outcome: more contributors, more community growth.

“We really need new people to join our community to help it grow naturally. By investing time in training developers early, we hope our community will continue to expand even further.”

Why It Works: The Energy of the Drupal Community

Behind all the slides, syllabi, and open-source books is something just as powerful: the Drupal community itself.

“Our community is just one of the most energising communities I have ever been a part of, and good ideas are allowed to develop and grow,” 

says Hilmar.

That energy is what makes a single BoF session blossom into a global initiative. It’s what turns first-time students into core contributors. And it’s what fuels events like Drupal in a Day, where people who have never touched Drupal before leave with a working site, a stack of new skills, and an invitation to be part of something bigger.

Want to Join In? Start Here

If you're a student, a teacher, a trainer, or just someone who believes in open source, now’s the perfect time to get involved.

Sign up for the Drupal in a Day track at Drupaljam:

https://drupaljam.nl/drupal-in-a-day

Want to contribute to the Drupal Open University project?

Join the Drupal Slack workspace and connect with people shaping the future of Drupal education in the #open-university-initiative channel.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about learning Drupal. It’s about building confidence. Building skills. And most of all—building community.