Progress Update: Pre-Defense Presentation for Increasing Participation in WordCamp Europe 2026

This week was an important milestone in my WordPress Credits internship as I completed my pre-defense presentation related to my thesis project. My research focuses on developing strategies to increase participant attendance at WordCamp Europe 2026 in Poland.

During the presentation, I explained the main objective of my thesis, which is to analyze the factors affecting participation in previous WordCamp Europe events and propose strategies that could help attract more attendees in the future. As part of my research structure, the thesis currently consists of three main chapters.

The first chapter focuses on the background and importance of WordCamp events within the WordPress ecosystem. It explains how WordCamp conferences bring together developers, contributors, businesses, and community members to share knowledge and collaborate.

The second chapter analyzes previous WordCamp Europe events, including trends in participation, stakeholder involvement, and overall impact. By comparing earlier events, it becomes possible to identify patterns and factors that influence attendance.

The third chapter focuses on strategic recommendations to increase participation in WordCamp Europe 2026. This includes examining marketing strategies, community engagement, and tourism-related opportunities that could make the event more attractive to international participants.

The pre-defense went well, and I received valuable feedback from the committee. One important suggestion was to clearly identify the benefits for different stakeholders if participant numbers increase. These stakeholders include contributors, sponsors, local businesses, tourism organizations, and the broader WordPress community.

In the coming weeks, I will continue improving my research by incorporating these suggestions, particularly by analyzing how higher participation can create greater value for all stakeholders involved in the WordCamp ecosystem.

This progress marks another step forward in my internship and thesis development, and I look forward to further refining my research in the upcoming stages.