TL;DR: WordPress in Higher Education Faces Growing Pains with Potential for Growth
WordPress is a popular choice in higher education, powering 40% of the web, but many institutions struggle with adopting its advanced features like Full Site Editing and Gutenberg due to resource limitations, governance challenges, and accessibility concerns.
- Adoption Challenges: Universities need tailored tools that address branding, accessibility, and governance issues across massive site networks.
- Scalable Tools Required: Current plugins often fail to meet compliance and operational needs for large higher education systems.
- Lessons for Startups: Focus on building systems designed for specific workflows, prioritizing governance and adaptability over excess features.
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Rachel Cherry and Alex Aspinall on the State of WordPress in Higher Education
When Rachel Cherry and Alex Aspinall came together on WP Tavern Podcast #184 to dive into the state of WordPress in higher education, it wasn’t just another conversation about tech platforms, it was an urgent call to rethink how universities adapt to digital and operational complexities at scale. As both a parallel entrepreneur and game-based educator, I couldn’t help but see parallels between their findings and the revolution that startup ecosystems are undergoing on another level. Universities and startups may seem worlds apart, but they share one commonality: they are facing extensive digital disruptions they can’t afford to ignore.
Why WordPress Dominates But Demands New Standards
WordPress powers over 40% of the web, a feat made possible by its open-source flexibility and vast ecosystem of plugins and themes. Yet, while these benefits make it popular in higher ed, many institutions are grappling with the platform’s slow adoption of advanced features like Full Site Editing (FSE) and the Block Editor. According to research by Human Made, only 40% of higher ed teams fully embrace Gutenberg, and 62% avoid FSE altogether. Why? Resource constraints, the need for extensive governance, and hesitations about accessibility compliance.
- Slow Block Editor Uptake: Teams managing large-scale networks (sometimes 300+ sites) find it difficult to retrain staff and redesign processes to align with Gutenberg.
- FSE Avoidance: Institutions fear losing control over branding and accessibility as users wield increased design freedom.
- Plugin Frustrations: Many plugins cater to general audiences rather than meeting the robust compliance and scale requirements of academic environments.
Rachel Cherry emphasized a pressing issue: higher ed teams operate like “enterprise on a budget,” juggling complex, enterprise-grade demands without matching resources. It’s a defining challenge that aligns with what Fe/male Switch aims to solve for women-first startups, helping individuals and systems punch above their weight by leveraging scalable, streamlining tools tailored to their specific realities.
What WordPress Needs to Get Higher Ed Right
Here’s the insight that stood out during the discussion. Universities don’t just need platforms that “work”; they demand systems that address their unique operational headaches. Accessibility compliance is non-negotiable due to regulations like Section 508 in the U.S. and the European Accessibility Act. Similarly, governance tools are critical for managing large teams and protecting institutional integrity. Universities, and frankly, startups, often face bottlenecks when tech doesn’t adapt sustainably to their workflows.
- Accessibility Plugins Need Revamping: Current plugins rarely offer the streamlined compliance tools demanded by higher ed environments.
- Customized Solutions for Governance: Academic institutions operate uniquely, making generic solutions ill-fit for large-scale usability across networks.
- Enterprise Support: Universities need plugins and tools designed for scaling horizontally while maintaining robust, integrated workflows.
What Startups Can Learn From Higher Ed WordPress Practices
If there’s one lesson I’ve extracted from building Fe/male Switch, a play-to-learn game incubator, it’s the importance of scalability and accessibility intertwined with governance. Higher ed WordPress teams unknowingly model startup struggles with limited resources, demanding workflows, and audience-specific constraints. They prioritize internal governance over flashy features because reliability is paramount.
- Scalability by Necessity: When you are managing 300+ sites on limited resources, you quickly learn the value of streamlined, automated processes.
- No Room for Bloat: Plugins that overload functionality rarely solve real-world scaling challenges.
- Governance Is Not Optional: From team collaboration to user permissions, governance makes or breaks operational integrity, universities know this, and startups should embrace it too.
Much like universities, startups need standardized frameworks to handle ambiguity and scale better with smaller teams. This is why Fe/male Switch integrates tools like AI-driven decision-making guides and tokenized ecosystem rewards to incentivize behavior that leads to consistency. Rachel Cherry’s advocacy for governance-first WordPress adoption speaks directly to missions like ours where accessibility, systems efficiency, and cost optimization intersect.
How WordPress Can Keep Pace With Founder & Institution Realities
Long-term success for WordPress in higher ed requires more than technical innovation, it requires adaptability and ecosystem-wide partnerships. The Human Made report underscores how universities demonstrate an appetite for AI integrations, improved editorial workflows, and better plugin audits. Just like founders in Fe/male Switch, institutions work best when resources propel operational clarity over scattered inefficiencies.
- AI Integration: Tools for simplified editorial workflows and efficient decision-making excite academic teams.
- Accessibility Focus: Improved regulatory support addresses systemic inequalities and compliance friction.
- Multisite Mastery: Higher ed struggles highlight gaps in multisite network configurations that could reframe similar challenges startup founders face.
In 2026, WordPress needs substantial momentum in addressing accessibility, plugin governance, and AI-ready solutions tailored to the complexities of managing digital ecosystems at scale.
Final Thoughts: The Road Ahead for People Leading Change
The state of WordPress in higher education is a prism showing intricate cracks in universal systems. Both Rachel Cherry and Alex Aspinall emphasized that while the platform remains “enterprise-grade,” its future hinges on product evolution and project governance, areas all founders, freelancers, and solopreneurs should heed. It mirrors a larger truth: scalable industries need structural flexibility and access-driven dynamics that forcefully close gaps for marginalized groups.
At Fe/male Switch, we see the future of entrepreneurship, not unlike universities, rooted in governance-ready communities where tech serves humans seamlessly and sustainably. Founders are not looking for shiny functionality; they want systems that bend to their contexts, enhance daily workflows, and democratize opportunities to rise.
From WordPress plugin creators to early-stage game designers, we must adopt a simple rule of forward motion: build universal tools for specific people. Education should upgrade minds, but infrastructure changes lives.
FAQ on WordPress in Higher Education and Startups
Why is WordPress popular in higher education despite adoption challenges?
WordPress’s open-source flexibility and immense plugin ecosystem make it ideal for diverse educational institutions. However, adoption challenges arise due to limited staff training and governance needs. Understand WordPress’s impact on startups. Explore educational use-case insights.
How can universities scale WordPress networks efficiently?
Universities can scale WordPress by automating workflows and centralizing governance across multisite systems. For startups, scalability lessons learned here, such as workflow prioritization, are invaluable. Discover more about AI streamlining workflows.
What are the top challenges for higher ed WordPress teams?
Higher ed teams face issues like plugin bloat, accessibility, and a lack of governance tools. Addressing these challenges with resource-balanced plugins ensures operational success. Learn accessible WordPress strategies.
What role does accessibility play in selecting WordPress for education?
Accessibility is critical due to regulations like Section 508 and the EU Accessibility Act. WordPress plugins should comply while also prioritizing global inclusivity. Learn to improve digital accessibility for your brand.
How can startups replicate community-driven WordPress innovation?
Startups can emulate WordPress's success by embracing open-source contributions, fostering education-focused initiatives, and scaling through AI-powered strategies. Replicate community models for your startup budget.
What makes Full Site Editing (FSE) underused in higher education?
62% of higher ed teams avoid FSE due to fears of losing control over branding and accessibility. Enhancing team training could improve adoption rates. Understand Gutenberg-driven adoption benefits.
Why is multisite mastery critical for educational networks?
Multisite WordPress networks allow universities to manage 300+ websites while maintaining brand consistency. Startups managing diverse customer sites or groups can benefit from these lessons. Learn multisite leadership tips.
How can university teams overcome plugin governance issues?
Investing in plugins tailored for compliance and team needs while reducing unnecessary features avoids common pitfalls in scalability. Explore governance best practices.
What startups can learn from academic teams managing WordPress?
Academic digital teams highlight the importance of automation, accessibility, and collaborative governance to scale small budgets. Adopting these strategies boosts entrepreneurial efficiency. Explore multi-channel marketing playbooks.
What accessibility plugins are recommended for WordPress in higher ed?
While plugin options exist, many miss adequate compliance features. Created-for-scale solutions like accessibility-focused plugins improve usability and compliance. Enhance accessibility easily.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the “gamepreneurship” methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the point of view of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.