The University Relations Office (URO) of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has organised a Wikipedia and copyright training workshop for its staff to strengthen institutional data integrity, digital knowledge management and heritage preservation.

The workshop, facilitated by educator and climate advocate Mr. Maxwell Beganim, focused on responsible content creation and editing on Wikipedia, alongside practical guidance on copyright, licensing and the ethical use of digital and archival materials.

Participants were introduced to Wikipedia as an open, non-commercial online encyclopaedia that allows users to contribute content without special access, provided entries meet established standards of notability, verifiability and neutral point of view.

“Wikipedia is a platform where, once you log in, you have the opportunity to contribute knowledge that is accessible to a global audience,” Mr. Beganim said, noting that the platform is available in more than 300 languages worldwide.

He also outlined the role of the Wikimedia Foundation, describing it as a global movement committed to providing free educational content, and highlighted projects under its umbrella, including Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Wikidata, Wikinews, Wikiquote and Wikimedia Incubator, which are supported through donor funding.

A key component of the training centred on copyright and intellectual property. Participants were guided on the appropriate use of images, text and institutional records, including the application of Creative Commons licences, with emphasis on avoiding infringement and ensuring compliance when publishing content on open platforms.

The Head of the Media and Events Section at the University Relations Office, Mr. Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah, said the training was critical to protecting KNUST’s institutional data and digital heritage.

“Wikipedia has become a primary reference point for students, researchers and the general public. It’s therefore important that institutional information about KNUST, our history, leadership, research outputs and milestones is accurate, verifiable and shared in full compliance with copyright and licensing requirements,” Mr. Debrah said.

“This initiative strengthens our capacity to ensuring that our institutional heritage is responsibly documented and preserved in the digital space,” he added.

The workshop featured an interactive question-and-answer session and concluded with a hands-on practical exercise, during which participants were guided through editing Wikipedia articles and applying appropriate copyright and licensing principles.