diff --git a/invenio_communities/communities/dumpers/featured.py b/invenio_communities/communities/dumpers/featured.py
index 19f6cf3c8..29d407cd8 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/communities/dumpers/featured.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/communities/dumpers/featured.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 #
 # This file is part of Invenio.
-# Copyright (C) 2022 Graz University of Technology.
+# Copyright (C) 2022-2024 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 search body.
 """
 
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 from invenio_records.dumpers import SearchDumperExt
 
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def __init__(self, key="featured"):
 
     def dump(self, record, data):
         """Dump featured entries."""
-        now_ = datetime.utcnow()
+        now_ = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
         future_entries = (
             CommunityFeatured.query.filter(
                 CommunityFeatured.community_id == record.id,
diff --git a/invenio_communities/communities/records/models.py b/invenio_communities/communities/records/models.py
index f4ad14d99..a17d53659 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/communities/records/models.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/communities/records/models.py
@@ -2,20 +2,19 @@
 #
 # This file is part of Invenio.
 # Copyright (C) 2016-2021 CERN.
-# Copyright (C)      2022 Graz University of Technology.
+# Copyright (C) 2022-2024 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
 
 """Community database models."""
 
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 from invenio_db import db
 from invenio_files_rest.models import Bucket
-from invenio_records.models import RecordMetadataBase, Timestamp
+from invenio_records.models import RecordMetadataBase
 from invenio_records_resources.records import FileRecordModelMixin
-from sqlalchemy.dialects import mysql
 from sqlalchemy.types import String
 from sqlalchemy_utils.types import ChoiceType, UUIDType
 
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ class CommunityFileMetadata(db.Model, RecordMetadataBase, FileRecordModelMixin):
     __tablename__ = "communities_files"
 
 
-class CommunityFeatured(db.Model, Timestamp):
+class CommunityFeatured(db.Model, db.Timestamp):
     """Featured community entry."""
 
     __tablename__ = "communities_featured"
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ class CommunityFeatured(db.Model, Timestamp):
         UUIDType, db.ForeignKey(CommunityMetadata.id), nullable=False
     )
     start_date = db.Column(
-        db.DateTime().with_variant(mysql.DATETIME(fsp=6), "mysql"),
+        db.UTCDateTime(),
         nullable=False,
-        default=datetime.utcnow,
+        default=lambda: datetime.now(timezone.utc),
     )
diff --git a/invenio_communities/communities/records/systemfields/tombstone.py b/invenio_communities/communities/records/systemfields/tombstone.py
index 0e969ac81..d0d6842d0 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/communities/records/systemfields/tombstone.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/communities/records/systemfields/tombstone.py
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2023 TU Wien.
+# Copyright (C) 2024 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio-Communities is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
 
 """Systemfield for managing tombstone information of a community."""
 
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 from invenio_records.systemfields import SystemField
 from invenio_requests.resolvers.registry import ResolverRegistry
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ def removal_date(self):
     def removal_date(self, value):
         """Set the removal date."""
         if value is None:
-            value = datetime.utcnow()
+            value = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
 
         if isinstance(value, datetime):
             value = value.isoformat()
diff --git a/invenio_communities/communities/resources/serializer.py b/invenio_communities/communities/resources/serializer.py
index d254fd05f..faaf6d8bd 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/communities/resources/serializer.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/communities/resources/serializer.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #
 # This file is part of Invenio.
 # Copyright (C) 2022 CERN.
+# Copyright (C) 2025 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
@@ -22,5 +23,4 @@ def __init__(self):
             format_serializer_cls=JSONSerializer,
             object_schema_cls=UICommunitySchema,
             list_schema_cls=BaseListSchema,
-            schema_context={"object_key": "ui"},
         )
diff --git a/invenio_communities/communities/resources/ui_schema.py b/invenio_communities/communities/resources/ui_schema.py
index 3524adcbd..c9fd0e0bb 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/communities/resources/ui_schema.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/communities/resources/ui_schema.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 # This file is part of Invenio.
 # Copyright (C) 2022-2024 CERN.
 # Copyright (C) 2023 TU Wien.
+# Copyright (C) 2025 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
@@ -93,6 +94,8 @@ class FundingSchema(Schema):
 class UICommunitySchema(BaseObjectSchema):
     """Schema for dumping extra information of the community for the UI."""
 
+    object_key = "ui"
+
     type = fields.Nested(VocabularyL10Schema, attribute="metadata.type")
 
     funding = fields.List(
diff --git a/invenio_communities/fixtures/tasks.py b/invenio_communities/fixtures/tasks.py
index c08e40445..e33d82dad 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/fixtures/tasks.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/fixtures/tasks.py
@@ -2,14 +2,15 @@
 #
 # This file is part of Invenio.
 # Copyright (C) 2016-2021 CERN.
-# Copyright (C)      2022 Graz University of Technology.
+# Copyright (C) 2022-2025 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 # under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
 
 """Celery tasks for fixtures."""
 
-from datetime import datetime
+
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from uuid import UUID
 
 from celery import shared_task
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ def create_demo_community(data, logo_path=None, feature=False):
                 service.update_logo(system_identity, community.id, filestream)
 
         if feature:
-            featured_data = {"start_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat()}
+            featured_data = {"start_date": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()}
             service.featured_create(system_identity, community.id, featured_data)
         if "id" in data:
             uuid = data["id"]
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ def create_demo_community(data, logo_path=None, feature=False):
 def reindex_featured_entries():
     """Reindexes records having at least one future entry which is now in the past."""
     service = current_communities.service
-    now = datetime.utcnow().isoformat()
+    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
 
     @unit_of_work()
     def reindex_community(hit, uow=None):
diff --git a/invenio_communities/members/services/schemas.py b/invenio_communities/members/services/schemas.py
index ad9f9f71f..32941cf07 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/members/services/schemas.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/members/services/schemas.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2022 Northwestern University.
 # Copyright (C) 2022 CERN.
-# Copyright (C) 2023 Graz University of Technology.
+# Copyright (C) 2023-2025 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio-Communities is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
     current_users_service,
 )
 from marshmallow import Schema, ValidationError, fields, validate, validates_schema
+from marshmallow_utils.context import context_schema
 from marshmallow_utils.fields import SanitizedUnicode, TZDateTime
 
 from .fields import RoleField
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ def get_user_member(self, user):
         name = profile.get("full_name") or user.get("username") or _("Untitled")
         description = profile.get("affiliations") or ""
         fake_user_obj = SimpleNamespace(id=user["id"])
-        current_identity = self.context["identity"]
+        current_identity = context_schema.get()["identity"]
         avatar = current_users_service.links_item_tpl.expand(
             current_identity, fake_user_obj
         )["avatar"]
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ def get_user_member(self, user):
     def get_group_member(self, group):
         """Get a group member."""
         fake_group_obj = SimpleNamespace(id=group["id"])
-        current_identity = self.context["identity"]
+        current_identity = context_schema.get()["identity"]
         avatar = current_groups_service.links_item_tpl.expand(
             current_identity, fake_group_obj
         )["avatar"]
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ class MemberDumpSchema(PublicDumpSchema):
     def is_self(self, obj):
         """Get permission."""
         if "is_self" not in self.context:
-            current_identity = self.context["identity"]
+            current_identity = context_schema.get()["identity"]
             self.context["is_self"] = (
                 obj.user_id is not None
                 and current_identity.id is not None
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ def get_current_user(self, obj):
 
     def get_permissions(self, obj):
         """Get permission."""
-        permission_check = self.context["field_permission_check"]
+        permission_check = context_schema.get()["field_permission_check"]
 
         # Does not take CommunitySelfMember into account because no "member" is
         # passed to the permission check.
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ def get_permissions(self, obj):
         # Only owners and managers can list invitations, and thus only the
         # request status is necessary to determine if the identity can cancel.
         is_open = obj["request"]["status"] == "submitted"
-        permission_check = self.context["field_permission_check"]
+        permission_check = context_schema.get()["field_permission_check"]
 
         return {
             "can_cancel": is_open,
diff --git a/invenio_communities/members/services/service.py b/invenio_communities/members/services/service.py
index 85bdba811..a2a664615 100644
--- a/invenio_communities/members/services/service.py
+++ b/invenio_communities/members/services/service.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2022 Northwestern University.
 # Copyright (C) 2022-2024 CERN.
-# Copyright (C) 2022-2023 Graz University of Technology.
+# Copyright (C) 2022-2024 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio-Communities is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
 def invite_expires_at():
     """Get the invitation expiration date."""
     return (
-        datetime.utcnow().replace(tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+        datetime.now(timezone.utc)
         + current_app.config["COMMUNITIES_INVITATIONS_EXPIRES_IN"]
     )
 
diff --git a/tests/communities/test_components.py b/tests/communities/test_components.py
index 6b24c7071..a7917a971 100644
--- a/tests/communities/test_components.py
+++ b/tests/communities/test_components.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2022 Graz University of Technology.
+# Copyright (C) 2022-2024 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio-Communities is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 """Test components."""
 
 from copy import deepcopy
-from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 import pytest
 from invenio_access.permissions import system_identity
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def comm(community_service, minimal_community, owner, location):
     """Create minimal public community."""
     c = deepcopy(minimal_community)
     c["slug"] = "public-{slug}".format(
-        slug=str(datetime.utcnow().timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
+        slug=str(datetime.now(timezone.utc).timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
     )
     community = community_service.create(data=c, identity=owner.identity)
     owner.refresh()
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def comm_restricted(community_service, minimal_community, owner, location):
     c = deepcopy(minimal_community)
     c["access"]["visibility"] = "restricted"
     c["slug"] = "restricted-{slug}".format(
-        slug=str(datetime.utcnow().timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
+        slug=str(datetime.now(timezone.utc).timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
     )
     community = community_service.create(data=c, identity=owner.identity)
     owner.refresh()
diff --git a/tests/communities/test_services.py b/tests/communities/test_services.py
index 65827447b..99c9b491c 100644
--- a/tests/communities/test_services.py
+++ b/tests/communities/test_services.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2022 Graz University of Technology.
+# Copyright (C) 2022-2024 Graz University of Technology.
 # Copyright (C) 2022 Northwestern University.
 #
 # Invenio-Communities is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import time
 import uuid
 from copy import deepcopy
-from datetime import datetime, timedelta
+from datetime import datetime, timedelta, timezone
 
 import arrow
 import pytest
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def comm(community_service, minimal_community, location):
     """Create minimal public community."""
     c = deepcopy(minimal_community)
     c["slug"] = "{slug}".format(
-        slug=str(datetime.utcnow().timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
+        slug=str(datetime.now(timezone.utc).timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
     )
     return community_service.create(data=c, identity=system_identity)
 
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def comm_restricted(community_service, minimal_community, location):
     """Create minimal restricted community."""
     c = deepcopy(minimal_community)
     c["slug"] = "{slug}".format(
-        slug=str(datetime.utcnow().timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
+        slug=str(datetime.now(timezone.utc).timestamp()).replace(".", "-")
     )
     c["access"]["visibility"] = "restricted"
     return community_service.create(data=c, identity=system_identity)
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ def comm_restricted(community_service, minimal_community, location):
 def test_search_featured(community_service, comm, db, search_clear):
     """Test that featured entries are indexed and returned correctly."""
     data = {
-        "start_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
+        "start_date": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
     }
     future_data = {
-        "start_date": (datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
+        "start_date": (datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
     }
 
     # no featured entries -> no featured communities
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ def test_search_featured(community_service, comm, db, search_clear):
     assert hits[0]["id"] == comm.data["id"]
 
     # adding past featured entry to new community. first community should show up first
-    data["start_date"] = (datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(days=1)).isoformat()
+    data["start_date"] = (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timedelta(days=1)).isoformat()
     community_service.featured_create(
         identity=system_identity, community_id=c2.data["id"], data=data
     ).to_dict()
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def test_search_featured(community_service, comm, db, search_clear):
     assert hits[1]["id"] == c2.data["id"]
 
     # adding more current past featured entry to new community. new community should show up first
-    data["start_date"] = datetime.utcnow().isoformat()
+    data["start_date"] = datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat()
     community_service.featured_create(
         identity=system_identity, community_id=c2.data["id"], data=data
     ).to_dict()
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ def test_search_featured(community_service, comm, db, search_clear):
 def test_reindex_featured_entries_task(community_service, comm, db, search_clear):
     """Test that reindexing task works."""
     tomorrow = {
-        "start_date": (datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
+        "start_date": (datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
     }
     c2 = community_service.create(
         identity=system_identity, data={**comm.data, "slug": "c2-id"}
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def test_reindex_featured_entries_task(community_service, comm, db, search_clear
     near_future_difference = 2
     near_future = {
         "start_date": (
-            datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(seconds=near_future_difference)
+            datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(seconds=near_future_difference)
         ).isoformat(),
     }
     community_service.featured_create(
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ def test_reindex_featured_entries_task(community_service, comm, db, search_clear
 def test_create_featured(community_service, comm, comm_restricted):
     """Test that a featured entry can be created."""
     data = {
-        "start_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
+        "start_date": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
     }
 
     f = community_service.featured_create(
@@ -190,10 +190,10 @@ def test_create_featured(community_service, comm, comm_restricted):
 def test_get_featured(community_service, comm):
     """Test that featured entries are indexed and returned correctly."""
     data = {
-        "start_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
+        "start_date": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
     }
     future_data = {
-        "start_date": (datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
+        "start_date": (datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
     }
 
     community_service.featured_create(
@@ -213,10 +213,10 @@ def test_get_featured(community_service, comm):
 def test_delete_featured(community_service, comm):
     """Test that featured entries are deleted correctly."""
     data = {
-        "start_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
+        "start_date": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
     }
     future_data = {
-        "start_date": (datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
+        "start_date": (datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
     }
 
     past_entry = community_service.featured_create(
@@ -260,10 +260,10 @@ def test_delete_featured(community_service, comm):
 def test_update_featured(community_service, comm):
     """Test that featured entries are indexed and returned correctly."""
     data = {
-        "start_date": datetime.utcnow().isoformat(),
+        "start_date": datetime.now(timezone.utc).isoformat(),
     }
     future_data = {
-        "start_date": (datetime.utcnow() + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
+        "start_date": (datetime.now(timezone.utc) + timedelta(days=1)).isoformat(),
     }
 
     past_entry = community_service.featured_create(
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ def test_community_deletion(community_service, users, comm):
     assert tombstone.removal_reason is None
     assert tombstone.note == tombstone_info["note"]
     assert isinstance(tombstone.citation_text, str)
-    assert arrow.get(tombstone.removal_date).date() == datetime.utcnow().date()
+    assert arrow.get(tombstone.removal_date).date() == datetime.now(timezone.utc).date()
 
     # mark the community for purge
     community = community_service.mark_community_for_purge(
diff --git a/tests/communities/test_tombstone.py b/tests/communities/test_tombstone.py
index 6acc55abd..9026561f5 100644
--- a/tests/communities/test_tombstone.py
+++ b/tests/communities/test_tombstone.py
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2023 TU Wien.
+# Copyright (C) 2024 Graz University of Technology.
 #
 # Invenio-Communities is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the MIT License; see LICENSE file for more details.
 
 """Tests for the tombstone field and community deletion field."""
 
-import datetime
+
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
 
 import pytest
 from invenio_requests.resolvers.registry import ResolverRegistry
@@ -39,7 +41,7 @@ def test_tombstone_creation(app):
         "removed_by": {"user": "1"},
         "removal_reason": {"id": "spam"},
         "note": "nothing in particular",
-        "removal_date": datetime.datetime.utcnow(),
+        "removal_date": datetime.now(timezone.utc),
         "citation_text": "No citation available, sorry",
         "is_visible": False,
     }
@@ -55,7 +57,7 @@ def test_tombstone_creation(app):
 
 def test_tombstone_invalid_removed_by(app):
     """Test the failure of tombstone creation if the `removed_by` entry is invalid."""
-    for invalid_value in [[], datetime.datetime.utcnow()]:
+    for invalid_value in [[], datetime.now(timezone.utc)]:
         with pytest.raises(ValueError):
             Tombstone({"removed_by": invalid_value})