Policy, principle, and practice: co-operative studies in higher education

1. Policy, principle, and practice: co-operative studies in higher education Diarmuid McDonnell (Co-operative Education Trust Scotland and University of Aberdeen) Elizabeth Macknight (University of Aberdeen) Mainstreaming Co-operation 05/07/2012

2. Outline • Introduction • Project details • Policy, principle and practice • Co-op studies framework • Opportunities and barriers • Priorities • Conclusion

3. Introduction Despite the wide-ranging successes of co-operatives, in financial terms as well as in the development of sustainable communities, the study of these democratic forms of enterprise remains surprisingly absent from the curricula of most university business schools around the world.

4. KTP Government-sponsored collaboration between universities and industry; promote commercialisation of research. Co-operative Education Trust Scotland University of Aberdeen

5. Project purpose “To promote understanding of co-operative, mutual, and employee-owned business models within tertiary education, filling the current gap and broadening CETS’s offering to the education sector.”

6. Policy Government – skills agenda and economic growth University of Aberdeen – curricula reform Scottish education – Curriculum for Excellence Edinburgh City Council; Mondragón University

7. Principle • education, training and information; and • working together through local, national, regional and international structures Development of resources was guided by our concept of co-operative education: • the study of co-operative models of enterprise; • researching topics related to co-operative models of enterprise; and • the accumulation of knowledge and skills needed to establish a co-operative.

8. Practice

9. Practice (2)

10. Practice (3) • Market research • Seek expert advice • Benchmark • Quality control • Offer added value – a solution • Marketing • Feedback, lessons log, and embedding knowledge

11. Framework More radical More conservative Knowledgebase Social Capital

12. Opportunities • QAA business and management guidelines • Interest in related studies • International Year of Co-operatives • Focus on enterprise and entrepreneurship

13. Barriers • University marketing departments • Exposure and materials • Misconceptions and misinformation • Dominant ideologies

14. Priorities UK Centre for Co-operative Studies Foundation for Co-operative Education (FCE)

15. Priorities (2) Professorial Chair of Co-operative Studies Co-operative Learning Space

16. Conclusion Renewed interest Resurgence? Short timeframe Promotional work www.abdn.ac.uk/cets diarmuid@cets.coop