Learning together: perspectives in co-operative education

Practitioners and academics involved in co-operative education will come together in Manchester for a conference on perspectives in co-operative education. The event, organised by the Co-operative College, will include interactive workshops and panel discussions.

Keynote speakers include Dame Pauline Green, president of the International Co-operative Alliance and Mervyn Wilson, principal of the Co-operative College, Linda Shaw, vice principal of the Co-operative College and Saskia Neibig of Woodcraft Folk and Ed Mayo, secretary general of Co-operative UK, who is chairing the conference.

The sessions will discuss issues such as education about and for co-operatives and education in a co-operative way. A separate session on learning to participate chaired by Julie Thorpe of the Co-operative College will focus on co-operative schools, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing and consumer co-operatives. The conference will also explore what’s next for the co-operative university, a debate chaired by Stephen Yeo with speakers Rebecca Boden of Roehampton University, Joss Winn of Lincoln University and Dan Cook of Bristol University.

Stirling Smith will also chair a discussion on co-ops in developing countries, which with look at case studies from Malawi, Kenya, Lesotho and Uganda.

Julie Thorpe, lead on school programmes and digital learning at the Co-operative College, said: “We are really looking forward to bringing together a diverse group of co-operative practitioners and academics at the Conference. It will be a great opportunity to share best practice, new ideas, and serious research to help build the body of knowledge which exists about co-operative education and explore ways in which the concept can be developed to meet the needs of young people, those working in co-operatives, and wider communities both in this country and globally.  The challenges we will face in the future – economic, social, and environmental – need co-operative solutions and education will be a vital part of this.”

The conference will take place at the People’s History Museum on 9 December. The full programme is available online. To register go to www.co-op.ac.uk/learningtogether or email [email protected].