About
Overview of the Centre
Centre History
Founded in 1980, the Centre for Co-operative Studies is the oldest research centre at University College Cork. It was founded by Prof Denis I.F. Lucey and the early research programme was developed by a highly interdisciplinary team including Dr. Robert Briscoe, holding a DBA in Co-operatives from Harvard, Professor Michael Ward who was studying for his PhD in agricultural co-operatives at the time, Dr. Vincent Tucker, an anthropologist/sociologist in UCC, Mary Linehan, a lawyer, Hugh McBride, accountant, Susan Grey, psychologist and Con O’Leary, a co-operative innovator. One of the first outputs of the newly formed Centre was a seminal work entitled “The Co-op Idea”, which explained and explored the co-operative principles and processes. A set of “Co-op Guides” soon followed, providing relevant information and advice needed by those wishing to establish co-ops. Early international linkages were with Paul O. Mohn, USDA, Washington and Prof R.E. Jacobson, Ohio State University
Much of the early research programme focused on agricultural co-ops and workers’ co-ops, as Ireland had thriving co-ops of both types. As the number of workers’ co-ops began to decline in Ireland, the agenda and the funding sources became more exclusively focused on agriculture and food as well as expanding into the area of credit unions in the early 1990s. The focus of the research has always been complemented and closely supported by the educational programmes developed by the Centre, which in turn were most often given financial support from the co-operative representative bodies seeking to upskill their members and staff.
Today, the Centre continues its work of fostering research, study and education about co-operatives. It is a strong focus of support for academics who are interested in co-operatives and it works closely with many national and international co-operative bodies. The Centre is one of the founding members of the Collective Social Futures (CSF) at UCC
Dr Noreen Byrne
Director, Centre for Co-operative Studies
Vision, Mission & Values
Vision
Mission
The mission statement for the Centre is:
The continuing mission of the Centre for Cooperative Studies is to promote, through its research, consultancy and educational activities, the continued growth of the cooperative movement as an effective, locally-owned and democratically-controlled sector of the economy, designed to address urgent needs and enable communities to thrive and transition towards a sustainable future.