ICOPED Conducts 2015 Planning Workshop

​The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) conducted its Planning Workshop on January 23, 2015 at the ICOPED Auditorium. The objective of the planning workshop was to set directions for the year. The Planning Team composed of the faculty, REPS, and Administrative staff of the Institute planned out for one year activities in terms of Instruction, Research, and Extension/Training. The activities identified for instruction were review of COST Courses, promotion of Master of Management major in Cooperative Management (MM-CM) among cooperative stakeholders and planning for the off campus offering of selected COST and Management courses. 

​The activities for extension/training are the following: conduct of Training of Trainers of Accredited Training Providers (ATPs) of the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), conduct of R.A. 9520 prescribed trainings for Calamba Cooperatives and Livelihood and Development Department (CLDD), Bio-Enterprise Training for coop members, provide assistance to CDA in the preparation for the Celebration of Cooperative Centennial in the Philippines, production of Audio Visual Presentation (AVP) about ICOPED, conduct of International Conference on Cooperatives and Agribusiness in collaboration with UP Mindanao, re-echo Impact Assessment Training for CEM Faculty and Staff, and publication of the Proceedings of the National Conference on Cooperative into a book. Core Extension Program that includes Conduct of Round Table Discussions on Issues Related to Cooperatives and Conduct of Cooperative Awareness Seminars among high School and College students in Los Baños was also laid out. 

The identified research activities includes the conduct of research under UPLB Basic Research Fund (3 research proposals submitted for funding to OVRCE), follow up research proposals (2 proposals) submitted to UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP-CIDS) and the Cooperative Education and Training Programs of Japan and the Philippines: A Cross Country Comparison. In addition, the writing of monograph from the Cases of cooperatives conducted under the World Class Fund was also included as priority research output of the Institute. Furthermore, a research proposal on “Rapid Content Development and Cooperation between CDA and HEIs” will be prepared for submission to CHED. Core research activities that include writing of working papers on the cases of cooperatives conducted and conduct of new case studies of Cooperatives will be pursued. Administrative concern were also identified and discussed during the workshop.

The workshop was facilitated by the Director, Dr. Zenaida M. Sumalde and Professor Karen P. Quilloy. The outcome of the planning workshop offered opportunities for the staff to exercise responsibility for the future of the organization (ABPeria).