National Symposium on Cooperative Education Pushes for Integration in Higher Education System

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA - The National Symposium on Mainstreaming Cooperatives in Philippine Higher Education, held on October 14, 2024, at the REDREC Auditorium, UPLB, brought together 175 participants from the academe, cooperative sector, government, and private institutions. The event, organized by the Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED) in collaboration with the UPLB Office of the Chancellor, provided a platform for discussing the integration of cooperative education into the higher education system as a critical step toward strengthening the cooperative movement in the Philippines.

UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho emphasized the importance of education in developing future cooperative leaders and the need for collaboration among institutions to strengthen cooperative education.

“This measure will proliferate a greater appreciation for cooperatives, as well as produce graduates, and potential leaders with the skills, the insights, and the ethics needed to manage and grow cooperatives," Camacho said.

The event's keynote speakers offered diverse perspectives on advancing cooperative education in international and local contexts. Mohamad Rasydi Bin Abd Rashid of the Institut Koperasi Malaysia (IKMa), shared IKMa’s best practices in integrating cooperative studies into the academic system while Sally S. Triñanes of the Cooperative Development Authority discussed the importance of investing in formal education to professionalize cooperative management.

The symposium's plenary sessions featured experts who discussed various areas of cooperative education. Adriann M. Quilloy from ICOPED explained the current status and progress of cooperative education in the country. Hilda F. San Gabriel from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines addressed the need for professionalizing cooperative leadership and governance, while Maria Corazon M. Samorin of West Visayas State University highlighted the prospects and challenges in mainstreaming cooperative education within HEIs.

“We do not confine ourselves with the typical mandatory training, we also learn by doing and seeing the actual initiatives of cooperatives from different places in the globe”, San Gabriel said. 

The symposium culminated in the ceremonial signing of a Memorandum of Understanding among HEIs, establishing the Philippine Consortium for Cooperative Education and Research (PCCER). This newly formed consortium aims to promote cooperative education through research, capacity-building, and policy advocacy. The founding members include Ilocos Sur Community College, Mariano Marcos State University, Nueva Vizcaya State University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, State University of Northern Negros, University of Northern Philippines, and West Visayas State University.

With plans to reconvene in January 2025, the event laid the groundwork for ongoing dialogue and collaboration, as well as the shared dedication to advancing cooperative education throughout the country’s higher education institutions.

MPASCurioso