The organization Swedish Cooperative (Svensk Kooperation) gives its annual prize to a course at SLU, which conveys knowledge about agricultural cooperative companies, their organization, conditions, and management.
The 100 largest cooperative and related companies have a turnover of approx. SEK 500 billion, but according to the organization Swedish Cooperative higher education and research in Sweden does not show enough interest in the cooperative business model. The organization call SLU’s cooperation course a shining exception, and that is why the annual prize for cooperative development goes to SLU, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences.
SLU has been arranging a course on cooperation at master’s level for many years. The content is an academic role model for universities and colleges in Sweden in terms of content and focus.
– Education about the cooperative form of company is extremely important, but unfortunately there is far too little of this in the Swedish education system today. Thanks to the investment in the cooperation course, SLU ensures that their students have access to knowledge about the uniqueness and potential of the cooperative business model. Here, SLU shows leadership and makes a difference with its long-term commitment to cooperative knowledge, Anna Karin Hatt, chairman of Swedish Cooperation says.
– Knowledge within the cooperative form of company is important for many, but perhaps especially for our students who want to work in the green sector, where cooperative forms are more common than in other sectors. This award is a proof of the fine work that program managers and examiners do with this course and the breadth we have in SLU’s educations and in the knowledge, we convey, Maria Knutson Wedel, Rector at SLU says.
The photo above is from a small video about the course. See the video and read the full press release HERE