1st International Conference on Cooperatives

The Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development first held its International Conference on Co-operative Enterprises on  November 8-10, 2012 at the  Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), UPLB Campus, College, Laguna, Philippines. The conference was an initiative of ICOPED to take part in the celebration of the International Year of Co-operatives in 2012. 

The theme of the conference is “Co-operative Enterprises: Key to Sustainable Economic and Social Progress”. The conference featured keynote speeches, scientific papers and testimonials on the different breakthroughs and significant experiences in co-operative promotion and development. Papers were presented in the focal areas of (1) co-operative education, (2) co-operative enterprise development, (3) co-operative finance, (4) ICT/database management for co-operatives, (5) women and youth in co-operatives, and (6) role of co-operatives in environmental sustainability.