Creation of the Centre
The Centre for the Study of Co-operatives, established in 1984, is an interdisciplinary teaching and research institute at the University of Saskatchewan. One of the key people in its formation was the then president of the university, Leo Kristjanson, who found it surprising that although co-operatives play a crucial role in all segments of the provincial economy and society, very little research was being done into their role and operation. To answer this need, Kristjanson established the centre, in conjunction with people from the co-operative sector, the university and the Government of Saskatchewan.
Centre Supporters
Contract partners in the co-operative sector include Credit Union Central of Saskatchewan, Federated Co-operatives Ltd., Concentra Financial (formerly Co-operative Trust), and The Co-operators. The centre is also supported by Saskatchewan Industry and Resources, and the University of Saskatchewan, with Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and the CUMIS Group making additional contributions. The university not only houses our offices but provides in-kind contributions from a number of departments and units—Agricultural Economics, History, Management and Marketing, Political Studies, and Sociology, among others—as well as financial assistance with operations and nonsalary expenditures. We acknowledge with gratitude the ongoing support of all our sponsoring organizations.
Representatives from these organizations also comprise the Centre's management advisory board.
The Centre's Objectives
The objectives of the Centre are: to develop and offer university courses that provide an understanding of co-operative theory, principles, development, structures, and legislation; to undertake original research into co-operatives; to publish co-operative research, both that of Centre staff and that of other researchers; and to maintain a resource centre of co-operative materials that supports the Centre's teaching and research functions.
Address:
Centre for the Study of Co-operatives
101 Diefenbaker Place
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B8
CANADAPhone: 306-966-8509
Fax: 306-966-8517
coop.studies@usask.ca