Abstract

“What we want and seek to obtain is a co-operative journey that will end in a co-operative university.” (Rae 1909:29, quoted in Woodin, 2017: 34)

In early discussions leading to the formation of the Co-operative College, co-operators saw themselves embarking on a journey towards co-operative higher education. This ambition has been revisited throughout the history of the College, with the hope that it would “become the nucleus of a Co-operative University of Great Britain, with a number of affiliated sectional and regional Colleges or Co-operative Institutes, as the demand arises.” (The British Co-operative College 1919 1944: 9). This paper will give an account of recent attempts leading up to the Centenary of the Co-operative College, over the period 2008-2018. It will explore the ideas and practices of co-operative higher education now, situating these efforts within the broader political and economic climate of the UK and in light of recent developments in the co-operative movement, including multi-stakeholder models of governance and Platform Co-operatives. It will summarise recent research into co-operative higher education and give brief accounts of those involved.