University College Cork

University College Cork (Ireland), the Centre for Co-Operative Studies (IRELAND) at the Ireland was founded in 1980 and has carried out extensive research into agricultural, community, worker, housing and credit co-operatives and more recently social enterprises. All of the Centre’s activities are focused on helping people identify their own problems and meet their own needs through co-operative, economic and social action. The Centre for Co-operative Studies is engaged in fostering research, study and education about co-operatives and international co-operative bodies. The Centre has responded to recent invitations to review corporate management in an agricultural co-operative and to explore the feasibility of developing a new-generation co-operative, for organic foodstuffs in the Irish context. The Centre provides information, advice and support to existing and potential co-operative groups. The Department of Food Business and Development is a leader in research and teaching in all aspects of the food supply chain, from farm to consumer, with a particular mission to contribute to the development of Ireland's agri-food industry.