KU Leuven extends Chair in Cooperative Entrepreneurship

On 30 September 2025, KU Leuven has formally extended the Chair in Cooperative Entrepreneurship for an additional year, bringing the partnership with Cera CV and Boerenbond from three to four years. The announcement was made during the university’s 600th anniversary celebrations.

The Chair and the Knowledge Centre for Cooperative Entrepreneurship (KCO KU Leuven) focus on the societal relevance of cooperative business models. Cooperatives offer solutions in areas where the traditional market economy often falls short, such as healthcare, ageing, sustainable housing, agriculture, and environmental challenges. Unlike profit-driven enterprises, cooperatives prioritize meeting the shared needs of their members.

Scientific research and academic support for cooperative entrepreneurship remain limited in Belgium. By extending the Chair, KU Leuven strengthens its capacity to bridge the gap between theory and practice—providing research, training, and inspiration for professionals and organizations engaged in cooperative models.

This renewal is also significant in a European context. KU Leuven is a partner in the DICES consortium (Developing Inclusive Cooperative Enterprises for Sustainability), which unites leading universities and institutions to advance cooperative entrepreneurship across Europe. The extension of the Chair ensures that KU Leuven’s local expertise is directly connected to broader European research and policy agendas.

Social Economy Organisations (SEOs) are more than a business model; they represent a response to urgent societal needs. With the extension of the Chair and the activities of the Knowledge Centre, KU Leuven and its partners strengthen research, knowledge sharing, and training to ensure SEO models remain innovative and impactful in Belgium and Europe.

Through the DICES consortium, this expertise is further embedded in a European framework, contributing to the development of more inclusive and sustainable cooperative enterprises across borders.

For more information

About the Chair in Cooperative Entrepreneurship. and Knowledge Centre for Cooperative Entrepreneurship (KCO).