The deadline for the submission of abstracts and panel proposals for the ICA CCR Europe Research Conference 2026 has been extended. The new deadline for submissions is April 10, 2026, providing an additional opportunity to participate in this premier academic and professional forum. Considered the most important annual academic event in Europe dedicated to cooperative research, it will take place from November 3 to 6, 2026 in Valencia (Spain), under the theme “Cooperative enterprises for shared progress: tackling global challenges together.” The program will focus on challenges such as digital transformation, the ecological transition, and social cohesion.
Abstracts and session proposals must be submitted via the platform available on the conference website. The conference language is strictly English.
The conference, held under the mandate of the ICA’s Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR), is organized this year by CEGEA, coordinated by Professor Elena Meliá Martí (UPV/CEGEA) and Professor Jos Bijman (ICA CCR Europe).
The scientific program will feature several high-level plenary sessions. One of these, titled “Global Uncertainty and the Cooperative Advantage: Navigating a New Geopolitical Era,” will be delivered by confirmed keynote speaker Dr. Miguel Otero-Iglesias, Senior Analyst at the Elcano Royal Institute. This session will analyze how the cooperative model offers strategic advantages for navigating the complexities of today’s geopolitical landscape.
Additionally, the conference will host a strategic roundtable titled “The Cooperative Paradigm: Meeting Contemporary and Emerging Societal Needs“. This session will explore the unique role of cooperatives in addressing essential societal challenges, focusing specifically on Energy, Care & Social Commons, and Housing. In this session, we will be joined by Professor Benjamin Huybrechts from Lille School and the REScoop.eu network, as well as Professor Tine De Moor from Erasmus University, and Professor Darinka Czischke (Delft University of Technology), who will analyze how the cooperative model provides sustainable solutions to contemporary needs within a shifting global environment.
Professional Session on the Agri-Food Sector
Finally, a dedicated professional session for the agri-food sector will take place under the title “The Cooperative Essence: Upholding the Cooperative Identity in a Global Market.” This session will feature several directors and presidents from agri-food cooperatives to debate how to maintain cooperative identity and values, ensuring they remain compatible with competitive operations in the global market. The session will be moderated by Gabriel Trenzado, Director General of Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España We trust that this extension of the deadline will encourage the research and professional community to submit their most innovative proposals. We look forward to welcoming you to Valencia to build, through debate and the exchange of knowledge, a shared vision of the transformative role of cooperatives in addressing the challenges of our time.
Call for papers
Submissions are accepted in the form of abstracts (indicating the preferred type of presentation: oral or poster) and session proposals. All abstracts will undergo peer review by the scientific committee. Among the new features, the conference will include a dedicated workshop for early-career researchers, to be held on November 3.
Researchers may submit proposals, among others, on the following 17 thematic areas:
- Cooperative governance and management
- Technology, digitalization, and platform cooperatives
- Environmental and social sustainability in cooperatives
- Social innovation, community development, and civic wealth building
- Cooperative law
- Public policies and institutional support for cooperatives
- Inter-cooperation and cooperative networks
- Measuring cooperative impact and performance
- Education and training on / for cooperatives
- Youth, gender equality, diversity, and inclusion in cooperatives
- Agri-food cooperatives
- Cooperative banks and mutual insurance
- Housing cooperatives
- Energy cooperatives
- Worker cooperatives
- Consumer cooperatives
- Emerging sectors and new topics
Abstracts and session proposals must be submitted via the platform available on the conference website. The deadline for abstract submission is April 10.
Key Conference Information
New Abstract Deadline: April 10, 2026.
Notification of Acceptance: May 3, 2026.
Official Website: http://ica-ccr-europe-2026.webs.upv.es
Contact: ica2026valencia@cegea.upv.es
