The cooperative movement at the service of social medicine
Over the past five years, the social economy in universities has gone from being a complementary line of study to becoming a central point of higher education in Spain.
The progress of the social economy in universities is as clear as it is quantifiable: today we can find over 135 post graduate programmes, 23 specialised professorships and 3 doctorate programmes completely devoted to the sector. This expansion reflects not only the academic maturity of the discipline, but also its growing influence in research, innovation and the training of professionals prepared to lead cooperative companies, mutual societies, labour companies and social venture projects.
One of the most visible indicators of the change is the rise in the educational offer. In the academic year 2022-2023 there were 76 postgraduate educational actions related to the social economy. Just one year later, the figure rose to 136 programmes, which meant a growth of 55%. For 2024-2025, the offer has been consolidated at around 135 courses, which include official masters, qualifications specific to each university, specialisation diplomas and inter-university programmes.
There is no lack of significant examples. The Universitat de València is maintaining its long-standing Master in Social Economy (Cooperatives and Non-Profit Entities), with over 20 editions and 300 graduates. In Catalonia, the TecnoCampus de Mataró (UPF) launched the region’s first official master in social economy: the Master in Social Economy and Social Business, designed to train managers capable of creating and consolidating innovative organisations. More recently, the Universidad de Valladolid presented a Master in Agrifood Cooperative Management, a reflection of how the agricultural industry is also demanding specialised profiles.
On a regional level, Catalonia and the Valencian Community are leaders in this educational offer, together imparting virtually half of all the courses, although almost all the public universities in the country now have programmes linked to the social economy. Additionally, the contents have also been evolving: alongside the classic subjects of cooperative management or company law, now topics such as social venture, circular economy, sustainability and innovation stand out.
If the masters represent the educational muscle, the university professorships are the heart of the transfer of knowledge. In just three years we have risen from 19 to 23 social economy professorships, with presence in 11 autonomous communities. These professorships not only generate research, but they also act as bridges between the university, the business fabric and the public administrations.
Some of the most recent incorporations are the Social Economy Professorship at the Universidad Internacional de Andalucía (UNIA) and the one at the Universidad de Granada, both created in 2024. In 2025, the Universidad de Almería also launched a micro accreditation in social economy from its recently created professorship, and the same year the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria unveiled its own university professorship in social economy.
The icing on the cake lies in the UNESCO Professorship in Social and Supportive Economy, the first in the world with this recognition, promoted with Spanish participation and with an international scope. Its creation confirms that Spain has become a global benchmark in social economy research and education.
The highest exponent of institutionalisation arrives with the doctorate programmes. In Spain today there are three official programmes centred on the social economy. The doctorate from the Universitat de València (IUDESCOOP) stands out, along with the one from the Mondragon Unibertsitatea, combining the Basque cooperative tradition with research in advanced management of organisations. These schedules allow students to follow a comprehensive route, from the master to the doctoral thesis, guaranteeing a reserve of researchers who will strengthen the sector over the next few decades.
The academic expansion is not just remaining in the classrooms. Every spring, the Social Economy University Week, organised by CIRIEC and the ENUIES Network, brings together dozens of universities in over 150 activities with the participation of 5,000 people. These initiatives bring students closer to the labour market and show employment and self-employment opportunities in cooperatives, foundations or labour companies.
Additionally, the professorships such as the one in Granada, grant awards for the best TFG and TFM in social economy, whilst the Grupo Mondragón funds awards to foster applied research in cooperative innovation. All of this strengthens the visibility of the social economy and motivates the new generations of researchers.
Furthermore, postgraduate training is generating professionals with profiled that are in high demand: managers capable of combining business efficiency with social impact. The graduates find work in consultancies, entity management, public administrations and social venture projects. In a context where a more sustainable and inclusive economy is being sought, this preparation is becoming increasingly more strategic.
The social economy in universities is no longer a footnote and has now taken on a central place in Spanish higher education. With over 130 postgraduate courses, 23 professorships and 3 doctorates, a true ecosystem has been created that combines education, research, innovation and transference to the sector.
The challenge now lies in extending this presence to university degrees and to professional training schemes, in order to guarantee that the values and skills of the social economy permeate more students. And if one thing has become clear, it is that the future of the social economy is being written in the classrooms.
The social economy model is consolidated as an effective way to generate opportunities, strengthen social cohesion and to move forward towards a truly inclusive economy.
The social economy still does not show significant weight in the study plans of Spanish Economics Faculties. However, there is a growing offer in specialised training in this field.