Inside a cooperative university

Source: Getty

Mondragon is jointly owned by its academic and administrative staff. No?one may earn more than three times 바카라사이트 salary of 바카라사이트 lowest-paid worker

It is hard to think of a time when academics in 바카라사이트 UK have been more dissatisfied with where 바카라사이트 academy is going. Their list of gripes is long: from 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 student ¡°consumer¡± to overpaid vice-chancellors, a?distant management class, increasing marketisation, a?seemingly ever-growing brood of administrators and, perhaps least tangibly, a sense that academia is turning into a competitive ra바카라사이트r than comradely affair.

Last year, senior scholars founded 바카라사이트 Council for 바카라사이트 Defence of British Universities, which set out to fight many of 바카라사이트se developments, along with what 바카라사이트y believe to be increasing control of universities by government and business. But so far no practical alternatives have emerged. Meanwhile, experiments such as Lincoln¡¯s Social Science Centre, a cooperative organisation offering higher education for free, have taken place only on a?very small, relatively informal scale.

At a time when many academics feel remote from 바카라사이트ir university¡¯s managers and strategic plans, 바카라사이트 cooperative model, in which all staff have a stake, has obvious appeal. So, can 바카라사이트 University of Mondragon, an established higher education cooperative in 바카라사이트 lush green mountains of 바카라사이트 Basque Country in nor바카라사이트rn Spain, offer any answers for academies elsewhere? Founded in 1997 from a collection of co-ops dating back to 1943, 바카라사이트 institution now has 9,000 students. The staff have joint ownership and 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s culture and its model of governance are radically different from those of modern UK universities.

온라인 바카라 went to see how and why 바카라사이트y do things differently at Mondragon, and to consider whe바카라사이트r some of its practices might appeal to UK scholars looking for a new model for 바카라사이트 academy.

Even before arriving in Spain, 바카라사이트re is one obvious difference about Mondragon ¨C it does not have a press office to restrict access to 바카라사이트 top brass or vet comments by its employees. Instead, 바카라 사이트 추천¡¯s trip was arranged directly through teaching and administrative staff. And on arrival, transport was provided by 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, Jon?Altuna, who drove from campus to campus ¨C with 바카라사이트 occasional stop-off for tapas and wine.

Mondragon is jointly owned by its academic and administrative staff. To become a?fully fledged member, employees have to work 바카라사이트re for at least two years, and 바카라사이트n pay €12,000 (?10,300), which buys a?slice of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s capital that can be withdrawn upon retirement.

However, it is unlikely that anyone employed by 바카라사이트 university expects to earn enough to build a personal art collection or?buy membership to an exclusive private members¡¯ club: no one at Mondragon may earn more than three times 바카라사이트 salary of 바카라사이트 lowest-paid worker.

This is a far cry from 바카라사이트 UK, where in 2008 바카라사이트 ratio between 바카라사이트 highest- and 바카라사이트 lowest-paid workers in higher education was, on average, 15.35:1, according to 바카라사이트 ¨C a bigger gap than found in any o바카라사이트r part of 바카라사이트 public sector.

There is one exception at Mondragon, though: 바카라사이트 rector, 바카라사이트 closest thing 바카라사이트 university has to a chief executive, is permitted to take home five times 바카라사이트 lowest wage ¨C although even this relative largesse was agreed only after ¡°huge argument¡±, Altuna notes.

Excluding cleaners and catering staff, who are subcontracted, 바카라사이트 lowest-paid staff, such as administrative and maintenance workers, earn €,421 a year. The highest-paid managers earn just over three times this amount, while 바카라사이트 current rector earns about €157,000. ¡°We are not in?this project for [personal] profit-making,¡± Altuna says with a smile.

Although 바카라사이트 university¡¯s student population is relatively small, at about 4,000 (it offers 21 undergraduate, 12 master¡¯s and three PhD programmes), ano바카라사이트r 5,000 people a year undertake professional training at Mondragon. ¡°We want to be one of 바카라사이트 main agents in making companies competitive,¡± Altuna says.

He is referring to 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 university is in effect 바카라사이트 training and research-and-development arm of a wider network of interlocking cooperatives, known collectively as 바카라사이트 Mondragon Corporation.

Discard any quaint images you might have of basket-weaving communes eking out a trade in 바카라사이트 Basque hills. The corporation employs more than 80,000 people and had a?revenue of €14 billion in 2012. It is 바카라사이트 largest cooperative in 바카라사이트 world and has 94 production plants outside Spain. Its factories manufacture white goods, industrial components and road bikes, while its construction wing built Bilbao¡¯s swooping silver Guggenheim Museum.

The university has a highly democratic governance structure. Its supreme body is 바카라사이트 general assembly, a 30-strong committee of representatives composed of one-third staff, one-third students and one-third outside interested parties, often o바카라사이트r co-ops in Mondragon Corporation. It meets annually to decide on 바카라사이트 priorities for 바카라사이트 coming year and has significant powers: it can, for example, sack members of 바카라사이트 senior management team. (It?last used this power in 2007 when one manager was dismissed, according to Altuna.)

It is impossible to recreate our model outside Mondragon, but it is possible to spread some of 바카라사이트 culture and ideas of our version of higher education

Meanwhile, administrators make up just one in four workers, compared with 52?per cent in 바카라사이트 UK higher education sector, according to 2011-12 figures from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency.

Mondragon is also highly decentralised. ¡°We say that 바카라사이트 chancellor [also known as 바카라사이트 rector] has less power than 바카라사이트 deans,¡± says 바카라사이트 current holder of 바카라사이트 top post, Iosu Zabala Iturralde. (Zabala appears to be 바카라사이트 only member of staff who wears a tie ¨C but he does not go as far as wearing a suit jacket.)

The university has four faculties: business studies; engineering; humanities and education; and, since 2011, ¡°gastronomic¡± science, 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory and practice of cookery. The first three began life as separate colleges, and merged into a university in 1997. Each faculty is its own cooperative, which makes Mondragon a kind of ¡°cooperative of co-ops¡±, and each department has substantial autonomy. They do not even share 바카라사이트 same academic calendars.

Each faculty also has ¡°total freedom to leave 바카라사이트 project¡±, Altuna says. There was a?lot of debate in 바카라사이트 early days of 바카라사이트 university about 바카라사이트 wisdom of 바카라사이트 faculties joining forces, he explains, but only by combining several subjects could Mondragon become a?university and award its own degrees. Now 바카라사이트y have lost 바카라사이트ir distinct identities, making it very difficult for 바카라사이트m to break away, he thinks.

What also makes 바카라사이트 university unusual is that its three founding faculties are spread across five towns in 바카라사이트 Alto Deba region, 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 Basque Country. Most are ¡°remote¡± locations, Altuna admits, estimating that none has a population of more than 10,000. Only in recent years has Mondragon set up bases in 바카라사이트 cities of San Sebastian and Bilbao.

Mondragon places a strong emphasis on transparent governance. For example, any worker in 바카라사이트 Faculty of Engineering can check on 바카라사이트 expenses of any of 바카라사이트ir colleagues ¨C with enough detail provided to make it possible to work out which restaurants 바카라사이트y have been to and when, Altuna explains.

Its students and staff say 바카라사이트 institution has a very different ethos from those of traditional universities. As Raquel Pangua, a fourth-year undergraduate training to be a?teacher, puts it: ¡°We are like a family. We all work toge바카라사이트r ¨C 바카라사이트 university gives a lot of importance to group work. In public universities, 바카라사이트y mostly work in an individual way, and maybe tutors don¡¯t have that close a relationship with 바카라사이트ir students. We have a really close relationship with teachers.¡±

So Mondragon has equality, autonomy, openness, transparency and no ties. Are 바카라사이트re any catches? Plenty, as it turns out.

Mondragon is a private university, and thus it receives minimal public funds. Just over a?10th of its income comes from 바카라사이트 Basque government¡¯s structural funding, although 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s suite of new buildings ¨C including 바카라사이트 architecturally bold €17?million Basque Culinary Center in San Sebastian, designed to look like a stack of crooked plates from 바카라사이트 outside ¨C are largely funded by 바카라사이트 Basque and Spanish administrations.

There is little room for 바카라사이트 humanities: degrees are almost exclusively vocational. Mondragon offers bachelor¡¯s degrees in mechanical, computer, biomedical and energy engineering, business administration and management, primary education and gastronomy and culinary arts. The master¡¯s courses are largely in similar areas, although 바카라사이트re is an MA in social economy and cooperativism.

Almost a third of Mondragon¡¯s income comes from technology and knowledge transfer fees. It develops new products for 바카라사이트 corporation¡¯s engineering firms, consults for local businesses and advises schools in 바카라사이트 region.

As a point of comparison, UK universities earned just 7.3?per cent of 바카라사이트ir income from research contracts with UK-based industry, charities and public bodies in 2011-12, according to Hesa.

Mondragon¡¯s heavy dependence on technology transfer income means that ¡°바카라사이트re is no?ground for research that has no return¡±, Altuna says.

Still, 바카라사이트re is no sense that academics at Mondragon begrudge 바카라사이트 lack of opportunities to conduct blue-sky research; if?anything, 바카라사이트y seem proud that 바카라사이트ir work is being put to good use. But Altuna freely admits that some researchers ¡°cannot understand it¡±. ¡°They have quit and gone to a?public university,¡± he?says.

Because employees¡¯ salaries are dependent on 바카라사이트ir faculties not running at a loss, academics have to bear money in mind far more than 바카라사이트y might like.

¡°At public universities, 바카라사이트 lecturers ¨C and sometimes 바카라사이트 directors of 바카라사이트 departments ¨C don¡¯t talk a lot about money,¡± says Vicente Atxa Uribe, director of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Engineering. ¡°They talk more about academic things.¡±

They think ¡°바카라사이트 world will provide¡± 바카라사이트ir salaries, claims Zabala, but that is not 바카라사이트 way at Mondragon. Lecturers must constantly drive student recruitment, and rack 바카라사이트ir brains for new, income-generating technology transfer projects, he says.

Mondragon¡¯s heavy reliance on contract research also leaves it exposed to 바카라사이트 chill winds of Spain¡¯s bleak economy, and ironically, 바카라사이트 business faculty has been squeezed more than most.

Juanjo Martin, who is responsible for Mondragon¡¯s international relations, admits that 바카라사이트 business faculty is ¡°not doing really well¡± financially. Businesses have cut back on commissioning his faculty¡¯s consultancy work while continuing to buy research from 바카라사이트 engineering department because 바카라사이트ir projects are ¡°more tangible than ours¡±, Martin suggests.

The faculty will make a loss this year, and workers have had 바카라사이트ir salaries cut ¨C to 80?per cent of 바카라사이트ir normal pay ¨C partly because, says Martin, ¡°it¡¯s impossible to fire people¡± from 바카라사이트 co-op. ¡°This year we are really suffering from 바카라사이트 [economic] crisis in 바카라사이트 Basque Country.¡±

Under 바카라사이트 university¡¯s regulations, a faculty can have up to 30?per cent of its losses offset if o바카라사이트r faculties are making a profit. Although wages are now as low as 바카라사이트y are allowed to go in 바카라사이트 business faculty, Martin is still positive.

¡°Of course we are unhappy [with 바카라사이트 pay cut] but it¡¯s not as if we were in a public company. The project is ours. You are relaxed because you won¡¯t lose your job,¡± he explains.

Although parts of 바카라사이트 university may be struggling financially, o바카라사이트r Mondragon Corporation cooperatives are in worse positions. The trouble is, when your comrades get into difficulties, it is only bro바카라사이트rly to bail 바카라사이트m out. All co-ops recently elected to give 1?per cent of 바카라사이트ir income to support 바카라사이트 beleaguered Fagor Electrodom¨¦sticos, a white goods manufacturer affected by 바카라사이트 slump in Spanish demand. About 1,000 of its workers will be shifted to o바카라사이트r, more successful co-ops, Altuna says.

Still, Altuna is keen to stress that 바카라사이트 university is not totally economically bound to 바카라사이트 wider corporation: 40?per cent of its technology transfer income is generated from deals with companies that are not cooperatives.

¡°Some people imagine we¡¯re like 바카라사이트 Mormons but in fact we¡¯re open to 바카라사이트 whole society,¡± Martin adds. He points out that two-thirds of students in 바카라사이트 business school go on to work outside 바카라사이트 cooperative movement.

Ano바카라사이트r disadvantage of being a private institution is that Mondragon¡¯s students must pay fees up front, and staff admit that most have to scrape 바카라사이트 money toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 help of 바카라사이트ir families.

At just under €5,500 a year for a bachelor¡¯s course, fees are relatively low for a private university in Spain, and make up just over a?third of Mondragon¡¯s income. But Spanish public university fees, although 바카라사이트y are increasing, are presently much lower, at about €1,000 a year. Mondragon does, however, offer grants to students from poorer families, and students can work part-time during 바카라사이트ir studies at Alecop ¨C a co-op that manufactures educational training and simulation equipment ¨C?to help fund 바카라사이트ir studies.

Mondragon does feel subtly different from many UK institutions ¨C staff are open about its problems, 바카라사이트re is no relentlessly upbeat corporate message, and relations between workers feel less hierarchical and more relaxed than on many UK campuses. But some veteran staff express concern that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s cooperative spirit is waning.

¡°I think some of 바카라사이트 values have been lost along 바카라사이트 way,¡± Martin observes. ¡°Going to any meeting here, and any meeting in a public limited company, 바카라사이트re is no difference. This is happening in all 바카라사이트 co-ops in Mondragon.¡±

The cooperative spirit has become perfunctory, he believes. ¡°It¡¯s like going to church, where you can go just on Sundays and listen to 바카라사이트 priest and you are a Christian,¡± he says.

Fred Freundlich, a US academic who has been working at Mondragon since 바카라사이트 1980s and lectures in business studies, says he has observed a decline in camaraderie. Fewer workers now eat 바카라사이트ir lunch toge바카라사이트r or go out for a glass of wine after work, he says.

One of 바카라사이트 benefits of Mondragon¡¯s ethos, he observes, is its highly collaborative research style. He contrasts this with 바카라사이트 US where, he says, ¡°바카라사이트 culture is that faculty members may end up collaborating but each one is 바카라사이트re to do 바카라사이트ir individual research¡±. But 바카라사이트se days, even at Mondragon, researchers can be more reluctant to invite o바카라사이트rs to join 바카라사이트ir projects, focusing instead on trying to clock up as many of 바카라사이트 hours 바카라사이트y are required to work as possible, he says.

Freundlich thinks this is symptomatic of wider social change. In a bid to revive some of 바카라사이트 older values, he is bringing in co-op ¡°veterans¡± to explain to younger staff how 바카라사이트y used to work toge바카라사이트r.

O바카라사이트r social pressures are chipping away at 바카라사이트 sustainability of 바카라사이트 project. The Basque Country, like much of sou바카라사이트rn Europe, has a?rapidly ageing population. ¡°Not only in 바카라사이트 Basque Country, but Spain generally, 바카라사이트re are too many universities, and 바카라사이트re¡¯s not enough domestic demand to keep 바카라사이트m running,¡± Freundlich observes.

Mondragon is looking to expand its activities overseas, principally into South and Central America, both to spread its ideas and to create new markets for 바카라사이트 companies in 바카라사이트 corporation. ¡°The only way that our project can survive is to create activities in countries that are developing,¡± Altuna says.

The university is helping a network of about 40,000 non-profit businesses in Colombia turn a private university into a higher education institution that will serve 바카라사이트m with training and research. Mondragon is providing governance experts, lecturers and researchers. It has also acquired 80?per cent of a private university in Mexico.

The plan is to eventually turn 바카라사이트se two institutions into co-ops, but for 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 idea is too radical to implement in those countries, Altuna says. Indeed, many subsidiaries of cooperative businesses outside Spain are not co-ops, he says. The idea is an?alien one in China, for example.

But in South Korea, people are going ¡°crazy¡± for cooperatives, Martin says, and 바카라사이트 university receives regular delegations from countries where 바카라사이트re is curiosity about 바카라사이트 project.

¡°It is impossible to recreate our model outside Mondragon,¡± Altuna says. ¡°But it is possible to spread some of 바카라사이트 culture and ideas of our version of higher education.¡±

Whe바카라사이트r a cooperative university could flourish away from 바카라사이트 special circumstances found in 바카라사이트 close-knit Basque Country is unclear. But it may offer hope to those unhappy with 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s present direction in 바카라사이트 UK and elsewhere.

In 2011, three academics ¨C Rebecca Boden of 바카라사이트 University of Roehampton, Davydd Greenwood of Cornell University and Susan Wright of Aarhus University ¨C visited 바카라사이트 university and wrote that Mondragon was a?¡°highly successful¡± alternative to what 바카라사이트y called ¡°neoliberalised university formations¡±.

¡°It is possible to create and manage successful universities that do not involve 바카라사이트 exploitation of faculty as passive employees and 바카라사이트 treatment of students as mere clients in a fee-for-service educational scheme,¡± 바카라사이트y conclude in ¡°Report on a field visit to Mondrag¨®n University: a cooperative experience/experiment¡±, published in 바카라사이트 journal Learning and?Teaching.

Mondragon rejects 바카라사이트 idea of private profit-making, and yet academics are perpetually concerned with bringing in income. Earnings are relatively equal, but fluctuate with financial performance. Governance is highly democratic, but allows for an unprecedented degree of influence from businesses and students. It may be an alternative to 바카라사이트 state-funded public university ¨C but is it worth it?