On April 3rd and 4th, the University of Jaén hosted the 20th International Congress of Social Economy Researchers organized by CIRIEC-Spain. This landmark event brought together leading figures from academia, public institutions, and the social economy sector from across Spain, Ibero-America, and Europe. With nearly 250 participants from ten different countries, the Congress not only set a new attendance record but also reaffirmed its status as a strategic hub for cooperation between universities, the social economy sector, and public administrations.
The opening ceremony featured key institutional representatives, including Nicolás Ruiz, Rector of the University of Jaén; Adoración Mozas, President of CIRIEC-Spain; Luis Miguel Carmona, Deputy for Employment and Enterprise of the Jaén Provincial Council; Jaime Iglesias Sánchez-Cervera, Spain’s Special Commissioner for the Social Economy; and Adolfina Martínez Guirado, representing the Andalusian Regional Government.
All speakers emphasized the importance of cooperativism and the social economy as engines for sustainable development, inclusion, and territorial cohesion. Universities were highlighted as vital agents in educating new generations and producing knowledge to drive transformation through social economy models.
Olive oil cooperativism, a cornerstone of Jaén’s productive model, was praised as a paradigm of cooperative integration and sustainability. Rector Ruiz reaffirmed the University’s commitment to social economy research, celebrating the work of its consolidated academic team and congratulating Professor Mozas for organizing the event.
The keynote speech was delivered by Giuseppe Guerini, President of CECOP and spokesperson for the Social Economy Category at the European Economic and Social Committee. He described the social economy as resilient: “It doesn’t grow fast, but when it does, it lasts.” Guerini emphasized the social economy’s potential as a “peace economy” amidst growing global instability.
The program included roundtables and over twenty thematic workshops tackling pressing topics such as generational renewal, innovation in startups, the care economy, digital transformation, ethical finance, and public-private collaboration in public services. A notable achievement was the launch of the Andalusian Network of Social Economy Chairs, one at each public university in the region.
The Congress also served as a showcase for successful public policies, with regional government officials presenting strategies like Andalusia’s PIMESA, the “Fent Cooperatives III” plan in Valencia, the strategy in Castilla-La Mancha, Murcia’s sixth regional pact, and Galicia’s strategy for the social economy. In all cases, universities and CIRIEC played a crucial advisory role.
A closing roundtable on CIRIEC’s scientific output highlighted the research vitality within Spanish universities, featuring contributions from leading centers such as EESCOOP (Complutense University of Madrid), University of Castilla-La Mancha, GEZKI (University of the Basque Country), CECOOP (University of Santiago de Compostela), and the University of Zaragoza.
The Congress concluded with the awarding of prizes for the best doctoral theses and most outstanding presentations. The closing ceremony featured academic and institutional representatives, including UJA Vice-Rector Alberto del Real, Andalusian Employment Minister Rocío Blanco, and CIRIEC-Spain Executive Director José Luis Monzón.
As a final note, Gustavo Marcos Matas from the Public University of Navarre received the baton to host the 21st CIRIEC-Spain Congress in Pamplona in 2027.
The 20th CIRIEC-Spain Congress was more than just a gathering of knowledge—it was a testament to the power of the public sector, the social economy, and academia working together to face today’s challenges and build a more inclusive future.
