NCBA and ASU Launch Online Cooperative Education Program

The National Cooperative Business Association (NCBA), in partnership with Arizona State University's W. P. Carey School of Business, has launched a new online certificate program titled "Foundations of Cooperative Enterprise." This program aims to modernize cooperative education by offering four stackable microcredentials that culminate in a capstone project, designed for practical application in cooperative governance. Enrollment is open to current and aspiring cooperative leaders nationwide.

The new certificate program moves beyond traditional one-time workshops, providing structured and credentialed coursework focused on applied knowledge in cooperative governance, ownership, and decision-making. NCBA highlighted that the program is also accessible for individuals new to the cooperative movement without formal business backgrounds. The initiative addresses a need for developing leaders equipped for democratically governed enterprises.

The curriculum is structured around four distinct microcredentials: Cooperative Identity, Governance and Decision-Making, Ownership Models, and Global and Domestic Operations. Each microcredential can be taken independently, allowing for targeted learning. The program concludes with a capstone project where participants apply their acquired knowledge to a real or hypothetical cooperative scenario, bridging the gap between theory and practice.

NCBA serves as a national association dedicated to developing, advancing, and protecting cooperative enterprises across various sectors in the United States. The partnership with ASU is part of NCBA's broader educational initiatives to foster leadership development and expand access to shared ownership models.