On April 20, 2026, the Universidad del Chubut officially launched its first Open Chair, marking a significant step in its commitment to strengthening the Social and Solidarity Economy within the region. The initiative, titled “Promoviendo redes de Economía Social y Solidaria para el Desarrollo Local,” was inaugurated during the first module of the sixth edition of the course “Introduction to Worker Cooperativism,” which has drawn more than 40 enrolled participants.
The Open Chair is led by the Center for Studies on the Development of the Social and Solidarity Economy (CEDESS), an academic unit within the university dedicated to advancing community-based economic models. According to Marina Veleda, director of CEDESS, the program aims to transversalize the Social and Solidarity Economy across university functions by linking teaching, extension, and research with local territorial actors.
“The objective is to transversalize the social and solidarity economy in the university to strengthen the articulation between training, extension, and research with actors from the territory,” Veleda stated during the launch event. She emphasized that the proposal includes workshops, roundtables, and in-person activities with a territorial focus, gender perspective, and collaboration with cooperatives and social organizations.
The launch event featured participation from two major federations: the Federation of Worker Cooperatives of the Argentine Republic (FESSCA) and the Chubut Federation of Cooperatives (FECHCOOP). Represented by their presidents, Jessica Castillo and Valeria Lewis, both leaders shared insights on the role of cooperativism in building community and generating opportunities through collective action, particularly in complex socio-economic contexts.
Jessica Castillo highlighted that cooperativism is not merely a form of work but a means of constructing community and creating opportunities from the collective, especially in challenging times. Her remarks underscored the broader social mission of the initiative beyond academic instruction.
The Universidad del Chubut, located in the Patagonian province of Chubut, Argentina, has positioned this Open Chair as part of its broader strategy to integrate academic knowledge with grassroots economic initiatives. The university’s engagement with CEDESS reflects a growing trend in Latin American higher education to support solidarity-based economies through education and territorial collaboration.
CEDESS, based at the university’s main campus on Avenida San Martín 293, continues to promote the Social and Solidarity Economy through monthly publications like “Voces del CEDESS,” training programs, and partnerships with local productive networks. The center also supports initiatives such as technological cooperativism and gender-inclusive entrepreneurship.
As of the launch date, no official date has been announced for the next phase of the Open Chair program. Interested individuals are encouraged to monitor the university’s official communications and CEDESS’s monthly bulletin for updates on upcoming workshops, enrollment periods, and collaborative events.
For more information on the Universidad del Chubut’s academic extensions and community engagement initiatives, readers can visit the institution’s official portal or contact CEDESS directly via its published contact channels.
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