Transforming Cooperatives for the Future: 20th ICA Asia-Pacific research conference

Conference Theme: Transforming Cooperatives for the Future

The 20th ICA Asia-Pacific Research Conference adopts the theme “Transforming Cooperatives for the Future” to foreground cooperatives and mutuals as active agents in shaping future-oriented solutions, rather than as residual or alternative organisational forms. The theme emphasizes the capacity of cooperatives to design, govern, and sustain responsiveness to balance economic viability and organisational continuity with social purpose and democratic accountability.

Across the Asia-Pacific region and globally, societies are confronted with intersecting challenges and need to find new and innovative solutions to care provision, housing affordability, environmental sustainability, financial inclusion, and digital transformation. These challenges demand institutional responses that are not only efficient and innovative, but also equitable, participatory, and resilient.

Thematic Focus

The conference theme encourages contributions that move beyond normative accounts of cooperative values to examine concrete solutions, institutional design, and practical outcomes. Research and practice-based submissions may explore:

• Cooperative Responses to Demographic Change and Evolving Care Needs
• Cooperatives’ Role in Environmental Sustainability and the Circular Economy
• Re-imagining Cooperatives and Mutuals through Innovative Business Models, Digital Transformation and Platforms
• Cooperative Solutions to Affordable Housing and Community Wellbeing
• Future-Proofing the Financial Cooperative Sector

The conference sub-themes encourage contributions that move beyond normative accounts of cooperative values to examine concrete solutions, institutional design, and practical outcomes. Research and practice-based submissions may explore one or more of five sub-themes:

1. Cooperative Responses to Demographic Change and Evolving Care Needs

This sub-theme examines cooperative approaches to delivering and sustaining care services, including health care, aged care, disability services, childcare, and community-based support. As care systems face increasing demand alongside workforce shortages and funding constraints, cooperatives offer organisational models that prioritise service quality, worker participation, and community accountability.

Contributions may explore governance and ownership in care cooperatives, labour conditions and workforce sustainability, financing and regulatory frameworks, and the capacity of cooperative models to deliver inclusive, dignified, and resilient care services. We can introduce technology enabled transformation and business models as part of the theme.

2. Cooperatives' Role in Environmental Sustainability and the Circular Economy

This sub-theme focuses on how cooperatives contribute to environmental sustainability and climate transition through collective ownership and long-term stewardship. Cooperatives play growing roles in renewable energy, resource management, supply chains, and circular economy initiatives that link economic activity with ecological responsibility.

Papers may examine cooperative-led environmental innovations, governance of shared resources, member-driven sustainability strategies, and the role of cooperatives in supporting climate-sensitive business models by adhering to environmental compliance.

3. Re-imagining Cooperatives and Mutuals through Innovative Business Models, Digital Transformation and Platforms

This sub-theme explores how cooperatives and mutuals can position themselves as proactive innovators rather than reactive alternatives within the economy. Importantly how they can navigate digital transformation while maintaining democratic governance and member value. Through using digital technologies they can reshape service delivery, market access, member and customer participation, and improve organisational structures. However digital transformation presents both opportunities and challenges for cooperative enterprises, it may increase need for capital and may marginalise members with limited tech skills. Re-imagining cooperative business models challenges traditional boundaries between social purpose and entrepreneurship, and sees digital transformation and platforms as enabling technology for cooperatives to lead in areas such as the green transition, inclusive care economies, and renewable energy.

Contributions may address digital transformation and platforms and cooperative ownership, data governance, platform cooperatives, innovative cooperative enterprise solutions, technology-enabled member participation, cybersecurity, regulatory issues, and the implications of digitalisation for cooperative identity and institutional resilience.

4. Cooperative Solutions to Affordable Housing and Community Wellbeing

This sub-theme examines cooperative approaches to housing as responses to affordability pressures, insecure tenure, and declining community cohesion. Housing cooperatives provide models that integrate affordability, participation, and long-term community well-being, with particular relevance for younger generations and urbanising regions.

Submissions may address cooperative housing models, policy and regulatory frameworks, community-led housing initiatives, financing mechanisms, and the social and economic impacts of cooperative housing on communities.

5. Future-Proofing the Financial Cooperative Sector

This sub-theme explores the evolving role of cooperative and mutual financial institutions in shaping inclusive and resilient financial systems for the future. In contexts of digital disruption, regulatory change, and financial exclusion, cooperative finance offers alternative pathways grounded in member ownership and long-term orientation.

Papers may examine cooperative banking and mutual finance models, financial inclusion, digital finance, governance and regulation, and the strategic future of cooperative and mutual financial institutions, including their role in supporting broader cooperative ecosystems.

The conference particularly welcomes work that is applied, comparative, interdisciplinary, and policy-relevant, reflecting the diverse realities of cooperatives across the Asia-Pacific region.