Offered by the International Centre for Co-operative Management and the in collaboration with the and
This course builds links between co-operative law, Co-operative Identity (ICA, 1995), and sustainable development. How are values and principles translated into legal rules and legal practice? What types of rules are fitting, and what may cause ‘degeneration’ of co-operative enterprise? How do legal structural elements of co-operatives relate to aspects of sustainable development? This course is relevant to an international audience and can apply to all types of co-operatives and mutuals in all sectors of the economy. See the Brief Agenda [to be posted November 2025] for more course details.
Hagen Henrÿ, a renowned co-operative legal expert, is the primary instructor. Prof. Henrÿ held tenure as a professor at the University of Helsinki (2011- 2020); he was chief of the co-operative branch of the ILO, and he served as a legal advisor to the German federal minister of economy, among others. He has extensively consulted on co-operative policy and legislation in around 65 countries and remains a pivotal figure in numerous international organizations, including the ILO and the World Bank. He continues his engagement in the field as a visiting scholar and chairs the .
The course includes guest speakers in economics and law, policy and co-operative development. Speakers include Ifigeneia Douvitsa (IUS Cooperativum), Sonja Novkovic (ICCM) and Santosh Kumar (ICA).
Individuals with a strong interest in co-operative law including lawyers, law students in advanced stages of study, co-operative practitioners, policymakers, regulators, and those working in the co-op sector in advocacy and/or government relations.
Watch this short video showcasing our 2025 edition of the masterclass.
Early bird fee (until March 15th, 2026): €650 ($1100 CAD)
Early bird registration on or before March 15th with full payment received no later than April 1, 2026. If payment is not made by this date, regular fee applies.
Regular fee: €850 ($1400 CAD)
Fees cover five days of class lectures, discussions, guest presentations, coffee breaks and lunch, and a walking tour of Pula's historic city. Course fees do not include accommodations, travel costs (to/from Pula), or travel health insurance which participants need to arrange themselves.
In case of withdrawal from the course before June 30, 2026, refunds minus processing fee (€50) will be issued. For withdrawals between July 1-31, 2026 50% of the fee (reduced by the processing fee) will be refunded. No refund will be issued after August 1, 2026.
Participants who need to apply for a visitor Visa to Croatia (EU), see instructions HERE.
August 23-28, 2026. A guided tour of Pula’s ancient city is organized in the morning on Sunday Aug 23. Programming starts with an opening dinner on Sunday, August 23 at 7:00PM with participant introductions and networking, and closes at 5:00PM in the afternoon on Friday, August 28.
We encourage participants to join us for the August 22 workshop as well.
Registration and more details will be added in Mid-November 2025.
Click below for further details.
Student residence at the University of Pula is a 5 minute walking distance from the venue. The University is holding a block of rooms for this event. If you wish to stay in the residence, you need to book your room directly at studentski-dom@scpu.hr indicating ICCM in the subject area.
Room prices will be announced when prepared for 2026.
In 2025 they ranged between €45 per day per person in a shared room (2 beds) and €65 euro per person for single individual in a double bed room.
Many other accommodation options are available since Pula is a tourist destination. It is busy in the summer months, so book your accommodation early.
Before you register, please check whether you need an entry Visa to Croatia (European Union).
Please register for the course and pay the registration fee.
When payment is received by the ICCM team, an invitation letter will be issued to you – you will need the letter to apply for entry Visa. Please send us an email (snovkovic@smu.ca) stating your full name (as written in your passport), your address, date and place of birth, passport number and date and place of issue to include in the letter.
The letter will be signed by:
ICCM (Canada) at Saint Mary’s University as the organizer of the Summer School
J. Dobrila University of Pula as the home-country host
Note, if asked by Embassy staff: The two universities Saint Mary’s in in Canada and University of Pula in Croatia have a long-standing relationship and a Memorandum of Understanding to engage in staff, faculty and student exchanges and joint research and education projects such as this Summer school.
Please apply for travel Visa early. We recommend ideally by April 15th, since it may take a few months to process depending on your country of residence.
A free and open event preceding the Co-operative Law Summer School, the workshop aims to contribute to shaping the Legal Framework Analysis. This activity is undertaken by the and its regional offices under the ICA-EU Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (ICA EU FFPA).
Registration and travel details will be added in early 2026.
Financial partnership:
Knowledge partnership: We invite associations of lawyers and policy professionals to gain visibility for their organizations by offering guest lectures at the summer school. Resource persons must cover their participation costs, including travel and accommodation.
Co-operatives, law firms, associations, and organizations interested in partnering with the 2025 Co-operative Law Summer School in the above categories may please contact P. Santosh Kumar, Director (Legislation) at the , at kumar@ica.coop.
All selected partners will be offered visibility for their brands and logos in promotional material from the organizers’ media, which includes the 's wide global network and its bodies in over ten countries.
Additionally, spotlight interviews will be offered in the media of the organizers and collaborators, such as .
Unless otherwise stated in writing, the organizers retain the right to refuse partnership offers and amend the terms of the partnership without notice.
Please write to CoopLawPula@gmail.com with your questions.