We are
IRECUS
Created in 1976 under the impetus of the Quebec cooperative movement, IRECUS's mission is to design and carry out multidisciplinary research and teaching activities in the management and development of cooperatives and mutuals.
We put our skills in research and education at the service of a more just, equitable and sustainable world. To do this, wes let us adopt a position as scientific and critical allies of the cooperative and mutualist movement.
IRECUS aims to be an essential crossroads of expertise and cooperative and mutualist thinking that contributes to building a better world.
Our team
We are a research team, scientists, inspired people. We approach our work with curiosity, diversified visions and authenticity, putting our learning at the service of our cooperative and mutual partners.
CLAUDE-ANDRÉ GUILLOTTE
Director of IRECUS
Associate Professor, School of Management
Anne-Marie Merrien
Postdoctoral researcher
Lecturer, School of Management
Uses her great capacity for analysis and synthesis to explore her interest in cooperatives and First Nations and Inuit.
JOSÉE CHARBONNEAU
Presearch professional
Josee.Charbonneau2@USherbrooke.ca
Our Orientation Board
Francois Coderre
Dean of the UdeS School of Management
Colette Lebel
President of the Orientation Board
Director of Cooperative Affairs, Sollio Groupe Coopératif, Montreal
Claude-André Guillotte
Director of IRECUS
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Jocelyne Champagne Racine
Representative of lecturers
Guillaume Brien
General Director, Federation of housing cooperatives in the Eastern Townships (FCHE)
Sherbrooke
Marie-Claude Duquette
President of the Quebec Federation of School Cooperatives (COOPSCO / FQCMS)
Michelle Giasson
Graduate representative
Manon Monette
Strategic Client Manager, The Cooperators
Stephanie Morin
Director of human resources, cooperation and management consulting services, Quebec Federation of Forestry Cooperatives (FQCF)
Martin Paquette
Chairman of the Board of Promutuel Assurance Vallée du St-laurent
Marc Picard
General Manager at Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins
Simon Robert
Cooperation Director, Agropur
Kristalna Vincent-Douville
Regional Director - Estrie,
Quebec regional development cooperative
Our Orientation Board
Jean Roy
Dean of the UdeS School of Management
Simon Robert
President of the orientation council
Cooperation Director,
Agropur
Claude-André Guillotte
Director of IRECUS
Guillaume Brien
General Director, Fédération des coopératives d'habitation de l'Estrie (FCHE)
Mohamed Majdi
Chairman, Fédération québécoise des coopératives en milieu scolaire (COOPSCO / FQCMS)
Jean-Philippe Marcoux
General director,
SOCODEVI
Manon Monette
Strategic Client Manager,
Co-operators
Stéphanie Morin
Director of Human Resources, Cooperation and Management Consulting Services, Fédération québécoise des coopératives forestières (FQCF)
Martin Paquette
Chairman, Promutuel Assurance Vallée du St-Laurent
Marc Picard
General Manager,
Caisse d'économie solidaire Desjardins
Francois Rancourt
Graduate representative
AndrÉa Renaud
Director of Cooperative Affairs,
Sollio Cooperative Group
Kristalna Vincent-Douville
Regional Director - Estrie and Montérégie,
Coopérative de développement régional du Québec
Thanks to all of our contributors!
And to our past contributors
Alliance funéraire du Royaume
Centre funéraire coopératif du Granit
Coopérative funéraire de l'Estrie
Coopérative funéraire de l'Outaouais
Coopérative funéraire de la Mauricie
Coopérative funéraire des Deux Rives
Coopérative funéraire des Eaux Vives
Coopérative funéraire du Bas-Saint-Laurent
Coopérative funéraire du Grand Montréal
Coopérative funéraire Haute-Côte-Nord Manicouagan
Résidence funéraire de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Résidence funéraire du Saguenay
Résidence funéraire Maska
Citadelle
La Coop Novago
Agriscar Coopérative agricole
Agiska Coopérative
Coop Avantis
IRECUS fund
Created and financed by the cooperative and mutual movement of Quebec, the Fund's mandate is to support our activities in terms of research on cooperatives and mutuals and the dissemination of our results, academically and through the cooperative community. and mutualist.
Do you want to become a privileged partner of IRECUS?
Our most recent research
Our History
1967 - Creation of the Cooperation Chair
Creation of the Cooperation Chair at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences of the University of Sherbrooke, at the instigation of the Director of the Department of Economics of the University of Sherbrooke, the President of the Regional Union of Credit Unions of Estrie as well as the Director General and President of the Quebec Cooperation Council (now the Quebec Council for Cooperation and Mutuality). Its objectives are to better define the specific nature of the cooperative through research, to infuse new ideas and a new dynamism to the cooperative movement and to promote succession.
1976 - Creation of IRECUS
At the request and in collaboration with the Quebec cooperative movement, the Research and Education Institute for Cooperatives of the University of Sherbrooke was created, with the support of the Department of Economics of the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences. , the involvement of the Department of Social Service and the Faculty of Administration. The Institute replaces the Cooperation Chair, while ensuring its continuity. Its function is to design and carry out multidisciplinary teaching and research programs in the field of cooperation, to promote publication and student research in this field, to make existing documentation accessible in addition to organizing conferences, seminars and conferences.
1981 - Establishment of the first master's degree in cooperatives in Canada
Establishment of a cooperative master's program by IRECUS - then the first, and only, Canadian graduate program specifically focused on cooperatives. Cooperation is approached from the angle of sociology, economics, administration, law, psychology and philosophy.
1996 - Transfer to Administration Faculty
Establishment of a cooperative Masters program by IRECUS - then the first, and only, Canadian graduate program specifically focused on cooperatives. Cooperation is approached from the angle of sociology, economics, administration, law, psychology and philosophy.
IRECUS moves to the Faculty of Administration, several professors of this faculty being already involved in the research and teaching activities of IRECUS. The Masters in Cooperation becomes the Masters in Cooperative Management to respond more effectively to the growing management challenges facing cooperatives. The following year, in response to the need to further develop research on cooperatives, a research path was added to the master's degree.
1998 - Start of research on cooperation as a management method
Participation of IRECUS in the management and research of the McConnell Chair in Local Development, the Desjardins Chair in Community Cooperation and Development and the Center of Excellence in Local Development Management, all of which are interested in cooperation as a mode of management in the private and public sectors, and in particular as a development tool to support communities in social and economic hardship.
2001 - Establishment of the network of universities of the Americas on UniRcoop cooperatives
Establishment of the Network of Universities of the Americas in Studies on Cooperatives and Associations (UniRcoop) and the journal of the same name in 2002. The UniRcoop Network brings together more than 150 professors and researchers, of whom about fifty are actively involved in the projects, attached to 22 member universities from 15 countries of the Americas. The objective of this network is to establish an interactive, dynamic and lasting link between universities and cooperative movements in the Americas, in order to contribute to the development of cooperatism and face the challenges of the new millennium. IRECUS occupies a leadership role in this organization.
2005 - New direction for IRECUS
In order to renew the partnership relationship which has linked IRECUS to the Quebec cooperative movement since its inception, a new formulation of the mission and the statement of functions of IRECUS was proposed in 2002. The orientation council and The IRECUS management committee confirm that it is a research and education university institute dedicated to cooperatives, their management and development in their specific environment, first nationally, then internationally. IRECUS is now continuing its international activities through closer collaboration with SOCODEVI. Mutual insurance is officially added to its fields of interest. Endorsing these new directions, IRECUS becomes the research and education institute for cooperatives and mutuals at the University of Sherbrooke; the acronym "IRECUS" is retained.
2012, 2014, 2016 - International Summit of Cooperatives
IRECUS carries out research for the three editions of the International Summit of Cooperatives. This international and national research is carried out in partnership with cooperative groups and researchers from other Canadian universities.
2019 - ICA Major International Conference
IRECUS organizes the Joint Annual Conference of the Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance for Cooperative Research (ACI-CCR), the Canadian Association for Cooperative Studies (CCAC-ACÉC) and the Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE).
Annual Reports
