The premise to the New U Coop is simple: To reclaim higher education for all people. Young people today are being told they must seek some post-secondary education in order to be “successful”, however the costs of this have been rising steadily, limiting accessibility. Students themselves place much more emphasis on post-secondary education simply as a means to an end, that of a well-paying career, rather than a means in itself where education in and of itself is to be valued for developing a well-rounded and critical thinking human being. It can be argued that the pedagogy of today’s Canadian universities is fueling myths of our current civilization: unlimited economic growth and prosperity through wealth and individualism. The research function of post-secondary educational institutions in particular is being co-opted, with corporations have a growing stake in universities as they provide the funds, compensating for the diminished governmental funding. Given the context of massive environmental and concomitant social crises that face humanity today, such as climate change and growing social inequality, more than ever we need innovation and leadership in our educational organizations that will create compassionate citizens developing and implementing solutions to realize sustainable communities.

Traditionally universities debated fundamental questions pertinent to society. During the Enlightenment, debates concerning science, nature and ‘man’ were the foundational principles of the university. The university provided the knowledge basis and leadership in society. The New U Coop will provide innovative education that blends practical and experiential learning with theoretical learning and rigorous academic excellence, an education that will incorporate and respect all forms of knowledge and all styles of learning. As well, in order to maximize accessibility, the New U Coop will be operated utilizing innovative financial models of responsibility, for example working colleges. This project will build on the models of already existing ecological educational institutions from around the world to create a distinctly Canadian university designed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The New U Cooperative recently incorporated as a federal cooperative. This decision was based on the belief that the cooperative model is one of the most effective organisational structures that ensures active participation and an equal voice of all members. The cooperative will be managed by a board of directors and will have a committee structure, where decisions will be made using a consensus process. Membership will include categories of students, employees including educators, non-profit organizations, and supportive members of the public.