The Centre welcomed Dr. Ludger Voigt (University of Braunschweig, Germany), Dr. Michael Gusenbauer (University of Linz, Austria) and Dr. Daniel Durán (University of the Américas, Chile). Their work greatly enriched the Centre’s research landscape, contributing to new project development, methodological exchange, and the strengthening of international collaborations. 

Ludger Voigt contributed to the COOPDRIVE project, a qualitative study structured across different levels of the cooperative system in South Tyrol. The research involved executives, representatives of federations, and public institutions, with the aim of exploring cooperatives’ self-perception and gathering proposals and measures to enhance awareness of their role in the region’s socio-economic transition. Voigt’s data collection included in-depth interviews, field notes from events and meetings, and a documentary analysis designed to triangulate multiple sources and ensure greater interpretive robustness 

Daniel Durán, from the University of the Americas (Chile), carried out a visiting period in Bolzano to conduct a comparative study on worker and social cooperatives operating in the green sector in Italy and Chile. The research aims to understand how these cooperatives create meaningful employment opportunities for vulnerable groups while fostering inclusive governance models. During his stay, Durán conducted interviews and field observations at local cooperatives in collaboration with the Centre’s researchers. The material collected will form the basis of a joint scientific article comparing the two national contexts. He also delivered a presentation during the seminar “Food Waste and Food Poverty”, one of his research areas. He presented data from Chile, where 5.2 million tons of food are wasted annually, especially in agriculture and restaurants. The findings revealed growing vulnerability among the elderly, often hidden by shame.  

Michael Gusenbauer worked closely with the team to develop joint research projects and knowledge dissemination activities. His expertise in systematic reviews and meta-analyses provided significant value to the Centre’s ongoing projects, strengthening knowledge transfer, and enhancing the methodological quality of current research. During his stay, he also delivered a seminar dedicated to systematic reviews, offering participants insights into the methodological and practical implications of his work. He shared how to enhance the quality of systematic reviews through rigorous and transparent approaches, while also integrating the latest innovations in AI-supported knowledge identification. The seminar was a valuable session for researchers and PhD students interested in making their reviews more robust, generative, and truly impactful. 

The visits of these three researchers confirmed the Competence Centre’s commitment to fostering an open, interdisciplinary, and international research environment, capable of generating innovative knowledge and practices in support of the cooperative system in the South Tyrolean region.