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Prepare yourself to lead cooperative enterprises capable of competing, innovating, and generating value for their members.

International Diploma Program in Cooperative Business Management

Formación especializada para fortalecer la gestión, la innovación y la competitividad de las empresas cooperativas.

  • DOBLE CERTIFICADO
  • Hybrid course
  • Level Intermediate
  • More than 60* hours of content
  • Regular price:Q4,500.00Price: Q3,000.00 (≈ US$400.00)
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Why study this diploma program?

TheInternational Diploma in Cooperative Business Managementstrengthens the capacities of students, cooperativists, and professionals to lead and manage cooperative enterprises with a strategic, innovative, and competitive vision, without losing sight of their cooperative identity and purpose.

It is an academic initiative of theRegional University of GuatemalaandNCBA CLUSA, with the support of theCooperative Development Foundation (CDF).

Start:Thursday, August 13, 2026.

End:Thursday, December 3, 2026.

Virtual session schedule:every Thursday from 17:30 to 20:30, Guatemala time (GMT-6).

Perfil de Ingreso

Who is it aimed at?

The International Diplomado is aimed at executive staff, managers, administrative and technical personnel, members with leadership responsibilities, professionals, and university students linked to or interested in the strengthening and development of cooperative enterprises in Guatemala, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Entry Profile

  • - University graduate or student with at least three years of studies at the undergraduate or degree level.
  • - Demonstrate interest and justify your training needs in cooperative development.
  • - Have adequate access to the internet and an electronic device to participate in virtual classes.
  • - Have basic computer skills, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Investment and partial scholarship

Scholarship available

Save Q1,500.00 (33%).

The regular cost of the Diplomado is Q.4,500.00 —approximately US$600.00—, distributed in a registration fee of Q.750.00 and five monthly installments of Q.750.00 each.

Thanks to the support of the Regional University of Guatemala and the Cooperative Development Foundation, for this edition a partial scholarship is offered that reduces each payment by one third, from Q.750.00 to Q.500.00.

Your investment with the partial scholarship

Q.3,000.00 in total —approximately US$400.00—

  • - Registration: Q.500.00.
  • - Monthly payments: five payments of Q.500.00 each.

The registration payment is made after your admission has been confirmed.

The amounts expressed in US dollars are approximate and are included as a reference for international participants. They may vary according to the exchange rate applicable at the time of payment and the fees or charges applied by the payment gateway or financial institution.

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What will you learn?

Connect the principles of Social Market Economy, cooperative identity, and governance with decision-making and strategic management of cooperative enterprises.
Understand the relationship between territory, value chains, and cooperative enterprise development, as well as the need to identify actors, resources, gaps, and opportunities for productive and commercial linkage.
Know and use basic tools for strategic planning, marketing, and financial analysis to support decision-making and guide business strengthening processes.
Integrate the learning from the Diplomado in the guided formulation of a Cooperative Business Plan, considering its strategic, commercial, operational, and financial components.

Course modules

4 modules · 19 sessions

  1. Doctrinal Framework of 21st Century Social Market Economy, Cooperative Fundamentals, and Cooperative Governance

    Duration: 3 weeks

    Sessions: 3 sessions

    Tutoring: Dr. Ovidio Monzón

    1. Session 1Class Zero - Fundamental Concepts of Cooperative Business Management— Aug 13 · 240 min
    2. Session 2Class 1. Twenty-first Century Social Market Economy Doctrine as a Framework for the Cooperative Enterprise.— Aug 20 · 180 min
    3. Session 3Class 2. Philosophy and Foundations of Cooperativism Applied to Business Management— Aug 27 · 240 min
    4. Session 4Class 3. Governance in Cooperative Business Management— Sep 3 · 240 min
    You'll learn:

    This module establishes the doctrinal, identity, and institutional framework of the Diplomado. It relates the Social Market Economy, cooperative fundamentals, and governance to business management, decision-making, and enterprise administration. Courses: 1. Doctrine of the 21st Century Social Market Economy as a framework for the cooperative enterprise. 2. Cooperative fundamentals applied to business management. 3. Cooperative governance applied to business direction and control.

  2. Sustainable territorial development, value chains and productive linkages

    Duration: 2 weeks

    Sessions: 2 sessions

    1. Session 1Class 4. Sustainable Local Development with Territorial Approach— Sep 10
    2. Session 2Class 5. Sustainable Local Development with Territorial Approach - Part 2— Sep 17 · 90 min
    3. Session 3Class 6. Value Chains and Productive Linkages Applied to the Cooperative Enterprise.— Sep 24
    You'll learn:

    This module examines the relationship between the territory, its actors and resources, and the development of the cooperative enterprise. It presents value chains and productive linkages as frameworks for understanding their economic, social and environmental articulation with the surrounding environment. Courses: 1. Sustainable local development with a territorial approach. 2. Value chains and productive linkages applied to the cooperative enterprise.

  3. Cooperative Business Management

    Duration: 5 weeks

    Sessions: 5 sessions

    1. Session 1Class 4. Ethics Applied to Cooperative Business Management.— Sep 10 · 90 min
    2. Session 2Class 5. Strategic Planning for the Cooperative Enterprise.— Sep 18 · 90 min
    3. Session 3Class 6. Strategic Planning of the Cooperative Enterprise - Part 2— Sep 25
    4. Session 4Class 8. Financial evaluation of productive projects.— Oct 8
    5. Session 5Class 8. Strategic Marketing and Market Access.— Oct 9
    6. Session 6Class 9. Financial Evaluation of Productive Projects - Part 2— Oct 15 · 90 min
    7. Session 7Class 9. Strategic Marketing and Market Access - Part 2— Oct 16
    8. Session 8Class 11. Business Model and Strengthening Plan with Cooperative Business Canvas.— Oct 29 · 180 min
    9. Session 9Class 12. Business Model and Strengthening Plan with Cooperative Business Canvas - Part 2— Nov 5 · 180 min
    You'll learn:

    This module presents tools to guide planning, financial evaluation, marketing, and strengthening of the business model. It integrates cooperative ethics with business decision-making and sustainable market access. Courses: 1. Ethics applied to cooperative business management. 2. Strategic planning of the cooperative enterprise. 3. Financial evaluation of productive projects. 4. Strategic marketing and market access. 5. Business model and strengthening plan with Cooperative Business Canvas.

  4. Graduation Research and Applied Practice

    Duration: 8 weeks

    Sessions: 3 sessions

    1. Session 1Class 7 - Practice I: Organization's Strategic Plan.— Oct 1
    2. Session 2Class 10 - Practice II: Value Chain of a Product or Service.— Oct 22
    3. Session 3Class 13 - Practice III: Final Project: Cooperative Business Plan— Nov 26
    You'll learn:

    This module integrates the learning from the Diplomado through exercises applied to the reality of a cooperative enterprise. The process culminates with guided formulation of a business plan for one of its main products or services. Practices: 1. Strategic plan of the organization. 2. Value chain of a product or service. 3. Final project: Cooperative Business Plan.

Dr. Ovidio Monzón

PhD. en Educación y Mediación Pedagógica

Consultor en Administración Educativa y Políticas Públicas

Ing. Jorge Sandoval

Msc. Productividad en Ciencias

Especialista en Cadenas de Valor y Mercados

Dr. Luis Granados

PhD. Ciencias Sociales y Sociología

Especialista en Economía, Desarrollo Rural y Formulación de Proyectos

Lic. Walter Argueta

MSc. en Administración Financiera

Experto en Auditoria Gubernamental y Ciencias Económicas

With the support of

Doug O'Brien

CEO y Presidente de NCBA CLUSA

Carl Hammerdorfer

Vicepresidente sénior de Programas e Innovación - NCBA CLUSA

Carla Decker

CEO y Presidente de SkyPoint Federal Credit Union

Juan Carlos Marenco

Representante de País NCBA CLUSA

Manuel Contreras

Director Escuela de Empresas Cooperativas - NCBA CLUSA

This course is organized by Coop Business School in collaboration with

Universidad Regional de Guatemala

Una Iniciativa Académica Conjunta

El Diplomado es codesarrollado por la Universidad Regional de Guatemala y NCBA CLUSA, a través de la Escuela de Empresas Cooperativas.

La Universidad Regional aporta respaldo académico, conocimiento del territorio y capacidad institucional para desarrollar programas de formación dirigidos al sector cooperativo. Estos aportes se articulan con la experiencia internacional de NCBA CLUSA en desarrollo cooperativo y con sus metodologías prácticas para el fortalecimiento de empresas cooperativas.

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DOBLE CERTIFICADO

Certificación y Requisitos de Aprobación

Al completar satisfactoriamente el Diplomado, las personas participantes recibirán una doble certificación:

  • - Certificación académica otorgada por la Universidad Regional de Guatemala.
  • - Certificado de competencias emitido por NCBA CLUSA.

La certificación académica será emitida por la Universidad Regional de Guatemala, y podrá presentarse internacionalmente conforme a los requisitos aplicables en cada país. La certificación de competencias será emitida por NCBA CLUSA, y reconoce los conocimientos y capacidades desarrollados para la gestión empresarial cooperativa.

Para aprobar el programa, las personas participantes deberán cumplir con al menos el 75 % de asistencia, participar en las tres prácticas aplicadas, completar las actividades académicas asignadas y presentar un plan de negocios cooperativo como proyecto final.

Los estudiantes de la Universidad Regional de Guatemala podrán obtener el reconocimiento de créditos académicos dentro de sus respectivos programas, conforme al número de créditos y al procedimiento que establezca la Universidad.

Drive your professional development in cooperative business management

With this International Diplomado you will be able to:

  • Strengthen your leadership and make decisions with a broader business vision.
  • Expand your capacities to contribute greater value from management, administrative, or technical roles.
  • Specialize to develop projects, consultancy, or services linked to cooperative enterprises.
  • Convert an idea into a cooperative initiative with greater clarity and foundation.
  • Differentiate your professional profile and prepare yourself to participate in the development of the cooperative sector.
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Frequently asked questions

Click on "Register to Request It" and complete the pre-registration form. The program team will review your profile and verify that you meet the entry requirements. Depending on each case, the Regional University of Guatemala may request additional documentation or an interview. University students will follow the specific academic verification process established by the institution. When your admission is confirmed, you will receive instructions to make the payment. Once verified, your access to the virtual classroom will be enabled and you will receive the necessary information to begin the Diplomado.

Executive staff, managers, administrative and technical personnel, members with leadership responsibilities, professionals, and university students linked to or interested in the strengthening of cooperative enterprises may apply for admission. It is not necessary to currently belong to a cooperative. To enroll, you must: • Be a university graduate or have completed at least three years of undergraduate or degree studies. • Explain your interest and your training needs in cooperative development. • Have adequate access to the internet and an electronic device to participate in virtual classes. • Have basic computer skills, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Compliance with these requirements will be verified during the admission process.

Live sessions will be held every Thursday, from 17:30 to 20:30 hours, Guatemala time (GMT-6), from the start through the completion of the Diplomado, according to the academic calendar. If you are participating from another country, you should consider the corresponding time difference.

The Diplomado has an approximate duration of five months, according to the academic calendar established for this edition.

To pass the Diplomado you must: • Maintain at least 75% attendance. • Participate in the three applied practices. • Complete the assigned academic activities. • Present a cooperative business plan as a final project.

Upon successfully completing the Diplomado, you will receive: • An academic certification awarded by the Regional University of Guatemala. • A certificate of competencies issued by NCBA CLUSA. The academic certification accredits the approval of the Diplomado, while the certificate of competencies recognizes the knowledge and capacities developed for cooperative business management. Both documents may be presented internationally, according to the requirements applicable in each country and institution.

Yes. Students from the Regional University of Guatemala may obtain recognition of academic credits within their respective programs, according to the number of credits and the procedure established by the University.

Need more information?

If you have any questions about the requirements, the admission process, the modality, or payments, contact the program team. We will be happy to guide you before you submit your application.

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