{"id":30070,"date":"2026-04-23T13:14:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T12:14:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/euricse.eu\/?p=30070"},"modified":"2026-04-23T13:17:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T12:17:23","slug":"from-the-basque-country-to-trento-jon-olaizola-alberdis-experience-at-euricse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euricse.eu\/en\/from-the-basque-country-to-trento-jon-olaizola-alberdis-experience-at-euricse\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Basque Country to Trento: Jon Olaizola Alberdi\u2019s experience at EURICSE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jon Olaizola Alberdi<\/strong>, a visiting researcher at EURICSE, reflects on his time in Trento, which has been marked by stimulating challenges and new research opportunities. A PhD candidate and researcher at the Mondragon University Business Faculty (Enpresagintza), located in O\u00f1ati (Basque Country) in northern Spain, he specialises in the social economy, cooperativism, and economic, social and environmental sustainability: themes that naturally align with the Institute\u2019s research activities, fostering the exchange of ideas and knowledge. Now in the final stages of his PhD, and with his family and young child remaining in Spain, he regards this visiting period as particularly significant, representing a key milestone in his academic and personal journey.<\/p>\n

Coming from the Basque cooperative ecosystem, he has found in Trento an ideal setting to explore the role of cooperatives in the dual digital and green transition. From this perspective, cooperation is not merely a subject of study, but represents a concrete example of a sustainable and inclusive model, particularly relevant in the current transformations. His focus is particularly on sustainability reporting practices.<\/p>\n

In this interview, he shares his experience, highlighting the importance of engaging with different contexts.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

What made you choose EURICSE? What are your main interests in relation to the centre\u2019s activities?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was already familiar with EURICSE and have always been impressed by the Institute\u2019s role at European level in promoting and disseminating knowledge about the social economy. The opportunity to undertake a visiting fellowship in Trento arose following a meeting with Gianluca Salvatori, Secretary General of EURICSE, during a conference in Donostia, the Basque name for the city known as San Sebasti\u00e1n.<\/p>\n

My decision was also guided by the multidisciplinary nature of the research institute, which brings together diverse expertise and fosters continuous exchange, creating a particularly stimulating environment.<\/p>\n

In terms of research, I focus on the social impact of cooperatives: not so much on how to measure it, but on what to measure and how to make their distinctive value visible. In this context, themes such as participation, sustainability and eco-social transitions are fully in line with EURICSE\u2019s activities.<\/p>\n

How does this experience fit into your personal and professional journey? What were your expectations at the start, and what goals did you set yourself? <\/strong><\/p>\n

The experience has not been without its challenges: having a family and a young child means I need to think carefully before making important decisions. It wasn\u2019t easy to choose to be away from my loved ones, but I see this experience as an opportunity that can also have positive benefits for my family, broadening both my personal and academic horizons.<\/p>\n

Professionally, it represents a valuable opportunity: working alongside researchers involved in European projects on cooperatives is a unique chance.<\/p>\n

My main objective is to develop a comparative study on industrial cooperatives in Italy and the Basque Country. The project is progressing well and I hope to present the initial findings in June. Experiences such as this also offer the opportunity for new exchanges and for forging links between my university and the research areas developed by EURICSE.<\/p>\n

How has your experience at EURICSE been so far? Are there any aspects that have particularly impressed or intrigued you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

So far, the experience has been very positive. Trento is a pleasant city and EURICSE provides an excellent environment for research. What has struck me most is the high level of expertise within the team: many of the staff are leading figures in their fields at European level.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the strong sense of cohesion within such a diverse group is surprising. You can clearly sense that everyone is working towards the same goal, making the experience all the more meaningful.<\/p>\n

What are the main differences you\u2019ve noticed between the Basque Country and Trentino-Alto Adige? Are there any similarities that have surprised you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have focused primarily on the research objectives, but what struck me was the strength and deep-rooted nature of the cooperative model in Trentino-Alto Adige. Mondrag\u00f3n is often cited as a global success story for its network of cooperatives, but the experiences in Trentino are also of great value.<\/p>\n

What the two contexts have in common is the presence of a dual dimension: on the one hand, a focus on results and the economic sustainability of the cooperatives; on the other, their commitment to generating impact and well-being for the surrounding community.<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to other researchers or visitors to help them make the most of an experience like this at EURICSE?<\/strong><\/p>\n

My advice is to keep an open mind. Even with thorough preparation, immersing yourself in a new environment requires the ability to adapt.<\/p>\n

At first, I thought I would be able to conduct numerous interviews and interact easily with local cooperatives, but I soon realised that language, cultural differences and differing perspectives can present obstacles. That is why it is essential to be flexible and to listen to those who know the local situation well.<\/p>\n

At the same time, as a visiting researcher, I tried not to be merely a passive beneficiary of the EURICSE environment, but to contribute actively, fostering opportunities for exchange, connection and new avenues for collaborative research. In this sense, the experience is also reciprocal: one learns from the environment, but at the same time helps to shape it.<\/p>\n

What are your impressions of the culture, society and way of life in this region? How would you compare it with the Basque context?<\/strong><\/p>\n

As soon as I arrived in Trento, I was struck by the city\u2019s peaceful and tranquil atmosphere – an image that didn\u2019t quite match the one I\u2019d initially had of Italy, which is often associated with larger, more dynamic and bustling cities. Trento is, in fact, a city on a human scale, nestled in nature and surrounded by mountains, where everything is easily accessible, and this balance has a tangible impact on the quality of daily life.<\/p>\n

Right from the start, I noticed more similarities than differences with the Basque context: the pace of life is \u201cNorthern European\u201d, the quality of life is very high, and everything is easily accessible.<\/p>\n

Here too, as in the Basque Country, there is a strong focus on community life, social relationships and a good work-life balance.<\/p>\n

If you had to describe this experience in three words, which ones would you choose?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Inspiring, collaborative and full of coffee breaks. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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