Study Abroad in
Northern Spain
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
BUSINESSES AND CULTURE
Social Enterprises
Doing well by doing good
For example, New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, CO
Balancing economic, social and environmental concerns
Increasing the engagement of workers
Alternate schemes of organizing and doing business
Reducing the income gap
Unique contexts in which these systems develop
Why Northern Spain?
Home of one of the most famous worker cooperative
businesses in the world
Spain gets over 50% of its energy from renewable sources
Proximity to:
 Mountains of the Basque
region
 Beaches of San Sebastian
 Quaint French coastal
towns
 Port of Bilbao
 Premier wine region of La
Rioja
What does the course involve?
3 Pre-travel class sessions, 1 wrap up class
afterward
2 days of learning about the business environment,
culture, and structure of the Mondragon
corporation companies and touring the facilities
Visits to
o Bilbao on the coast, home to Guggenheim Museum
o Sustainable wineries with unique architecture in Rioja
o Sustainable operations of Mercedes
o The coastal towns of Saint Jean de Luz, France and San Sebastian,
Spain
o Madrid’s museums, sites, food, and shopping
What is Mondragon?
Internationally renowned consortium of worker cooperatives
Located in the Basque region of northern Spain, just north of the
Rioja wine region
Multiple businesses in manufacturing, retail, and finance
A university focused on innovation and cooperative principles
How is Mondragon different?
Otalora training
center
Home Base
Vitoria/Gasteiz, capital of Basque region
Green city, named European Green Capital
in 2012
Stay 6 nights at Hotel NH Canciller Ayala
Victoria (adjacent to walkway and park, ¼ mile from
train station)
Travel in a comfortable bus to
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Bilbao (one hour)
Rioja (40 min.)
Mondragon (45 min.)
San Sebastian (90 min.)
The Wine and Culture of Rioja
The premium wine growing area in Spain with over 600 wineries
Wineries designed to be a harmonious balance between winemaking, architecture and sustainability.
The streets of Haro and Sustainable wine-making at
Gomez Cruzado
Bodega el Fabulista in Logroño
Frank Gehry designed hotel of Marques
di Riscal in Elciego, near Logroño
Bilbao
Port city and home of famous Guggenheim Museum, designed by Frank Gehry.
Nearby is Gamesa, producer of windmills and other sustainability products.
Over 50% of Spain’s energy comes from renewable sources.
Other area businesses with a
sustainability focus
We will tour a Mercedes assembly plant in Vitoria, Spain with
sustainability initiatives
Pepsico bottling plant in Vitoria serves all of northern Spain
Major windmill manufacturer
Gamesa, headquartered near
Bilbao with other sustainability
products as well.
Northern Coast of Spain and France
Southern French towns of Saint Jean de
Luz and Biarritz
San Sebastion/Donastia on Spanish
coast, one of the best food cities in
Spain, noted for its pintxo (tapas)
culture
Madrid
Finish the program in the national capital
• Stay at Hotel Regina, near Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor, on Calle de Alcala
• Walk to the Museo Nacional del Prado with paintings by Goya, El Greco, Raphael, Rembrandt,
Ruebens and Velazquez
• Shop in markets and stores
Program Details
Part of spring semester tuition
Additional fees of $2,800 include
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Airfare
Ground transportation
Breakfasts
Some luncheons
2 group dinners
Museum tickets
Admission to wineries and tastings
The Intangibles to last a lifetime
Meet new friends, bond with old ones
Experience both Spanish and Basque cultures
Learn how workers cooperate in an engaged workplace, sharing the fruits of their labor.
See several of the world’s most famous museums
Visit multiple locations in the charming, historic country of Spain and southern France
Preguntas? (Questions?)