"[S]hould private capital be allowed to profit from and control the direction of a British university?" Guy Standing: How financialisation is corroding education in the UK #UKHE #HigherEd www.opendemocracy.net/en/private-e...

Sorbonne University withdraws from the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. #HigherEd www.sorbonne-universite.fr/en/news/sorb...

Universities are under attack. By defending ourselves, we are defending the whole sector. Vote YES. #WeAreTheUniversity

Our members at @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social have voted for industrial action in a dispute over pay and conditions Imperial can afford to pay its staff a fair wage and must do the right thing www.ucu.org.uk/article/1418...

One does wonder why so many rich people seem so keen on buying universities if they're in as huge a financial pit as declared... Almost as if, for some, none of this is about innovative research and critical education anymore?

UK university staff: have any of your employers issued a formal communication (either by exec or line management) or any message to staff concerning the far-right protest on Saturday in London? (feel free to DM if you'd rather not elaborate on main, also "yes/no" is enough)

Strike action is ON!!! Next week will be the first of 4 weeks of striking from our members as we continue to say NO to the compulsory redundancies forced on us by the university for their poor financial choices. #StopTheCuts #SaveHE

In the 1950s-60s, British fascists, such as Oswald Mosley, were invited to speak at various university campuses. They used these invitations to portray themselves as part of a legitimate debate (while also courting infamy), but their speeches were often opposed. hatfulofhistory.com/2021/06/06/w...

Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, says UN inquiry

Solidarity to Leicester UCU in the fight to save jobs and stop course closures! An injury to one is an injury to all!

As a union, we have been fighting employers’ attempts at making 100% pay deductions for ASOS legal since 2019. As a branch, we’ve been at the forefront of that fight since 2022. Our own union going against our policies, workers’ interest, and legal cases hurts. Letter: qmucu.org/2025/09/12/l...

'"You can’t have hobbyist research that’s unfunded going on in institutions. We can’t afford it.”' Such a badly formulated phrasing of the issues, so open to so many misinterpretations. If this is the level of thinking about research among sector leaders and policy-makers, be very afraid.

All UCU branch committees should consider supporting this statement. Solidarity to Unite UCU.

No university staff should be left anxious and in the dark. We stand with @ucukent staff demanding reassurance and protection for jobs. Show your support to colleagues at Kent ✊

An unwelcome boost to our ongoing @sheffielducu.bsky.social industrial action ballot as our VC announces more work areas to be targeted by cuts. It is unclear that this has much to do with finances, but is more an ideological push to change the University's "size and shape".

We're striking to stop budget cuts and mass redundancies and standing up for the future of our students' education. There is no deficit.

At #TUC2025, UCU President Maria Chondragianni challenged Labour on higher education: “The Tories introduced a failed, marketised model across education. This has been disastrous.” ✊ We will keep holding Labour to account. #ucu #WeAreTheUniversity

This is the best thing anyone working in UK Higher Education can do today, particularly if you're at Kent or Greenwich. As a union we're stronger together. Support your local branch.

There is no trade-off between pay and jobs. Don't let the employers fool you otherwise. This dispute is on three things: 1.Pay uplift = at least RPI+3.5% or £2,500, on all pay points 2.Protection of national agreements on T&C's 3.A national agreement to protect jobs & subjects #WeAreTheUniversity

We've had a staff briefing at Kent from our acting VC and we don't really know any further than has been reported. This is the beginning of a process that we've been told will be transparent. There were lots of questions but no answers yet. Talk to your colleagues. We are stronger together.

What they said! 👇 We are stronger together (but in a 'solidarity' way, of course) - so have a coffee and a chat with colleagues & invite them to join UCU if they haven't already www.ucu.org.uk/join

Kentwich may have come without any (required?) consultation of staff and trade unions, but that isn't stopping branches from getting to work and ensuring staff gets represented and acts together. 🫶 Sending much solidarity to the excellent people @ucugreenwich.bsky.social & @ucukent.bsky.social!

We hope that #TUC2025 is asking union leadership to not replicate the union-busting tactics used by our worst employers? In particular @unitetheunion.bsky.social might want to have a word with @ucu.org.uk senior management, but this affects the entire @tuc.org.uk.

A disgusting lack of respect from the senior management of these universities.

BREAKING 🚨 @drjogrady.bsky.social on Greenwich/Kent “merger”: “This isn’t a merger, it’s a takeover. Severe financial pressure is driving this & staff & students are left overlooked, overworked & ignored. Govt must intervene before the crisis in HE worsens.” www.ucu.org.uk/article/1417...

What does this merger, decided without any consultation with campus unions or communication with colleagues and students more broadly, tell us about the state of governance structures across our universities today? No democracy. No accountability. No credibility.

We sent solidarity to our colleagues at Kent and Greenwich, we are stunned that the news broke to them this morning at the same time as the rest of us

A shocking story this morning. Made even more shocking by reports that there was no consultation with campus unions and no heads up to colleagues at either university prior to this story breaking in the BBC. Solidarity to our all friends and comrades at Greenwich and Kent - we stand with you!

What does this merger, decided without any consultation with campus unions or communication with colleagues and students more broadly, tell us about the state of governance structures across our universities today? No democracy. No accountability. No credibility.

For everyone else reading the news this morning about the Kent and Greenwich merger - it's been as big a shock for us too. Rumours always abound with constant cuts and redundancies, but they remained rumours until 7.45am this morning.

Proud to see this report out in the world today. After 10+ years of market experiments in UK HE, the data is clear: leaving what is taught in our universities solely up to the market has left students with less choice, fewer opportunities and more regional inequality. Read the deep dive below 👇

A shocking story this morning. Made even more shocking by reports that there was no consultation with campus unions and no heads up to colleagues at either university prior to this story breaking in the BBC. Solidarity to our all friends and comrades at Greenwich and Kent - we stand with you!

Absolutely astounded that the UCU and Unison branches at Kent and Greenwich were not consulted, and that staff only found out about the merger this morning via BBC news and Kent Online. Solidarity to all colleagues.

Members: your branch committee is about where you are in terms of info so far, but we'll be working hard to get as much as we can and making sure you get as much clarity as possible. We'll have a social Thursday 18th September, 5pm at the Gypsy Moth: non-members welcome www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Useful summary about our upcoming national dispute from @ucuwestminster.bsky.social

From local partys like ours, to our MPs and leaders, @greenparty.org.uk stands with the @ucu.org.uk and workers at our Colleges and Universities. No to involuntary redundancies. Yes to fair pay and conditions. #WeAreTheUniversity @lancasterucu.bsky.social

Really helpful post here about the upcoming ballot which you'll have seen an email about on Monday. #WeAreTheUniversity - vote yes to: ▶️protect jobs and prevent cuts ▶️defend the agreements that support our work ▶️demand a pay uplift.

The upcoming ballot isn't just about pay UCU demands are around protection of jobs + Ts&Cs 1.Pay uplift = at least RPI+3.5% or £2,500, on all pay points 2.Protection of national agreements on T&C's 3.A national agreement to protect jobs & subjects

We will be balloting in October! Remember, our dispute with the employers is three-fold: pay, protection of agreements and defence of jobs. Any ballot paper will have all three. We all know these three issues are intrinsically linked. We know we need to fight them together. #WeAreTheUniversity

Thanks to all the @ucu.org.uk branches supporting us today and this week! Here's a link to our hardship fund -- solidarity donations appreciated! www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/hff-fundrais...

🚨BREAKING: TUC Congress has voted to oppose increases in defence spending. The trade union movement is clear: Labour must prioritise investment in working people, not endless wars abroad. Wages, not weapons ✊

There should be a joint statement from the five unions in the next day or so (which also mentions pay, jobs, and nationally agreed employment conditions). For now, here is some further detail on what our dispute is about and what we UCU members will be balloted on nationally: #WeAreTheUniversity

This is unbelievable @ucu.org.uk How can you be threatening 100% deductions for ASOS that is working at home rather than in office? UCU policy is against disprop ASOS deductions ASOS deductions breach workers Art 11 rights You contradict UCU support for members’ cases against employer deductions

Resolute @ucuedinburgh pickets at Old College and throughout the university today #SaveHE #NoCompulsoryRedundancies #StopTheCuts

Important that it is not *only* about pay. The local disputes, where colleagues are organising against redundancies and worsening conditions (including: fire & rehire...) are part of this larger dispute. #UKHE

There should be a joint statement from the five unions in the next day or so (which also mentions pay, jobs, and nationally agreed employment conditions). For now, here is some further detail on what our dispute is about and what we UCU members will be balloted on nationally: #WeAreTheUniversity

Great start for @sophiasgaler.bsky.social 's 'Universities Challenged' with its 'Tuition Impossible' episode. A primer for the uninitiated on university finance and economic impacts. Hoping research too gets attention in the next episode, when culture wars are under view. Well worth listening to.

Hi #TUC2025 & @paulnowaktuc.bsky.social, enjoy congress! Can you reaffirm the movement's commitment to challenge disproportionate pay deductions for Action Short of Strike and upholding the democratically-voted-upon policies of a union? +have a word w our GS... uniteucu.wordpress.com/2025/09/04/u...