iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Matt Grainger @drmattg.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Automation is a means, not an outcome. Our @sinisavilaakso.bsky.social, @nealhaddaway.bsky.social , @chrispritchard.co.uk latest commentary argues that we should be careful not to equate AI-assisted automation with demonstrated efficiency in evidence synthesis. rdcu.be/frFVC

rdcu.be

Automation is not evidence of efficiency

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

The Certification Officer has issued his decision in Blake & McGaughey v UCU. My initial response is here: vickyblakeucu.uk/2026/03/31/t... I urge members to read the full ruling rather than relying on the summary emailed to all members by HQ today. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69cbcb...

vickyblakeucu.uk

The Certification Officer’s ruling: Blake & McGaughey v UCU

The Certification Officer has now issued his decision in Blake and McGaughey v UCU. One complaint was upheld in part as a technical breach. The rest were dismissed, and no rerun or further remedy w…

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Secret UCU @secretucu.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Staff aren’t allowed to say they’re on strike. UCU members aren’t allowed to mention it to strike-breaking staff. Regional committees can’t talk about it. The NEC can’t talk about it. Congress can talk about it but motions are declared out of order. Is this the accountability Jo was meaning?

Jo Grady’s first election manifesto where she says she wants the GS to be more accountable to members

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Chris Pritchard @chrispritchard.co.uk · 13/02/2026

Posted my ballot paper yesterday for the @ucu.org.uk NEC elections! Make sure you use your vote!

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Chris Pritchard @chrispritchard.co.uk · 13/02/2026

What is happening within UCU is disgraceful - solidarity with @uniteucu.bsky.social

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Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

#HandsOffMarie www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/...

Unite national officer Andy Murray said: "Our members will not tolerate this approach from UCU management and with no resolution in sight feel they have no choice but to show their anger on the picket line. We urge UCU to come back to the negotiating table and make the concessions necessary to end this dispute."

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Jim Dickinson @jimdickinson.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

NEW on Wonkhe: Jim Dickinson unpacks the bleak new numbers behind England’s student loans — and the growing pressure on repayments and fiscal rules buff.ly/BOKyj0k

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Carl Bovis @carlbovisnature.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

For anyone who needs cheering up... here's Britain's smallest bird having a bath today in a woodland puddle. 😁😍🐦❤️ #birds 🪶

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

The @timeshighered.bsky.social has reported that @ewanmg.bsky.social and I have applied to the Certification Officer regarding concerns over the 2024 UCU general secretary election. UCU has characterised this as “smearing”, via a spokesperson. www.timeshighereducation.com/news/jo-grad... /1

timeshighereducation.com

Jo Grady’s UCU election win challenged over ‘unfair advantage’

Candidates who stood in 2024 poll seek rerun of campaign after claiming incumbent broke rules by using union resources

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Chris Pritchard @chrispritchard.co.uk · 26/01/2026

I’ve not been massively active on social media for various reasons (mainly busy), but I’d like to take this opportunity to endorse @seanawallis.bsky.social for UCU VP (HE). We don’t always agree on everything, but I know sean will put in the hard work needed to fight for post-16 education in the UK!

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Joss @josstified.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Why are you threatening #UCU staff with pay deductions for ASOS? UCU policy is to oppose punitive deduction for ASOS And why are you asking staff to fill out a form when UCU members at QMUL were advised not to do this?

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Unite UCU @uniteucu.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

UCU policy: “To work with the TUC and other TUs to campaign for a change to the law to prevent such deductions, including lobbying government and opposition parties” Maybe while @drjogrady.bsky.social is at @tuc.org.uk in Brighton she can work on thi… oh! policy.web.ucu.org.uk/motion-infor...

policy.web.ucu.org.uk

UCU: Fighting punitive ASOS deductions

Motion from UCU Congress 2022-2023: Fighting punitive ASOS deductions

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Why is our trade union emulating the worst behaviour of our employers towards UCU staff? How many of our letters, motions, attempts to bring motions from lay members pressing for resolution have been ignored now? Solidarity with all @uniteucu.bsky.social #UnionStrong #ReclaimUCU

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Glad @timeshighered.bsky.social is covering @uniteucu.bsky.social's dispute with @ucu.org.uk -resolution is beyond urgent (has been for over a year). But the content & tone of the UCU's anon quoted spokesperson feels emblematic of the underlying issues... www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucu-mem...

timeshighereducation.com

UCU members boycott key meeting over staff strike

Members of national executive committee claim they were ‘prohibited’ from discussion of dispute with staff in Unite union

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 30/04/2025

STATEMENT RE UCU NEC 2 MAY reclaimucu.wordpress... I am proud but saddened to be a signatory to this: I will not cross a picket line and I am in full solidarity with @uniteucu.bsky.social, on strike again this week. So I will not attend #UCU NEC on Friday this week. We all urgently need resolution.

reclaimucu.wordpress.com

Statement on NEC Meeting of 2 May 2025

On Friday, members of Unite UCU will be taking the final day of an unprecedented six weeks of industrial action. It is also the penultimate NEC meeting before Congress. One of the core principles o…

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Chris Pritchard @chrispritchard.co.uk · 30/04/2025

Saddened that the dispute that @uniteucu.bsky.social has with @ucu.org.uk as an employer is still ongoing and, had my tenure on the NEC started, I would be signing this letter and not attending the NEC meeting taking place tomorrow reclaimucu.wordpress.com/2025/04/30/s...

reclaimucu.wordpress.com

Statement on NEC Meeting of 2 May 2025

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Joss @josstified.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

"When market share becomes a dominant decision criterion, broader societal benefits remain invisible on the balance sheet. The market doesn’t price in what we collectively lose when the last medieval history department in a region closes, ..."

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

I hoped #UCU would redouble efforts to resolve the @uniteucu.bsky.social staff dispute Instead our own union-as-employer has issued management instructions NOT to use tactics #UCU members have routinely been advised to use *by #UCU* Then this page was deleted: web.archive.org/web/20230218... 1/7

web.archive.org

Out of office messages

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Resolution of the dispute between @uniteucu.bsky.social and UCU (as employer) is now far beyond urgent. Reading these testimonials (linked in post⬇️) from UCU staff is heartbreaking & reading the recent 'management instruction' excerpt v unnerving, esp in the wake of the Hon Treasurer's resignation.

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Lucy Burke @lucyburkemcr.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

QMUL UCU is doing the kind of work we need UCU to do nationally to highlight the catastrophic destruction of higher education across the regions & nations. Thousands of jobs & so much talent and expertise lost. Shame on this Govt for sitting by & letting it happen qmucu.org/qmul-transfo...

qmucu.org

UK HE shrinking

This is a live page of all the redundancies, restructures, reorganisations, and closures taking place across the sector at the moment. Solidarity to all. This sector is vital to the country’s…

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Rhiannon Lockley (she/her) @illdoitanyway.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

A big thank you to Elizabeth Lawrence, former President UCU. I first met Liz in the freezing cold at Sheffield station when she welcomed our branch campaign against TU victimisation to Yorks with strike funds & a list of solidarity visits booked. rhiannonforucuvp.wordpress.com/2024/12/17/e...

rhiannonforucuvp.wordpress.com

Endorsement from Elizabeth Lawrence, former President of UCU

Image shows Liz Lawrence taking part in a demonstration, carrying a placard which reads “defend jobs, defend education, NO CUTS” I have known Rhiannon for over a decade as a union …

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Matt Grainger @drmattg.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

This year’s ESHackathon is back at the NIHR Innovation Observatory at Newcastle University. We have 15 evidence synthesis projects this year ranging from fixing bibliographic records to tackling issues around AI use in systematic reviews. Watch this space for news from the next 3 days!

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QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Open University and Coventry both announcing Fire & Rehire in the same week. Totally normal. Not at all something a government should urgently ask questions about. Sort. This. Labour.

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QM_UCU @qmucu.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

The news coming out of Coventry is 🤯 Fire-and-Rehire: numerous staff are pushed onto teaching-only contracts via a subsidiary. They're made to re-interview for roles that will increase teaching and move them onto a different pension scheme: from TPS to AVIVA, with far lower employer contributions.

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Dr Rhian Elinor Keyse @drrhianelinor.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Thrilled to see voting transparency on NEC is back on the agenda, though. I hope some of those voting against it when I proposed it will work to getting it through NEC soon.

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Chris Pritchard @chrispritchard.co.uk · 13/12/2024

Space really is pretty darn cool!

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Bee Hughes (they/them) @beehughes.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Grant is an excellent candidate for UCU Scotland President. If I was able to, I’d vote for him

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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 13/12/2024

Shocking fire and rehire scheme at The Open University 🚨 Forcing 160 lectures to accept lower pay is unacceptable 👇 "It is a very serious situation because everyone is worried if they get away with it once, then they will do it again" @oubucu.bsky.social

bbc.co.uk

Open University lecturers in contract row - union

More than 160 lecturers were asked to sign new contracts amid concerns over hours, a union says.

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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 13/12/2024

We welcome Labour's decision to reverse the defunding of many crucial Level 3 qualifications, protecting educational pathways for working-class students. The government must now ensure that course closures do not lead to students losing out. Read more 👇 www.ucu.org.uk/article/1379...

ucu.org.uk

UCU welcomes decision to retain over 150 Level 3 qualifications

Responding to the outcome of the Department for Education's review of Level 3 courses, UCU general secretary Jo Grady said:

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Guardian NUJ @gonuj.org · 11/12/2024

We strike again tomorrow and Friday. Please support us SHARE our posts WRITE to guardian.readers@theguardian.com JOIN US - the picketline was packed last week. Will be the same tomorrow. The strength of feeling is undimmed 💪⬇️

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Vicky Blake UCU (she/her) @vickyblake.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Re #UCU HEC decisions today: Seeking urgent clarification as I'm both surprised and concerned to see members' email reporting timeline/details that were not discussed/agreed at HEC meeting this morning, *before* the HE Officers have been able to meet to discuss how to progress decisions made. 1/2

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Rhiannon Lockley (she/her) @illdoitanyway.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

HE is in crisis. Today I & a majority of elected ucu leadership agreed a strategy to build politically to defend the sector, mobilising member voice in every space from lobbying to demonstrating to withdrawing labour strategically. HE officers are the decision body for timeline. They have not met.

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Anne Felton @annefelton.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

Congratulations to Institute of Health & Allied Professions students graduating at Nottingham Trent University. An extra special day for our 1st Nurses from Mansfield site. Well done to all & the fantastic staff who helped them on the way @daraghmcdermott.bsky.social #proudday #healthcarecareers

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