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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Liesbeth Corens @onslies.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

YAY! Tickets now available! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-2026-a... Stefan Collini on '"Serious, but not narrowly professional”: the idea of a university-based general periodical in post-war Britain'. Should make for great conversation about the role of universities in 'serious' public discourse #UKHE

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

That'll be because they're spending more on paying authors, right?

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University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 30/09/2026

University of Brighton management has given notice to terminate its recognition agreement with UCU alongside collective agreements covering key terms and conditions. This isn't just about Brighton. What happens here could have implications for branches across the UK.

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The University of Dundee is making over 100 people redundant next month At the same time it is having to explain why it has so much cash that the Scottish Funding Council won’t release £27m of extra funding! Join our strike to rule out compulsory redundancies. www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/business-...

thecourier.co.uk

Dundee University emergency cash paused as auditors probe 'too much money' claims

External auditors PwC are reviewing the university at the request of the Scottish Funding Council.

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

University of Nottingham UCU branch @uonucu.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Strike action begins this week! Wednesday: meet on the steps outside Portland at noon to collect and then distribute flyers. Thursday: picket from 8:30-11:30 on University Park's West Entrance and then walk to a 12 PM Rally at Trent's South Entrance. See you there and solidarity.

JOIN US ON THE PICKET LINE

Thursday 1st October

Picket: 8:30-11:30 AM, University Park, West Entrance

Rally: 12 PM, Trent Building, South Entrance

UONUCU

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Politics & IR @ De Montfort University @dmupoliticsir.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

DMU Politics & IR is proud to contribute to the Institute of Global Challenges and Cultures’ 2026–27 Migration, Integration and Conflict research seminar series. A great line-up of speakers and topics, beginning with Andreas Bieler in a couple of weeks! @dmuhistory.bsky.social @campolis.bsky.social

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Nina Markl 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @ninamarkl.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

if anyone wants to understand the finances at the University of Edinburgh, the unions have done excellent work on this:

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Ms Marchmont @msmarchmont.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

UCU picket at the Infomatics Building, Edinburgh University

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

UCU Edinburgh @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Day 1 of the strike by the workers of UCU Edinburgh against the manufactured deficit (which is not really a deficit), and against a senior management earning millions while staff disappear and education suffers. Solidarity against this parasitical form of management of our higher education.

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Plashing Vole @plashingvole.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Best of luck to @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social members going on strike for over a month. Nobody does this willingly - it’s a last resort, unlike that enormously rich university’s slash and burn tactics.

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21 Group @21group.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

It's the classic “sustainable footing” argument from University of Essex Axe 400 jobs, close a campus & tell the people left behind to do the extra work that it’s all for the future www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Essex university staff walk out in Colchester over 400 job cuts

About 50 people wave their placards on the picket line in Colchester.

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Amazing turnout today on Day 4 of our picket to rule out compulsory redundancies.

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It's a simple message...

Poster with message - No more job cuts. Vote Yes to save our future at this University. Ballot closes 2nd October - last safe posting date 30 September.

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Day4 of 25. The sun is out and we need everyone to come and join us today on the picket line. If you’re in Dundee and well, get yourself down to the front of the Tower!

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Patrick W. Reed @patrickwreed.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

between 15,000 and 20,000 jobs in UK universities are actively at risk of being cut, on top of the tens of thousands already lost. 50% of UK universities are actively cutting staff. Solidarity with anyone losing their job at the altar of corporate greed, but "some jobs are real jobs" indeed.

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Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Day 1 of 25 - Massive turnout today on our picket line. Thanks to Heather Anderson MSP and @maggiechapman.bsky.social for your support on the picket line this morning. And for all our amazing students from Students Against Cuts. No compulsory redundancies. #SaveDundeeUni

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Plashing Vole @plashingvole.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I’ve suddenly realised what actually happened in my workload meeting yesterday. My head of dept offered me hourly-paid teaching on top of the proposed 0.5 role *to cover the shortfall caused by my own half-sacking*. (I said no - it’s a proper job or nothing).

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

'In the most notable case, the University of Nottingham’s University and College Union (UCU) branch has declared strike action of 67 days, expected to last for the majority of the autumn term, as the institution looks to cut 600 full-time equivalent jobs.'

timeshighereducation.com

UK universities face autumn of chaos as ‘prolonged’ strikes planned

Unprecedentedly long strikes at Nottingham, Edinburgh and Dundee could be the shape of things to come, observers say

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Lincoln Branch of UCU @uculincolnbranch.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Four cycles in three years at #Lincoln 😢 Solidarity to all impacted 💪❤️

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Oooh a new tool! That's exciting. Wonder if it'll come with a new survey that takes up loads of time and ultimately both fails to protect jobs AND allows for job cuts in underperforming areas.

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I mean most of my students HAVE JOBS. Most of our students have to work at least part time and in many cases full time. They can't take a day off work to go to work experience.

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Sure, why not add some unpaid labour to the cost of university.

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Exeter UCU @exeterucu.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

What a MAMMOTH result. 100% the product of everyone's efforts over the summer.

RECORD-BREAKING BALLOT RESULT
EXETER UCU VOTES FOR ACTION
90.53% VOTE YES TO STRIKE
73.85% TURNOUT

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

we've met with colleagues around the country who are enduring it right now. It's not terrible as an option for flexible learning, but as the standard offering it provides very little in the way of time management or space to learn.

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Our move, a few years ago, to "block teaching" means modules last 6-7 weeks. Entire programmes lost optionality and now have precisely 12 modules (if that). The pressure of intensive working is driving up stress: a moderate illness means people miss up to 1/3 of an entire module.

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Reposted by The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester

Plashing Vole @plashingvole.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Many of my students work full-time and study full-time: I worried about how they could do both at all well. My university has now cut class hours to 348 across 3 years for the same fees as before. That’s both thin and greedy. A student could finish for the week by Monday afternoon, including lunch.

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Stephen Baker @stephenbaker.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

If you’re working in UKHE at an institution that doesn’t support time for research and scholarship, then you’re not working in a university. You’re working in a sort of debt processing plant that issues certificates and awards.

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Of course we all do. We've all been aggrieved to witness cuts that take out the people who are actually essential to the creation, sharing, and building of knowledge and leave those who do little more than forward emails, create spreadsheets, and exist in the realm of "busy work" only.

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Solidarity with colleagues receiving this news today. Personally knowing people at the institution in question, they are among the finest among us and deserve so much better.

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University of Nottingham UCU branch @uonucu.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

'Dr Mark Pendleton, vice president at the University and College Union, said while lower-paid staff face stagnant pay and insecure contract work, this is “not what is being experienced at the top of the sector”.' inews.co.uk/news/educati...

inews.co.uk

The seven elite universities losing millions of pounds… while bosses' pay rises

Russell Group universities are axing jobs and cutting courses as the sector faces a financial crisis fuelled by a drop in international students

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dmuhistory.bsky.social @dmuhistory.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

To coincide with its global release, our Dr Dave Dee will be formally launching his new @academic.oup.com book ('Migrants, Minorities, and the History of British Boxing') this October at @dmu.ac.uk as part of their @blackhistorymonth.org.uk programme. Details here: eventbrite.co.uk/e/book-launc...

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Hugh Jones @hbsj.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Here's a #HigherEducationPostcard of what became Cardiff Metropolitan University - this is the Cyncoed campus, which back in the day focused on teacher training If you like this image, I’d really appreciate a repost - remember, BlueSky has #NoAlgorithm

An old monochrome picture postcard showing a 1960s brick , glass and steel college building around a quadrangle

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covucu.bsky.social @covucu.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Dear University Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award? For CU’s VC? The university with the huge deficit, collapsing student numbers, hundreds of redundancies and 2,788 staff transferred to subsidiaries over 3 years? That Coventry? Right. Interesting award criteria you have there. Best, The staff

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Solidarity with colleagues working the @ucu-ulster.bsky.social open day, whilst facing 450 redundancies. Anyone in the area, please stop by at 10am!

Photo of a UCU picket at the university of Ulster

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covucu.bsky.social @covucu.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

CU's VC celebrates his nomination for the University Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award, despite his “dynamic, future-focused” transformation involving 2,788 staff moved to subsidiaries, hundreds of redundancies & stripping of national agreements and collective bargaining. Quite an achievement #UCU

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Corner @dangerouscorner.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Yeah it took the UCU marking boycott for me to realise that alas! HEI admin don't care about education, merely about credentialisation. Humanities are easy to cut quickly because there are no pesky external awarding bodies asking awkward questions about learning outcomes during 4 years of teach-out.

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Durham UCU @ducu.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Ah yes, the good ol' "You've got things wrong, but we're not going to tell you which things, or why we think they're wrong, so you're just going to have to stop talking about what's going on entirely" approach. A classic.

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Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

No surprise. The current COO’s previous workplace did not stop volunteers carrying controlled drugs. Nigel Seaton and UEG have not listened to staff about their concerns about risks to the University. Compliance with the law is a task now assigned across UEG members with no legal background.

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Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

The University of Dundee is failing to comply with information governance law. This is due to a reduction of staffing in the team responsible. Staff reached zero in 2026. Compliance issues will become more and more regular if the current redundancies are approved by Court. Say no to redundancies.

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Glen O'Hara @gsoh31.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Lincoln Bishop University taken into the private sector by its lender, Global University Systems. As trailed here, there'll be much more of this coming up as creditors seek to secure their assets by taking them in-house. www.timeshighereducation.com/news/gus-com...

timeshighereducation.com

GUS completes takeover of Lincoln Bishop University

Public institution to become autonomous company within wider private education group

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

We've had issues with presenteeism as well. Luckily there are agreements in place that limit our required presence on campus to classes and meetings, but we witnessed managers increasingly trying to push in-person over online meetings this past academic year. Expecting more of the same...

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Nick Kapur @nickkapur.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Making university faculty sit in their offices from 8 am to 5 pm every day, 5 days a week, is insane and serves no conceivable academic purpose. The fact that admins and even *staff* are exempt from this absurd requirement shows the real goal is to make tenured faculty quit.

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The UCU branch at De Montfort University Leicester @ucudmu.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Solidarity with our colleagues at Nottingham. Its so profoundly odd to be launching overseas franchise campuses at the speed we witness (DMU has added Cambodia and Kazakhstan to Dubai!) and the shuttering of the study of languages. And imagine thinking we dont need to study the US right now.

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Dundee UCU @ducuuo.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Open Letter to John Swinney: Dundee is now a Test of Your Government’s Leadership sites.dundee.ac.uk/ducu/

sites.dundee.ac.uk

Dundee University and College Union – Welcome to University and College Union (UCU) University of Dundee Branch home page.

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Birmingham UCU @birminghamucu.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Quote - Birmingham said its voluntary redundancy scheme for 238 members of staff was “to help protect the university from future volatility and help ensure that we can continue to invest in our long-term strategic ambitions”. From www.thetimes.com/uk/... Is everyone now feeling less volatile?

thetimes.com

Universities spend £400m on ‘golden goodbyes’ in a single year

The 60% increase shows how even top institutions are scrambling to deal with falling numbers of overseas students and stagnating domestic tuition fees

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Plashing Vole @plashingvole.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Interestingly everyone at risk was cc'd rather than bcc'd so we know who we're up against. Anyone know if that's a data protection breach?

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