Outrageous when they're turning a profit and have plans to expand another campus!

bsky.app/profile/eica...

🫂

A degree of regulation: Building a more financially sustainable and resilient higher education sector - HEPI Excessive risk-taking by higher education providers must be curtailed. With concerns mounting over the financial health of the English higher education sector, a new report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) – written by Tom Richmond, a former adviser to ministers at the Department for Education – argues many universities have taken too many […]

Just as the banks were banned from taking excessive risks after the 2008 global financial crisis, my new @hepi-news.bsky.social report calls for equivalent measures in Higher Education to prevent a similar crisis from developing.

Read / download the report here:
www.hepi.ac.uk/reports/a-de...

I notice they've dug up Emma Hilton for this "research"
Maybe get some impartial scientists first rather than commissioning someone who will only find results that fit the narrative.

NTEU president Alison Barnes and UCU vice president for higher education (elect) Mark Pendleton stand on a footpath outside the NTEU headquarters in Melbourne.

Great to meet with @alisonbarnes.bsky.social and
@nteunion.bsky.social colleagues to take some lessons from their governance campaigns back to @ucu.org.uk

Plenty of opportunities for future cross-border collaboration too!

Looking forward to hitting the ground running as #ucu VP next month.

Chernobyl 🤦‍♀️

For those thinking through the question of ‘funder of last resort’ for HE, and the Secretary of State’s reluctance to get involved in HE financing and other structural issues, this is worth a read:

www.shma.co.uk/our-thoughts...

Building beds at my allotment in between hailstorms 🤣 I dare not put the cover on the polytunnel yet or it will become a kite and end up in the nearby lake.

Whyyyyyy I'm going to be at this all night now 🤦‍♀️😅

Had a smashing time being the quizmaster at Suffolk New College. Brilliant fun organized by the UCU branch and supported by SMT. Favourite quiz round- Cheese, Peas or Bees? Delicious curry provided by the student catering team and staff too. Thanks for having me, well worth the 252 mile bike trip!

Great to catch up with reps as part of the FE Six Steps to Safer Workloads campaign tonight. Hearing how they are organising workload surveys & inspections leading up to the forthcoming week of action was incredibly inspiring. Special shout-out to over achievers Abingdon and Witney smashing work 💪

Sending full solidarity to everyone taking strike action at Windsor Forest College. The pay offer from management is an insult, especially after the principal and SMT award themselves a large pay rise! Diabolical behaviour!

Day 11 of the @ucunorthumbria.bsky.social strike and we're still loud and proud in our fight for pay and pensions justice, and against @northumbriauni.bsky.social plans to leave national bargaining on terms and conditions, which would be a disaster! @ucu.org.uk @ucea.bsky.social

UCU Delegation to TUC NW conference

The one and only! 🙌 Elected Chair for a second time

Great speech from Paul Nowak on the challenges we face in the current landscape

TUC North West annual conference 2026!

This is disgraceful

I get told at work I have resting serial killer face. I regularly walk into a room and get asked "What's wrong? You look angry"
Nothing. That's just my face 🤷‍♀️

Ready Rider - Real Lives YouTube video by 2Wheels Greater Manchester

Something non union related for a change. People who know me well will know another of my great passions is motorcycles. I'm proud to have worked with Ready Rider to try and make young people safer riders. Here's my grim crash story.
TW for grim injury images at the start.
youtu.be/bQT4IwegyNc?...

They sell automatic cat feeders with wifi enabled cameras but unfortunately it doesn't distribute pets and cuddles

I just want to add that, amidst the daily barrage of hate and belittling from the media and from swathes of the political class, it is so heartening and lovely to experience a warm, welcoming environment from trade union sisters.

It strengthens my belief that hate will never win.

Congratulations to all who were elected to the NEC, I look forward to working with you to continue to build and shape our union. We face challenging times but with continued commitment to our shared values and goals we can win meaningful change for our members and, by extension, our students.

Delighted to announce I have been elected UCU Vice President from the FE sector. I am honoured by all those who voted for me and endlessly thankful to everyone who supported my campaign. I pledge to listen to members and fight for our sector with fierce energy and integrity. Let's do this 💪

Smashing it 🙌💜

Get around the table and talk! Raiding pensions is completely unacceptable! Support Northumbria UCU in this fight. If they get away with it here it will happen everywhere

Bless you for dragging yourself out to vote. Total commitment 🙌 Rest up and feel better soon

Why do I have to do BoxPhish training on bribery and money laundering?! I'm a teacher I don't have any money to launder or give bribes with 😂

UCU ballot closes today! Regardless of the outcome I'd like to acknowledge the efforts and commitment of all the candidates running. Much love to everyone who voted, all the amazing people involved in my campaign for their hard work and my brilliant running mate @markpendleton.bsky.social 💜