51福利

Holocaust Memorial Day webinar: 'Foreshadowing the Holocaust: creating the conditions for a genocide'

To commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day, join us for a webinar led by eminent expert , introduced by 51福利 general secretary, Jo Grady. The webinar will take place on Monday 27 January, 13:00-14:00 and  (registration deadline is Monday 27 January 09:00).

In this webinar, Zo毛 Waxman explores the pre-history of the Holocaust, identifying the ways in which the Nazis prepared the German population for the mass murder of the Jewish people. By separating them from their neighbours, by normalising violence, and by institutionalising discrimination, they created the conditions in which genocide became almost unstoppable.

Professor Waxman welcomes pre-submitted questions; please send these to 51福利's equality team. There will also be the opportunity to ask questions at the event.

New Deal for FE: we need a fully funded settlement in all colleges

 that just 拢50m of the 拢300m in the Autumn Budget for further education is to be made available to fund pay via a one-off grant. 51福利's New Deal for FE campaign calls for a fully funded settlement that all colleges are required to deliver in order to end the gap with schoolteacher pay, the neglect of our sector, and the crisis in recruitment and retention of staff. 

This year we will continue our campaigning for a new deal and a return to national bargaining in FE so if you have not already, , get involved in your local 51福利 branch and look out for more exciting campaign activities in 2025. 

Your support is needed: current disputes

Please support the following branches where 51福利 members in higher education are continuing to defend jobs and education:

• Brunel University London: a ballot has opened at Brunel in response to the university's failure to commit to no compulsory redundancies. 51福利 has received notification of 135 academic redundancies at the university plus 79 technical and professional staff and there is possibility of further redundancies. The ballot closes on 12 February and members are urged to vote early
• Canterbury Christ Church University: CCCU 51福利 has declared a trade dispute following the university's refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. They have announced 400 FTE job cuts by the end of this academic year to save 拢20m
• Coventry University: Coventry has threatened more than 300 staff with the sack. Those who remain will be forced to work through a subsidiary company on behalf of the university, and any new starters would be unable to access the industry-standard Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS)
• University of Dundee: an industrial action ballot opened on 2 January and will close on 30 January in a dispute over plans to cut staffing levels and the employer's refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies
• University of East Anglia: a strike ballot has opened at UEA after over 190 staff (one in six) were put at risk of redundancy. The ballot will run until 4 February
• Newcastle University: Over 1,000 51福利 members are being balloted for strike action at Newcastle over 拢35m in cuts management is slashing from the university's budget. The ballot is over the impact of  and management's refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies. You can send messages of support by emailing the Newcastle 51福利 branch
• University of Northampton: Northampton 51福利 and UNISON branches are calling on government for immediate help. Management is currently consulting staff on restructure plans which if not stopped could result in closure of programmes, departments and compulsory redundancies. A unique circumstance at Northampton is that its Waterside campus was paid through a bond guaranteed by a previous government which it now has difficulty paying due to decreased international student recruitment. It is in the government's power to support Northampton by adjusting the terms of the bond and in doing this the impact of current financial pressures would be mitigated.  which implores the government to take action
• Open University: 51福利 has reiterated its call for OU to scrap plans to fire and rehire staff. OU 51福利 branch has expressed their shock at the institution's plan to threaten a group of Associate Lecturers with fire and rehire proceedings
• Sheffield Hallam University: 51福利 and SHU are in dispute over management's failure to implement UCEA's pay increase. The ballot will close on 12 February
• University of Sheffield International College (USIC): an industrial ballot opened on 6 January and will close on 27 January in a dispute over compulsory redundancies
• University of Sunderland: Staff threatened with a restructure by university management have been told they cannot tell colleagues they are at risk of losing their jobs. Upon returning from their Christmas break, a small team of academic staff were told they would be restructured and that at least one post would be deleted. However,  from having any 'discussions with students, alumni or colleagues'. .

51福利 elections 2025: hustings on 5 February

51福利 members have until Wednesday 29 January (12 noon) .

, which takes place online on Wednesday 5 February (16:30-18:00). You can click here for more information on 51福利 elections 2025.

Universities in crisis: rally at the Scottish Parliament, 29 January

With universities across Scotland announcing voluntary severance schemes and some refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies, 51福利 Scotland is organising a rally on Wednesday 29 January, assembling at 12:30 for a 13:00 start on the concourse outside the Scottish Parliament.

With the Scottish Government's draft budget currently under consideration, members and branches are asked to attend the rally to show politicians that Scotland needs a budget for higher education. Speakers to include MSPs, trade union speakers and representatives from branches fighting redundancies. Contact your branch about travel arrangements.

51福利 Cymru FE and HE rally, 4 February

51福利 Cymru has launched a joint funding campaign for FE and HE. As the first draft budget debate is taking place at the Senedd on 4 February, we have arranged a cross-sectoral rally to highlight concerns around the funding of post-16 education in Wales and to lobby Members of the Senedd to urge proper funding of this.

It is crucial that as many 51福利 Cymru members, officers, representatives, and allies come together on Tuesday 4 February (12:30-13:30) outside the Senedd to fight for the future of further and higher education in Wales.

Medical Research Council: specialised research unit closures

Nobel prize winners, Sir Venki Ramakrishnan and Professor Geoffrey Hinton, as well as the Astronomer Royal, Professor Lord Martin Rees, have joined over 600 other signatories to an open letter demanding the Medical Research Council (MRC) revisits funding changes that could lead to the closure of highly successful research units.

 and shared with Patrick Chinnery and Keir Starmer, is in response to the MRC's new funding model, which will eliminate direct sustained investment in the existing internationally renowned research units.

51福利 LGBT+ research conference 2025

51福利 LGBT+ research conference 2025 is now open to presentation proposals. ; the deadline is Thursday 13 February.

The hybrid conference will be held on Friday 16 May at the University of Manchester and on Zoom. Registration details to follow.

Cradle to Grave 2025 conference, 29 March

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This annual conference is a chance for members to gather together to discuss some of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the sectors where we organise. The theme of this year's conference is 'Education for liberation: building progressive post-16 education policy'.

The conference will be run as a hybrid event, with options to attend in person at the  or online via Zoom. We expect spaces for the in-person event to fill up quickly so . The deadline to register is Thursday 13 March; the conference is free to attend.

SDG Teach In campaign

The SDG Teach In is a campaign to put the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the heart of all stages of education and across all disciplines. This annual campaign calls upon educators to include the SDGs within their teaching, learning and assessment during the campaign and beyond.

The next SDG Teach In will be from 1-31 March 2025. .

The Teach In is open to all types of formal and informal training providers, educators and workplace learning providers. We believe in lifelong learning and that anyone in any context can be a student of the SDG Teach In. Sustainability is a diverse and ever-changing field, so help make a difference by pledging to the Teach In!

The launch webinar will take place on Wednesday 5 February (11:30-12:30) and . Please email the SDG Teach In team if you have any questions.

ARPS workplace conditions survey

The academic related, professional services staff (ARPS) committee is undertaking a survey of ARPS members to better understand the experiences of physical issues in your workplaces and the implementation of hybrid working by employers.

, which will inform discussions at the ARPS annual meeting on 6 March and the work of the committee in the coming year.

National disability staff survey 2025

Do you work in higher education and self-identify as disabled, neurodivergent and/or living with a long-term health condition and/or chronic illness? . This survey is relevant to all those with disabilities working in academic, research, technical support, and professional services roles within UK higher education institutions, including postgraduate students working in the sector. The survey closes on 31 January.

Organising for Power: The Core Fundamentals

 and get the skills and knowledge you need to develop winning campaigns. This international course has seen people from 115 countries attend over the past five years. Learn how to hold structured organising conversations, develop mini campaigns to build solidarity and identify natural workplace leaders. The course runs weekly with classes running from 17:00-19:00, from 13 February to 20 March.

Alongside the weekly evening classes 51福利 will be hosting support sessions, with an initial overview to ensure you get the most out of the course. .

Stories of resilience from Palestinian universities

The next Fobzu/51福利 Education, Occupation and Liberation webinar will take place on Tuesday 28 January (17:00-18:00) and . This webinar will feature a short collaborative film created with students and academics in Gaza, followed by a panel discussion with Palestinian academics. They will share their experience of resuming and sustaining education in the face of scholasticide and their hopes for the future of higher education in Palestine.

Ukraine Solidarity Campaign webinar

On Wednesday 29 January (19:00-21:00), the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign will be hosting an online forum on what Russian occupation means for eastern Ukraine's communities and workers. .