Loughborough UCU

Tag: All Staff

  • Struggling with workload? Join this free CPD session on working safely

    With workload pressures continuing to affect staff across the University, Working Safely: Building Collective Strength provides a practical opportunity to explore the impact of work on our wellbeing, understand employers’ responsibilities, and develop confidence in raising workplace concerns.

    Tuesday 8 September, 1pm – 2:30pm

    Register here.

    Note: Attendance is open to all Loughborough University staff and is not restricted to UCU members.

    The way we work has changed significantly in recent years, but concerns about workload, stress and wellbeing remain. This interactive session will explore the impact that work can have on our physical and mental health, and look at the responsibilities employers have to ensure staff can work safely and sustainably.

    The workshop will also help participants understand the language and legal framework around health and safety, giving staff greater confidence to raise concerns and advocate for themselves and colleagues when workplace issues arise.

    During the session, participants will:

    • explore some of the challenges affecting safe working today
    • consider the impact of workload, stress and mental health
    • gain a better understanding of employers’ health and safety responsibilities
    • build confidence in discussing workplace concerns
    • learn about the support available through UCU

    Although workload pressures can often feel like an individual problem, they are frequently the result of wider workplace issues. This session looks at how we can respond collectively, support one another and help create healthier working environments for everyone.

    Whether you’re feeling the effects of workload right now or simply want a better understanding of your rights and the support available, this free CPD session is open to all staff and provides a useful opportunity to reflect, learn and share experiences.

    Book your place: https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/courses/course_booking/CourseID/1921

  • Struggling with workload? Free CPD session on working safely

    Struggling with workload? Free CPD session on working safely

    Struggling with workload? Join this free CPD session on working safely

    With workload pressures continuing to affect staff across the University, Working Safely: Building Collective Strength provides a practical opportunity to explore the impact of work on our wellbeing, understand employers’ responsibilities, and develop confidence in raising workplace concerns.

    Tuesday 8 September, 1pm – 2:30pm

    Register here: https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/courses/course_booking/CourseID/1921

    Note: Attendance is open to all Loughborough University staff and is not restricted to UCU members.

    The way we work has changed significantly in recent years, but concerns about workload, stress and wellbeing remain. This interactive session will explore the impact that work can have on our physical and mental health, and look at the responsibilities employers have to ensure staff can work safely and sustainably.

    The workshop will also help participants understand the language and legal framework around health and safety, giving staff greater confidence to raise concerns and advocate for themselves and colleagues when workplace issues arise.

    During the session, participants will:

    • explore some of the challenges affecting safe working today
    • consider the impact of workload, stress and mental health
    • gain a better understanding of employers’ health and safety responsibilities
    • build confidence in discussing workplace concerns
    • learn about the support available through UCU

    Although workload pressures can often feel like an individual problem, they are frequently the result of wider workplace issues. This session looks at how we can respond collectively, support one another and help create healthier working environments for everyone.

    Whether you’re feeling the effects of workload right now or simply want a better understanding of your rights and the support available, this free CPD session is open to all staff and provides a useful opportunity to reflect, learn and share experiences.

    Book your place: https://my.ucu.org.uk/app/courses/course_booking/CourseID/1921

  • LUCU Meet and Greet at the Staff Fair – 14 May

    IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Staff Fair (and therefore our Meet and Greet) has been postponed by the University – we will update you with the new date when it is provided.

    Loughborough UCU will be at the University Staff Fair on Thursday 14 May, 10am–12pm, and we’d love you to come and say hello.

    We’ll be hosting a Loughborough UCU Meet and Greet at our stall in the James France Exhibition Area. This is a great opportunity for current members to drop by, catch up, and meet and chat informally with branch committee members and activists about the work UCU is doing locally and nationally.

    If you’re not yet a UCU member but are interested in finding out more, you’re very welcome too. Come along to ask questions, find out how UCU supports staff at Loughborough, and learn how to get involved if you wish.

    Whether you’re new to the university or have been here a while, please feel free to stop by, we look forward to meeting you.

  • LUCU Meet and Greet at the Staff Fair

    LUCU Meet and Greet at the Staff Fair

    IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Staff Fair (and therefore our Meet and Greet) has been postponed by the University – we will update you with the new date when it is provided.

    Loughborough UCU will be at the University Staff Fair on Thursday 14 May, 10am–12pm, and we’d love you to come and say hello.

    We’ll be hosting a Loughborough UCU Meet and Greet at our stall in the James France Exhibition Area. This is a great opportunity for current members to drop by, catch up, and meet and chat informally with branch committee members and activists about the work UCU is doing locally and nationally.

    If you’re not yet a UCU member but are interested in finding out more, you’re very welcome too. Come along to ask questions, find out how UCU supports staff at Loughborough, and learn how to get involved if you wish.

    Whether you’re new to the university or have been here a while, please feel free to stop by, we look forward to meeting you.

  • Talk: When The World Looked Away – Palestine

    Lboro UCU will host a talk, open to all staff and students, by Ali Bilgic – Professor of International Relations and Middle East Politics at Loughborough University. The talk will take place on Tuesday 3rd March at 12-1pm on the Loughborough campus in JB021 in the Sir John Beckwith Centre for Sport (map) and online. Please contact ucu@lboro.ac.uk to register your interest in attending in person or online.

    This talk offers a concise examination of the historical, political, and legal dynamics shaping the conflict in Palestine, with particular focus on Gaza. Beginning with the ideological origins of Zionism and the waves of settler migration under British rule, it traces how settler‑colonial practices, racialisation, and land dispossession laid the foundations for ongoing structural violence Palestinians have to endure everyday. The talk also unpacks Israel’s legal framework highlighting systemic inequalities entrenched in state policy. Contemporary developments such as ICC arrest warrant applications, UN findings about the genocide in Gaza, and escalating settler violence in the West Bank illuminate the severity of present‑day conditions. The presentation also foregrounds Gaza’s environmental devastation, described as ecocide, and the humanitarian catastrophe persisting even after the ceasefire. Concluding with avenues for solidarity and cultural engagement, it challenges audiences to recognise moral responsibilities and to amplify Palestinian voices wherever they can.

  • CPD: Embedding Climate Education in the Curriculum

    CPD: Embedding Climate Education in the Curriculum

    Lboro UCU branch has organised an online CPD workshop, open to all LU staff. Masters and PhD students at LU are also welcome to attend the session. The Embedding Climate Education in the Curriculum CPD workshop will take place online on Tuesday 21st April from 2pm–3:30pm. In addition to helping you to improve your teaching practice, this CPD workshop can be referenced as evidence of pedagogical development in PDR/GLOW conversations and for academic promotion applications. Please come along and invite your colleagues (including those who may not be UCU members) to join us.

    This interactive workshop will look at detailed examples of how UCU members are incorporating climate education in their classroom practice in a way which we hope you will find exciting and empowering.

    The full aims of the interactive workshop are to:

    1. understand why sustainability issues are so important to students and staff
    2. explore how sustainability issues have been incorporated into a range of learning programmes
    3. reflect on how to amend your own practice
    4. consider how you could use your experience to support other staff members around sustainability issues.

    How the workshops will work

    The taught sessions will last for about 60 minutes, after which time it may be possible to take 15-20 minutes to discuss the issues raised with a UCU official, depending on availability. In that case the total time commitment will be less than an hour and a half.

    Sign up to the training here and please share this link with any other staff at Lboro who may be interested in coming along – https://cpd.web.ucu.org.uk/events/embedding-climate-education-in-the-curriculum-loughborough/.

    Upon signing up you should receive an email including an outlook calendar invite and a link to join the session within 3 working days. If you have not received this within a week of signing up, please contact ucu@lboro.ac.uk and we will make sure it comes through.

  • CPD: Embedding Climate Education in the Curriculum

    Lboro UCU branch has organised an online CPD workshop, open to all LU staff. Masters and PhD students at LU are also welcome to attend the session. The Embedding Climate Education in the Curriculum CPD workshop will take place online on Tuesday 21st April from 2pm–3:30pm. In addition to helping you to improve your teaching practice, this CPD workshop can be referenced as evidence of pedagogical development in PDR/GLOW conversations and for academic promotion applications. Please come along and invite your colleagues (including those who may not be UCU members) to join us.

    This interactive workshop will look at detailed examples of how UCU members are incorporating climate education in their classroom practice in a way which we hope you will find exciting and empowering.

    The full aims of the interactive workshop are to:

    1. understand why sustainability issues are so important to students and staff
    2. explore how sustainability issues have been incorporated into a range of learning programmes
    3. reflect on how to amend your own practice
    4. consider how you could use your experience to support other staff members around sustainability issues.

    How the workshops will work

    The taught sessions will last for about 60 minutes, after which time it may be possible to take 15-20 minutes to discuss the issues raised with a UCU official, depending on availability. In that case the total time commitment will be less than an hour and a half.

    Sign up to the training here and please share this link with any other staff at Lboro who may be interested in coming along – https://cpd.web.ucu.org.uk/events/embedding-climate-education-in-the-curriculum-loughborough/.

    Upon signing up you should receive an email including an outlook calendar invite and a link to join the session within 3 working days. If you have not received this within a week of signing up, please contact ucu@lboro.ac.uk and we will make sure it comes through.

  • Talk: When The World Looked Away – Palestine

    Talk: When The World Looked Away – Palestine

    Lboro UCU will host a talk, open to all staff and students, by Ali Bilgic – Professor of International Relations and Middle East Politics at Loughborough University. The talk will take place on Tuesday 3rd March at 12-1pm on the Loughborough campus in JB021 in the Sir John Beckwith Centre for Sport (map) and online. Please contact ucu@lboro.ac.uk to register your interest in attending in person or online.

    This talk offers a concise examination of the historical, political, and legal dynamics shaping the conflict in Palestine, with particular focus on Gaza. Beginning with the ideological origins of Zionism and the waves of settler migration under British rule, it traces how settler‑colonial practices, racialisation, and land dispossession laid the foundations for ongoing structural violence Palestinians have to endure everyday. The talk also unpacks Israel’s legal framework highlighting systemic inequalities entrenched in state policy. Contemporary developments such as ICC arrest warrant applications, UN findings about the genocide in Gaza, and escalating settler violence in the West Bank illuminate the severity of present‑day conditions. The presentation also foregrounds Gaza’s environmental devastation, described as ecocide, and the humanitarian catastrophe persisting even after the ceasefire. Concluding with avenues for solidarity and cultural engagement, it challenges audiences to recognise moral responsibilities and to amplify Palestinian voices wherever they can.

  • Staff Summer Picnic

    Join your LUCU colleagues to celebrate the end of the academic year at the Staff Summer Picnic

    The University and Staff Trade Unions are jointly hosting a Staff Summer Picnic on 1st July from 12-2pm at the EHB Pavilion on the Loughborough campus. This will be a special event to celebrate your achievements and take some time to relax and unwind.

    Organised in partnership with Unite, Unison and the University, colleagues can look forward to music and garden games like Jenga, cornhole, hoopla and more, plus the chance to meet with Staff Networks, Trade Unions, University Senior Leaders and teams from across the University. 

    And if you’re one of the first 150 guests to arrive, you’ll receive a free hot dog (vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free options will be available)!

    This is a great opportunity to meet new faces, find out what’s happening across the University, and recognise each other’s hard work throughout the 2024-25 academic year in a relaxed and informal setting. 

    There’s no need to book – just come along, bring a friend or a teammate, and enjoy the afternoon.

    Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Jennings and UNISON Branch Secretary Irvin Hendrickson commented: “We’re really proud this event is hosted in partnership between the University and our recognised Trade Unions. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to continue building a positive, inclusive and respectful working culture for all staff, and we’re looking forward to celebrating our progress with staff from across the University on the day.”

    We hope to see you (and some sunshine!) there.

  • Contextualising the Conflict: A Brief History of the Middle East

    Loughborough University UCU will be hosting an open meeting on 8th July (12:30 – 13:30) focussed on contextualising the ongoing Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

    In his talk entitled “Contextualising the Conflict: A Brief History of the Middle East”, Ali Bilgic, Professor in International Relations and Middle East Politics at Loughborough University, presents a potted history of the Middle East to help attendees contextualise the horrors we have witnessed for many years, but in particular since the 7th of October 2023.

    The session is open to all staff and students and will include a Q&A and discussion. Please feel free to share this invitation within the Loughborough University community.

    When: 8th July, 12:30 – 13:30

    Where: Schofield 0.01 and on Teams: Join the meeting now

  • Challenging Excessive Workload in Education – CPD Training

    In order to tackle rising workloads and the resulting work-related stress that many members of staff are experiencing, we need to take a collective approach to pushing back on excessive workload.

    Lboro UCU branch has organised an online CPD workshop, open to all LU staff, which will help staff with the tools to take a collective approach and push back on excessive workload. Masters and PhD students at LU are also welcome to attend the session.

    The CPD course will take place online on Wednesday 4th June from 12:30 – 2pm. Please come along and invite your colleagues (including those who may not be UCU members) to join us.

    The full aims of the interactive workshop are to:

    • identify why excessive workload is so damaging to education and staff
    • Identify collective responses to tackling excessive workloads
    • Develop an understanding of workload as a health and safety issue
    • Make members aware of the UCU campaign on workload and how they can contribute

    Sign up to the training here and please share this link with any other staff at Lboro who may be interested in coming along – https://cpd.web.ucu.org.uk/events/challenging-excessive-workload-in-education-loughborough/

  • Open Meeting with Jeevun Sandher, MP for Loughborough

    When: May 9th, 1-2pm.
    Where: U005 (Brockington Extension) & Online via MS Teams.

    Loughborough UCU will be hosting an open meeting with the MP for Loughborough, Shepshed, and the Villages, Dr. Jeevun Sandher, on May 9th from 1-2pm in U005 (Brockington Extension).

    The event will focus on “The Future of Higher Education Policy in the UK”. Dr. Sandher will speak for a few minutes on the topic, before we then open up the discussion to questions from the audience.

    Prior to his election to Parliament last year, Dr. Sandher previously worked as an economist researching inequality and poverty at King’s College London, and he has also served as a UCU trade union rep.

    As this is an open meeting, please do forward this invitation along to any colleagues you think may be interested in attending.

    Note that while online attendance will be possible, we would encourage in-person attendance where possible – and there should also be time to ask questions to Dr. Sandher informally before and after the event.   

    Please click here to download an appointment for your calendar or, if joining online, use this link to join the meeting via Teams: Join online