Welcome

The University and College Union (UCU) represents more than 120,000 academics, lecturers, trainers, instructors, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians and postgraduates in universities, colleges, prisons, adult education and training organisations across the UK.

UCU is the largest post-school union in the world: a force working for educators and education that employers and the government cannot ignore.

It was formed on 1 June 2006 by the amalgamation of two strong partners - the Association of University Teachers (AUT) and NATFHE-the University & College Lecturers' Union - who shared a long history of defending and advancing educators' employment and professional interests.

UCU aim is to bring together and speak for the professional concerns of staff throughout universities, colleges, adult education and lifelong learning generally.

We provide our members with an effective voice, excellent services and benefits, branches based at the workplace and structures to promote members' sector specific concerns.

Our members and associates include lecturers, tutors, researchers, learning support staff, trainers, managers, students training to teach in post-school education, freelance consultants and retired members.
They work in colleges of further and higher education and new universities, in adult, land based and prison education, in university for industry centres, training organisations, and private companies. They include full-time, part-time and temporary staff, those working through agencies, freelancers, and students training to teach.

UCU's Aims

UCU's priorities are shaped by its members .

We aim:

to protect and promote members' professional interests

to regulate their conditions of employment

to advance further and higher education

to protect members against discrimination

to advance equal opportunities

to promote the views of members to relevant bodies

to promote standards of professional conduct

We pursue these goals through discussion and negotiation with decision-makers, research, publishing, campaigning and lobbying.

For a more detailed description of UCU's objectives see our Constitution & Rules