Hear what a current Northumbria University student has to say in support of UCU's fight for pay and pensions justice.
I chose Northumbria because of its excellent reputation for research-led teaching and academic quality. That reputation rests on its staff. As both a teacher and a former university professor, I know this profession is far more than delivering lectures. It involves research, supervision, pastoral care, curriculum design, marking, administration, and constant intellectual labour behind the scenes. It is demanding, highly skilled work. What concerns me is that staff are not asking for pay rises. They are asking for their current pay and pension arrangements to remain unchanged. Proposals to freeze pay through pension restructuring and to leave national bargaining risk weakening long-standing sector protections and undermining morale. International students, in particular, contribute substantial fees to study here. Many relocate internationally and invest significant resources in this institution. That investment should support academic staff - the people who make the university what it is - not erode their security. If Northumbria diminishes pay, pensions, and collective standards, it risks damaging recruitment, retention, and ultimately the student experience. A university’s strength lies in its people. Protecting them is not optional - it is essential.
