A Marking and Assessment Boycott (MAB) has been announced by the staff trade union (UCU), effective from 20 April 2023. This is a continuation of the industrial action to-date, which has seen days of strike action and staff working to contract (also known as Action Short of a Strike).

The marking and assessment boycott means:

• Some staff will not participate in any activity connected to the administration and marking of assessments (including exams).
• It is unclear yet which areas of the University will be affected, but it is likely that areas which experienced strike action earlier in the year will be more affected than other areas.
• This means that your end of year results and decisions about progress and graduation made at Board of Examiners meetings may be taken without the marks for all the assessments (including exams) which you have completed.
• When making decisions, the University will prioritise students in their final year of study who are intending to graduate.
• The University will try to prevent any delay in students graduating.

You should continue to prepare for and complete all assessments, including examinations, as normal.

If you do not submit an assessment, or do not attend an exam, you will receive a zero mark for the assessment, regardless of whether it is marked. It is your responsibility to complete the assessment requirements of your programme of study.

The University is committed to maintaining academic standards and ensuring that your degree maintains its quality while also providing for students to progress or graduate, based on you demonstrating that you have achieved the overall learning outcomes for your programme of study.

If can use a set of procedures, known as the Supplementary Study Regulations for Taught Programmes as a framework to make decisions about progress and course completion if there is disruption to the normal assessment process. This is similar to the approach taken during COVID-19.

The University's Marking and Assessment Boycott FAQs provide a detailed overview of how the Board of Examiners makes decisions.

The Board of Examiners will focus on ensuring that final marks awarded are: fair; have consistency and equity - taking into account the impact of industrial action; are broadly comparable with prior years - for consistency; are based on fair assessment criteria.

If marks are not available to the Board of Examiners, they will seek to identify if other assessments on that module have assessed the same programme learning outcomes, or if another assessment from another module assessed the same programme learning outcomes. These may be used to guide the awarding of an "assigned mark".

The Board of Exinaminers also have powers which allow students to progress to the next stage of their studies if they have not yet achieved all the learning outcomes required. The Board can also allow PGT students to progress to their dissertation in the same situation.

Yes - the marking and assessment boycott will impact PGR students.

This includes:PhD final vivas, examination of dissertations and MPhil to PhD progression/confirmation vivas/assessments.

It also includes any type of activity which provides informal guidance/feedback to students concerning their likely mark. (e.g. This could include reviewing drafts of dissertations.)

The University will be sympathetic to any student in this situation.

We are currently establishing the impact on funding sources for students impacted by the need to progress for funding purposes.

We recommend having a conversation with your supervisor. If they are participating in the boycott, they should be able to provide you with a guidance on all other areas of your research, including any likely changes to your scheduled work plan.

UCU have produced an open letter to students detailing the rationale for industrial action and how students can support them in securing improved pay and working conditions.

University staff are not paid when they are on strike. The University will make a financial saving on staff pay as a result of strike action.

The Students’ Union always asks the University to use these savings to reduce the impact of industrial action on students and to invest in meaningful student experience projects. The University has stated that the savings will be used to fund initiatives to support students.

The Students’ Union will advise and support any individual student who wishes to seek a refund from the University for any learning opportunities lost as a result of strike action. This includes any marking and assessment boycott.

Students who wish to seek a refund for any detriment, dissatisfaction, or disadvantage suffered as a result of the strike action can use the University’s Complaints Procedure to do so.

This is not straightforward as the University:

• Can provide some alternative learning opportunities to you to mitigate teaching time you may have as a result of strike action.
• Does not provide a detailed breakdown on how much of your tuition fees are spent directly on teaching and learning activities or on other central costs in the University.
• Does not believe that it is liable to you, in any manner whatsoever, for any failure of delay, or for the consequences of any failure of delay, due to strike action, lockouts or other industrial action or disputes (whether involving their workforce or any other party).

If you wish to seek redress from the University, please contact SU Advice – our free, independent, confidential and non-judgemental advice - who can advise you on how to proceed.

The University and College (UCU) staff trade union - which represents academic and academic-related staff - in higher education across the UK, is in an industrial dispute at a national level with universities.

The issues of dispute are: staff pensions; staff pay levels; workload; use of casual employment contracts; and equality issues in the workplace.

The UCU and national representatives of universities have been in discussions for some time but have not come to an agreement.

UCU members in universities across the UK have exercised their right in law to commence industrial action against the universities.

They have agreed to take two types of industrial action:

• Strike Action
• Action Short of a Strike (This means working strictly to the terms of an employment contract and not doing any additional work.)

The most recent strike action took place over the folowing days:

• Wednesday 1 February
• Thursday 9 February and Friday 10 February
• Tuesday 14 February, Wednesday 15 February and Thursday 16 February
• Tuesday 21 February, Wednesday 22 February and Thursday 23 February (Strike action "paused" by UCU)
• Monday 27 February, Tuesday 28 February, Wednesday 1 March and Thursday 2 March (Strike action "paused" by UCU)
• Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 March
• Monday 20 March, Tuesday 21 March and Wednesday 22 March

This is in addition to days of strike action which took place on 1-3 Dec 2021, on 14-28 Feb 2022, on 21-22 Feb 2022, on 28 Feb 2022, on 1-2 Mar 2022, on 21-28 Mar 2022, on 24-25 Nov 2022 and 30 Nov 2022.

UCU members have being undertaken Action Short of a Strike since Dec 2021.

It is likely that there will be further, protracted, industrial action throughout 2023 unless the UCU and universities come to an agreement on the issues under dispute.

Unite the Union is also taking industrial action in relation to pay.

The University and College Union (UCU) is the trade union representing over 130,000 academics, lecturers, researchers, managers, administrators, computer staff, librarians and postgraduate students across the UK.

The purpose of the strike is to get universities and their representative organisations to re-enter negotiations with UCU to find agreed solutions on a number of matters:

More information on why the UCU are striking can be found here.

Information on the collective position of universities can be found from their representative organisations: Universities UK and the Universities and Colleges Employers Association.

• Pay: This ask relates to the negotiation of pay and conditions of employment.
• Workload: This ask questions the manageability of workload and its impact on staff wellbeing.
• Casualisation: This ask covers the continuity of employment and a move away from zero hour and temporary contracts to deliver teaching and services.
• Equality Issues: This ask covers a range of provisions to ensure equity in the workplace. Find out more here.
• USS Pension Scheme: There is a proposal by universities to change the terms of the pension, which will result in staff paying larger contributions to their pension fund while receiving less in return. Universities have stated that these changes are necessary to maintain the viability of the pension scheme – this is disputed. (UCU and employers have agreed on proposals to resolve this dispute. Industrial action on this issue is not taking place while these proposals are being progressed.

The most recent strike action took place over the folowing days:

• Wednesday 1 February
• Thursday 9 February and Friday 10 February
• Tuesday 14 February, Wednesday 15 February and Thursday 16 February
• Tuesday 21 February, Wednesday 22 February and Thursday 23 February (Strike action "paused" by UCU)
• Monday 27 February, Tuesday 28 February, Wednesday 1 March and Thursday 2 March (Strike action "paused" by UCU)
• Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 March
• Monday 20 March, Tuesday 21 March and Wednesday 22 March

Some University staff will be on strike on those days. This means that they will not be in work.

Classes, laboratories, seminars or tutorials scheduled for those days may not take place. New online learning materials may not be uploaded.

Meetings, appointments and general access to some University services may be disrupted if staff in those areas of the University are on strike.

Staff on strike will not respond to email or messages on the days of the strike.

Staff are not obliged to give advance notification of strike action.

This is difficult to confirm at this time.

Action Short of a Strike (ASOS) usually means working strictly to the terms of an employment contract and not doing any additional work.

The purpose of ASOS is to legally slow down productivity and frustrate employers.

Staff working in this way will generally not:

• Be available, or respond to communications, outside of standard office hours (9am – 5pm, Mon-Fri)
• Take on extra roles, duties or responsibilities, including non-core projects
• Cover for other staff on leave, or attend non-compulsory meetings

During previous periods of industrial action UCU have recommended the following actions as part of ASOS:

• Working to contract
• Not covering for absent colleagues
• Not rescheduling lectures or classes cancelled due to strike action
• Not undertaking any voluntary activities
• A marking and assessment boycott

The Students' Union supports the UCU industrial action.

The Students' Union Council - elected to represent you - voted to support this induatrial action.

This is a continuation of the support given by the Students' Union last year when an all-student vote (also called a referendum) on 23-24 Nov 2021 to give students an opportunity to have their say on the strikes. An overwhelming 84.6% of those who voted were in favour the Students’ Union supporting UCU industrial action!

The elected Students’ Union Council has also voted to support the industrial action.

This means that:

• The Students’ Union will give full and public support to UCU
• Student Officers will support the cancelling of classes, lectures and teaching where staff members have chosen to strike
• Student Officers will attend and encourage other students to join staff protests (pickets) when possible
• Student Officers will have very limited attendance at University meetings. (e.g., student disciplinary meetings, meetings about the strike action etc.)
• The Students' Union will help students vocalise their anger at the situation to the University

The Students' Union believes that the issues under dispute have a direct impact on the quality of your education as they affect conditions under which staff can work, their contact time with you, and the time they can invest in preparing for classes and marking assignments.

We also believe that the strikes are part of a broader campaign against marketisation which has led to rising tuition fees, rising hidden costs of education and a greater focus on outcomes and league tables.

No, Queen’s University Belfast has taken the position to not support any industrial action.

The University has stated:“This is primarily a national dispute that the University cannot resolve unilaterally. However, we will continue to use our influence to shape and inform the national debate, where possible. ... Throughout the period of industrial action, the University will remain open and all student support services will continue to be available.”

Individual students can support the strike by doing the following:

• Joining staff when they protest on a picket line on strike days
• Email your lecturer offering your support – this means a lot to them
• Email the Vice-Chancellor calling on him to support the UCU’s positions and call for university representative organisations address the concerns of UCU

Classes, laboratories, seminars or tutorials scheduled for those days may not take place. New online learning materials may not be uploaded.

Meetings, appointments and general access to some University services may be disrupted if staff in those areas of the University are on strike.

Staff on strike will not respond to email or messages on the days of the strike.

Staff are not obliged to give advance notification of strike action.

Your supervision may be affected by the strike and ASOS. Please contact your supervisor. If you are employed by the University (e.g. teaching undergraduates), you should contact UCU to get more information about your rights and duties. If you are an enrolled postgraduate student contracted to teach in UK higher education institutions, you are entitled to free membership of UCU. You can join here.

The University has issued strike related guidance to international students on its FAQ.

In summary, if a contact point (such as a lecture) is cancelled due to strike action, it through not fault of your own, and this will not have a detrimental impact on your attendance record.

For further clarification, please contact engagement-monitoring@qub.ac.uk.

Yes, our advice to students is that you should still meet your deadlines if it falls on or outside of a strike day or during a marking and assessment boycott period. If students do not submit, or do not attend exams, they will not receive a mark for the assessment.

University staff are not paid when they are on strike. The University will make a financial saving on staff pay as a result of strike action.

The Students’ Union always asks the University to use these savings to reduce the impact of industrial action on students and to invest in meaningful student experience projects. The University has stated that the savings will be used to fund initiatives to support students.

The Students’ Union will advise and support any individual student who wishes to seek a refund from the University for any learning opportunities lost as a result of strike action. This includes any marking and assessment boycott.

Students who wish to seek a refund for any detriment, dissatisfaction, or disadvantage suffered as a result of the strike action can use the University’s Complaints Procedure to do so.

This is not straightforward as the University:

• Can provide some alternative learning opportunities to you to mitigate teaching time you may have as a result of strike action.
• Does not provide a detailed breakdown on how much of your tuition fees are spent directly on teaching and learning activities or on other central costs in the University.
• Does not believe that it is liable to you, in any manner whatsoever, for any failure of delay, or for the consequences of any failure of delay, due to strike action, lockouts or other industrial action or disputes (whether involving their workforce or any other party).

If you wish to seek redress from the University, please contact SU Advice – our free, independent, confidential and non-judgemental advice - who can advise you on how to proceed.

Keep yourself updated by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and our Website.

Stay updated what your lecturers or school is planning on those days.

• Contact your school general office
• Ask your personal tutors or lecturers if programmes or lectures, or assessments, will take place as normal or cancelled – just remember they are under no obligation to tell you whether or not they will be striking