No Strike Action on Monday or Tuesday

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Despite the short notice a large number of members were able to attend this afternoon’s meeting to discuss a response the the university’s proposal.

The university concedes that the way it has presented data about the effect of Rightsizing on research time has caused confused the situation and led to the belief that research time will impacted for those undertaking research as part of their contract. The proposal offers some guarantees that research time will not be cut as a result of this exercise. Voluntary redundancy schemes are proposed for LINCS and Scholar with a view to removing compulsory redundancies if there is sufficient uptake.

We still have significant concerns and and further progress will need to be made on some key points before we can consider the dispute resolved. We do however consider this to movement in the right direction.

At the meeting members voted to call of strike action on Monday and Tuesday to allow further talks. UCU will now meet with the University Executive on Tuesday for further talks in a second dispute resolution meeting.

Remaining strike days

The scheduled strike days from Tuesday 17 March will go ahead as planned unless the branch receives an improved offer sufficient to resolve the dispute from the university.  We will more information about the strike action and picket line next week.

Action Short of Strike

Action Short of Strike (ASOS) will begin on Monday 9 March as planned and it is even more important now for members to stick strictly to ASOS to put pressure on our employer while continue talks. Guidance about ASOS can be found at https://www.ucu.org.uk/article/13289/Taking-action-short-of-a-strike-ASOS

Next meeting

In anticipation of further developments please hold the date provisionally for an online members’ meeting on Friday 13 March at 13:00. Confirmation with a link will be sent out during the week if negotiation progress merits. Please keep an eye on your email for updates.

 

Members’ Meeting to discuss initial offer by University Executive

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Our negotiating team and an official from UCU Scotland met with the University Executive (UE) yesterday in the first of two Dispute Resolution meetings.

The meeting was broadly productive with some progress made towards resolving the dispute. The UE have said that they will make an initial offer of concessions, in writing, by Friday lunchtime for which they will ask that members agree to step down strike action on Monday and Tuesday so that the Dispute Resolution conversation can continue. The negotiators have agreed that the offer, when it is received, should be put to members for consideration.

The offer which we expect to receive would only be in return for standing down strikes on Monday and Tuesday so that the Dispute Resolution process can continue with a meeting on Tuesday at which the negotiators hope to seek a more complete agreement resolve the dispute.

The negotiators feel that there has been sufficient progress in the first meeting to warrant consideration of an offer. While we do not expect the initial offer to be fully fleshed out we would expect to see some kind of concrete commitment to members in exchange for them considering to call off the first two days of strike action. We remain hopeful that the UE will deliver on their promise.

Members’ Meeting

There will be an online members’ meeting to discuss the offer at 15:00 on Friday 6 March. All members have been sent an email with instructions on how to join the meeting.

We are aware that this meeting is very short notice and not all our members will be able to join but it is vital that the meeting is quorate, so please attend if you can and help us decide collectively what our next steps should be.  We update all members on the outcome as we can after the meeting is concluded.

If you can, please attend the meeting. It was our membership voting  for industrial action over these issues in record numbers which has brought the UE to the negotiating table.

Update on dispute over Rightsizing cuts and Scholar

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Following the strong vote for industrial action our employer has finally agreed to Dispute Resolution meeting. This will be held on 4 March 2026, replacing a consultation meeting which was already scheduled, and we welcome the opportunity to try and resolve this dispute.

Unfortunately, the employer chose to make a number of potentially misleading comments about the dispute and upcoming industrial action at the Townhall meeting on 25 March 2026. We would like to reassure members about a couple of the points raised.

Timeline

The branch notified of a Failure to Agree on 28 November 2025 following a members’ meeting at which the action was agreed. We then moved to a formal industrial dispute on 8 December 2025 after the employer failed to deliver the assurances which were requested in that FTA, most notably not ruling out formal redundancies. , again, as approved at a members’ meeting. We started to prepare for a ballot and notified the employer of this on 18 December 2025. The ballot opened on 5 January 2026 and closed on 16 February 2026.

Through this whole process our employers could have recognised the need for Dispute Resolution and agreed to meet with us to seek agreement and settle the dispute. They chose not to do so. The first offer of a Dispute Resolution meeting on 16 March 2026 was only made this week – a full 17 weeks after the Failure to Agree was issued. This has now been brought forward to 4 March 2026 to afford the opportunity of resolving the dispute before strike action commences.

We do not agree with the assertion that UCU acted prematurely. At every point in this process we have acted in full compliance with Heriot-Watt policy, employment law, and best practice.

Membership density

There is significant strength of feeling about these issues among members and non members alike. We have had record attendance at recent members’ meetings, lots of new joiners, and a record turnout in the ballot for industrial action.

It was misleading of the university leadership to try and play down the validity these concerns by quoting our membership density relative to the entire global staff of the university. Our bargaining group is limited to staff at Grade 6 or above who are based in the UK where membership of a trade union is not illegal.

Join UCU today

We are in a stronger position than the university leadership would like to admit and our membership continues to grow. If you are not already a member please consider joining today at https://www.ucu.org.uk/join.

Members back local industrial action

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Heriot-Watt UCU members have voted in favour of industrial action in the dispute over job cuts, working conditions, and the management’s refusal to rule out compulsory redundancies.

The ballot turnout was 70% of eligible members. 74% of those voting backed strike action. 87% backed action short of strike such as working to contract, not covering for absent colleagues, and not undertaking voluntary activities.

Why are we in dispute?

The senior leadership at Heriot-Watt are using the portfolio review to push through ‘Rightsizing’ changes which will threaten jobs in Scotland and Malaysia and will affect working conditions. Up to 41 FTE equivalent jobs are at risk in Scotland, with the final headcount likely to be higher. Significant reductions to research time are also likely under the proposals.

Among the hardest hit areas under the proposals will be the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies and we have launched an online Save LINCS petition. Please read, sign, and circulate if you have not already.

Scholar

Along with cutting programmes, courses, and jobs, Heriot-Watt have also notified that after 25 years of delivering essential online learning for schools in Scotland they may have to end the Scholar service to make cost savings. UCU, Unite, and Unison stand together in their condemnation of this rash act of brinkmanship by the senior leadership team.

Scholar has supported a generation of learners since its was set up in 1999. With over 130,000 learners and 14,000 teachers accessing last year it is still used every day in classrooms and homes all across Scotland. Moreover, it is particularly important for those who rely on flexible access to education such as interrupted learners, young carers, learners experiencing anxiety or illness, and those with additional support needs.

Please support our campaign and show your support for Scholar by writing a note of endorsement.

Join UCU today

Our membership is growing. Please do encourage your colleagues to join the union at https://www.ucu.org.uk/join.

Members meeting: Result of local ballot for industrial action

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We are hoping that the results of the local ballot for industrial action will be finalised by Monday afternoon. The employer will then be informed, as the law requires, before members are notified. For a ballot to be valid at least 50% of eligible members must vote and the majority who vote must vote in favour of industrial action.

We will be holding an online branch members’ meeting on Tuesday 17 February at 12:00pm to discuss the results of the ballot and determine our next steps.

Members should have received a Zoom meeting invite by email. If you haven’t received yours please let us know. If BSL interpreting is required please contact the on-campus BSL interpreting service to arrange this via marion.fletcher@hw.ac.uk.

Why are we in dispute?

At our last members’ meeting there was overwhelming support to move to dispute if  Heriot-Watt would not commit to ruling out the use of compulsory redundancies and significant changes to research time.

Unfortunately, we were unable to secure these commitments during the consultations for Rightsizing and the proposed changes to, or closure of, Scholar.

Rightsizing

We have learned that the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies (LINCS) finds itself under the threat of profound cuts and closures and we have launched a petition to save LINCS which has already attracted a huge number of signatures. If you haven’t already, please sign the petition and help support our campaign to stop these extremely damaging proposals under which a third of the staff could face redundancy.

Please also consider writing to MSPs/MPs or any other influential parties that may be able to support this campaign

Scholar

You can also help by showing your support for Scholar and the vital service that it provides via the form at https://sites.google.com/view/scholar-for-scotland/support-scholar.

Please spread the message and help amplify. As well as MSPs and MPs this should be of significant interest to anyone invested in supporting education in Scotland. This includes local councillors, teachers and pupils (past and present), and Heriot-Watt students who have used Scholar services like that Maths Gym.

Join UCU today

To our many new members – welcome!

Please do encourage your colleagues to join the union at https://www.ucu.org.uk/join

Save LINCS petition

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To Principal Richard Williams, the University Executive and Court

The Department of Languages & Intercultural Studies (LINCS) at Heriot-Watt University is under threat to lose a third of its staff, facing a proposal to make 11 full time jobs (FTE) redundant, close two languages (Chinese and German BA/MA programmes) and eliminate numerous intercultural studies courses.

We write to you as a diverse range of scholars, professionals, students, institutional and individual supporters who wish to make clear that these proposed cuts to LINCS are entirely unacceptable.

Since its foundation in 1970 by the Holocaust survivor Henry Prais, LINCS has become an internationally renowned authority in its translation, interpreting and intercultural studies degrees.

At a time when Heriot-Watt brands itself as a global university at every turn – boasting campuses in Dubai, Malaysia, and possibly soon Saudi Arabia – this effective dismantling of support for the study of language and culture at the main Edinburgh campus would spell irreversible reputational damage as well as a strategic catastrophe for the University.

The new University Strategy 2035 emphasises global education, employability, and institutional partnerships among its core strategic priorities. In each of these areas LINCS exhibit unique and irreplaceable expertise and leadership. The University’s proposed cuts are entirely contradictory to these professed values, and this course of action would abandon many of the University’s most crucial resources for its long-term aspirations.

It is undeniable that we stand at a perilous crossroads for language and cultural education across the UK, with technological developments – especially artificial intelligence – posing a variety of challenges. With its longstanding expertise in the field LINCS is well positioned to further integrate these new technologies responsibly and formulate programmes of study that draw upon its existing pedagogical and research strengths while offering students the opportunity to use and think critically about new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. But the realisation of this future requires a department at full strength, endowed with the capacity for meaningful input regarding its future and, most crucially, the University’s unwavering commitment to linguistic and intercultural diversity.

We demand in the strongest possible terms that no actions are taken to foreclose future learning opportunities for Chinese and German, that course offerings continue to reflect the full range of faculty expertise and student needs, and that compulsory redundancies are barred from consideration.

Sincerely,

Save LINCS signatures

If you wish to add your name please sign at https://forms.gle/rMXdmeye1JHX3Qbk7 and continue to share as wide as you can.

Thank-you all.

Department of LINCS at Heriot-Watt under threat of cuts and closure

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We have launched a Save LINCS petition because the Department of Languages and Intercultural Studies (LINCS) at Heriot-Watt University finds itself under threat of:

  • Losing 11FTE jobs, one third of its staff
  • Closure of all Chinese and German undergraduate programmes
  • Removal of numerous Intercultural Studies courses

Please take a moment to sign and distribute as widely as possible. Please also consider writing to your MSP, MP etc. and ask them for their support.

LINCS has a long history and excellent international reputation. Heriot-Watt College started teaching French in 1843, German in 1866, and Spanish in 1888. The department of Languages introduced Scotland’s first BA honours course in Interpreting & Translating in 1970. Today it offers programmes in Translation, Interpreting, Intercultural Business Communication at BA, MA, MSc and PhD levels in five languages: BSL, Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Spanish. They are professionally recognized by the CIUTI, the EMT network and the CIoL.

The cuts are proposed despite a growing global demand for language services with AI playing a supportive rather than a transformative role. A growth rate of 5% is expected through to 2029 according to The 2025 Nimdzi 100.

Chinese: Global demand and educational uptake

China is the world’s second largest economy and 82% of UK employers think that language teaching in schools should reflect important potential growth markets for British trade and business according to the British Council in the blog article at https://www.britishcouncil.org/contact/press/speaking-mandarin-will-give-school-leavers-career-advantage-say-77-cent-business-leaders

Entries for the GCSE in Mandarin rose from just over 3,000 in 2012–13 to more than 7,800 in 2023–24 (British Council Sep 2025), while studies at Nat2-5 in Scotland increased from 235 in 2019 to 450 in 2024 and at Higher they increased from 165 in 2019 to 275 in 2024.

There is a clear and renewed pipeline for undergraduate Chinese. The Tianjin Study Scholarship for S6 leavers in Scotland (funded by the Confucius Institute in Scotland), launched in 2012, has consistently motivated Scottish pupils to study Chinese and progress to degree level, with many choosing Heriot-Watt University. Although the scheme was paused during the pandemic, its relaunch in 2025 is expected to increase the number of applicants with advanced Chinese proficiency.

German: Global Demand and educational uptake

German is the most sought-after foreign language among UK employers according to the recent #ShoutOutForGerman – A case for language learning and German at British Universities blog article authored by the German Embassy and German Academic Exchange Service for HEPI at https://www.hepi.ac.uk/2025/03/17/shoutoutforgerman-a-case-for-language-learning-and-german-at-british-universities/

There has been a slight decline at Higher and A Level, but an increase at National 2-5 in Scotland over the last 5 years, showing potential for future growth. This is significantly enhanced by the recent announcement that the UK will re-join the ERASMUS student funding programme in 2027 to revive our European partnerships and attract European students to both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, provide new funding opportunities for both teaching and research.

Further Information

For more information about languages in Higher Education please refer to the following reports:

You can find out more about the fascinating world of languages and cultures and how they shape our lives at our Life in Lincs blog.

The Scottish Confucius Institute for Business & Communication (SCIBC) at Heriot-Watt is one of five business-focused Confucius Institutes in the UK.

The Heriot-Watt Languages Society is for anyone and everyone who shares a passion for languages.

HWUCU Branch Member Meetup

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We will be having an informal meetup for new and not-so-new branch members in the Chaplaincy on Wednesday 4 February 2026 from 12noon to 1pm.

HaWo, the Membership Officer, and other members of the branch committee will be there to welcome new members. This will be good opportunity to find out more about the union in general and also about the local ballot for industrial action over ‘Rightsizing’ and ‘Scholar‘.

Please do spread the word and encourage other members to attend.

Don’t forget to vote

If you haven’t already, please post your UCU ballot paper and help us fight to protect jobs in Scholar and the departments affecting by Rightsizing, and to limit the impact of on workload and research time. You can let us know you have voted by emailing
ucu@hw.ac.uk or replying to any email or text messages you have received from the branch office or UCU central.

If you have not received your ballot paper there is still time to request a replacement.

Scholar

Support the Scholar for Scotland campaign to avoid this important educational resource from being shut down with a loss of jobs. If you would like to know more please read this Scholar explainer.

Replacement Ballot Request Form

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The law still requires that ballots for industrial action be conducted by postal vote and local branch members should already have received ballot packs from Civica Election Services at their nominated postal address.

If you have received your ballot pack please vote and return your ballot as soon as possible using the included pre-paid envelope. When you have voted please let the branch office or UCU know via email or the ThruText SMS reminder.

If you have not received your ballot pack please request a replacement via the form at https://yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/Heriot-Watt-University-UCU-replacement-ballot-request-form-January-February-2026 by Monday 9 February 2026.

The ballot closes on Monday 16 February 2026 so please make sure that you have your papers in the post by Thursday 12 February 2026 at the very latest.

You will need your membership number to vote. If you need a reminder of your membership number send a blank email to mynumber@mercury.ucu.org.uk.

We will be holding an online members’ meeting via Zoom at 12.00 on Tuesday 17 February 2026 to decide our next actions based on the outcome of the ballot. Zoom details have been circulated by email. If you require BSL interpreting please contact the branch as soon as possible.

Local ballot on Industrial Action over Rightsizing and Scholar

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The senior leadership at Heriot-Watt are using the portfolio review to push through ‘Rightsizing’ changes which threaten jobs and affect working conditions.

Up to 41 FTE roles are currently at risk in Scotland, with the final headcount likely to be higher, and we have significant concerns about the potential for reductions in research time as result of the review.

Staff in Scholar, an important education resource not just for secondary education but also for foundation courses at Heriot-Watt, are also at risk even though the results of a Scottish Government review into online education are yet to be published.

The ballot is about protecting jobs, workloads, and research capacity in response to these proposals. A strong ballot result will strengthen the position of branch negotiators and increase our leverage in pushing the University to rule out compulsory redundancies.

Timeline

The ballot will open on Monday 5 January 2026 and close on Monday 16 February 2026. The last save date for posting is therefore Thursday 12 February 2026.

Replacement ballot papers can be requested online from Monday 12 January 2026. Details will be posted in due course.

Ballot papers

Employment law mandates that a ballot for industrial action must be conducted by post. Ballots cannot be conducted online and ballot papers cannot be sent out electronically for members to print out at home or at work.

The law also states that a ballot for industrial action must be supervised by a qualified independent scrutineer, usually Civica Election Services (CES). CES is responsible for the production, posting, and processing of ballot papers. UCU cannot by law produce, post, or process ballot papers.

You will receive a ballot pack / envelope at your registered address.

The ballot pack/envelope should have the return address for Civica (Civica Election Services, CES) in the top left-hand corner. It will also carry the CES logo and UCU branding.

The ballot pack will contain the ballot paper. The ballot pack will usually contain a second-class pre-paid return envelope. Members should use the ballot paper and put the ballot paper in the pre-paid return envelope, and then post that at the nearest post box or post office.

If you have misplaced the pre-paid envelope or the pre-paid envelope is missing from your ballot pack, you can put the ballot paper(s) into a blank envelope, write this address on the envelope – Civica Election Services, 33 Clarendon Road, London N8 0NW – then affix a stamp, ideally first-class, and post it back. It is also possible to hand the ballot back in person at the above address.

What questions will appear on the ballot paper?

Your ballot paper will have two questions:

  • Are you prepared to take industrial action consisting of strike action?
  • Are you prepared to take industrial action consisting of action short of strike action (which for this purpose is defined to include overtime and call-out bans)?

We urge everyone to vote YES to both questions.

How should I mark my preference?

Your ballot includes two simple ‘Yes/No’ questions, mentioned above. You should write a CROSS (X) to indicate your preference on the ballot paper – for the avoidance of doubt, a CROSS (X) in a box looks like this. Using anything that is not a CROSS (X) — for example a TICK (V) — means that Civica Election Services’ scanning team will need to look at your ballot paper and make a judgment as to whether the vote is acceptable.

Why am I being asked if I have voted after?

Industrial action ballots are confidential and UCU does not know if an individual member has voted or which way that a member has voted. As part of our branches ‘get the vote out’ (GTVO) activities, we may ask you – via email, text message or door-knocking at your workplace – whether you have voted, so that we can target our GTVO with precision.

It is always an enormous help to us if you volunteer this information (on whether you have voted, not how you have voted). This means there will be no need for us to remind you again (for instance via text or phone-banking).

I have not received my ballot pack. What should I do?

If you do not receive your ballot pack by Monday 12 January 2026, you will be able to request a new ballot paper at https://yoursay.ucu.org.uk/s3/Heriot-Watt-University-UCU-replacement-ballot-request-form-January-February-2026

To request a replacement ballot request you need to use your unique UCU membership number which you can find by sending a blank email to mynumber@mercury.ucu.org.uk or email UCU’s membership department at membership@ucu.org.uk.

What happens after the ballot?

When the ballot closes and the results are announced, we will meet as a branch and discuss and vote on the next steps to take. You can get involved with this debate by attending the branch meeting, speaking to your colleagues or even proposing a motion about what next steps you think could be successful in increasing our leverage.