UCU at the University of Sheffield International College (USIC)
Information about the UCU branch at the University of Sheffield International College (USIC), and how to get in contact.
On this page
About the branch
The University of Sheffield International College (USIC) is an institution that delivers foundation and pre-masters courses to international students from around the world who want to progress to Undergraduate and Masters programs at the University of Sheffield.
Although the College is located in a University of Sheffield building (Velocity House) and operates under University of Sheffield branding, it is an outsourced operation run on a for profit basis by a global multinational corporation called Study Group. Study Group employs all staff at the College, and has a 10-year contract with the University of Sheffield which expires in 2025.
Because of this, the UCU branch at USIC is separate from the University of Sheffield UCU branch. UCU won recognition at this branch in 2014, when the College was previously run by Kaplan. Sheffield UCU and Yorkshire and Humber UCU played an important role in supporting staff at the college to win recognition.
Campaigns
In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, USIC UCU successfully extended its recognition agreement to cover student support staff at the college and is now the recognised trade union for all staff.
In 2021, USIC UCU members supported staff at Sussex International Study Centre (another Study Group operation attached to the University of Sussex) to win recognition for academic staff. Members of the branch continue to be involved in supporting Higher Education staff in other outsourced institutions to win union recognition and the right to collectively bargain.
In late 2022, USIC UCU took the first ever strike action in an outsourced Higher Education provider in the UK. This action continued into 2023, and was successful in securing a significantly improved pay offer for staff at the college.
USIC UCU Contacts:
Branch Secretary
Jordan Phizacklea-Cullen
Branch Chair
Sam Morecroft
You can follow USIC UCU on Twitter- @UcuUsic