University of Sheffield International College strike action called off

A University of Sheffield International College (USIC) staff strike was called off after guarantees over redundancies were made to its branch of the University and Colleges Union (UCU).

USIC is a separate organisation from the University itself and is run by private company Study Group. It offers tuition in English language, study skills and subject specific development to help prepare students for undergraduate studies.

Last year management announced cuts to its academic and student support staff due to financial difficulties after a fall in applications from international students.

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Strike action tomorrow is now OFF following an emergency branch meeting of our members. Our employer has rescinded all the remaining redundancy notices and guaranteed there will be NO compulsory redundancies. /1. https://t.co/9l5SGqQibe

— USIC_UCU (@UcuUsic) March 27, 2025

In January, USIC UCU members voted unanimously in favour of strike action protesting compulsory redundancies that threatened 36 jobs in the department. A picket line was planned on Solly Street in the city centre on Friday 28th March.

However, on Thursday, USIC UCU released a statement on their social media declaring that “strike action tomorrow is now off following an emergency branch meeting of our members”.

“Our employer has rescinded all the remaining redundancy notices and guaranteed there will be no compulsory redundancies.”

Study Group said in a statement: “Study Group is committed to providing an excellent education to international students from around the world.

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“Like many universities and higher education providers, we need to adapt our staffing to recent changes in international recruitment and regrettably at Sheffield this means reducing employee numbers. Throughout the months of active engagement with our employees and their representatives including the UCU, we have been able to avoid compulsory redundancies through redeployment and voluntary redundancies. Several staff have been redeployed to take up new opportunities elsewhere in our network of international study centres, to continue to deliver quality global education.

Study Group has been notified today that the planned strike action on Friday 28th March is suspended. As educators, we welcome this decision to avoid detriment to our students’ education.”

Other branches of the UCU, including those of Cardiff and Nottingham University, have also commended the result via social media.

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