The University has retained an excellence award which demonstrates its commitment to improving the working conditions and career development of research staff.

The second set of UK universities to be externally evaluated for the HR Excellence in Research Award have retained the HR Excellence in Research Award from the European Commission.

This brings the total to 21 institutions in the UK to have undertaken and retained the Award at this four year stage.

University of Cambridge’s People Matter Week
 

“The University is fully committed to ensuring the wellbeing of its staff and students. I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to attend, and benefit from, the wide range of activities on offer during People Matter Week”

- Professor Jeremy Sanders CBE FRS, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Institutional Affairs
 

The Careers Service hosts a range of events for Postdoctoral research staff wishing to combine their academic career with raising a family. Many of the principles covered in these sessions are applicable to all staff groups and can be accessed at the links below. Please note that staff will need to register with the careers service to view these resources which include podcasts and further links.

Additional Service Points in grades 1, 5 and 6

In October 2012 the University and Assistants Joint Board (UAJB) agreed to appoint a Special Joint Negotiating Committee (SJNC) to review how the loyalty and skills of Assistant staff are rewarded.

Following new proposals put forward by Universities UK as part of the negotiations on reform of benefits in the USS, UCU consulted their members on the revised proposals and suspended the assessment and marking boycott between 16 and 30 January 2015 while a ballot was conducted.

The ballot has now concluded and UCU members voted to accept the new USS proposals and will not resume the assessment and marking boycott.

The University has been notified that the assessment and marking boycott expected to commence on 16 January 2015 has been suspended from 16 to 30 January 2015.

This suspension has been called in response to new proposals put forward by Universities UK as part of the negotiations on reform of benefits in the USS. The University and College Union (UCU) are expected to consult their members on these proposals and have suspended the assessment and marking boycott while this takes place.

The University has been advised that the University and College Union (UCU) intends to call on its members to participate in action short of a strike in the form of an assessment and marking boycott with effect from 16 January 2015. This action is being taken in relation to potential changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).

Further details on USS funding pressures as well as USS news and publications can be found here.

UCU has agreed to the suspension of all industrial action from 20 November until after the JNC scheduled for 15 January 2015. The University has been advised that UCU will be writing to all its members to advise them of this today. The following statement has been agreed jointly by UCU and UUK:

JOINT UCU/UUK STATEMENT on suspension of industrial action from 20 November 2014

Following a meeting of the USS JNC on 13 November UCU and UUK have agreed to issue the joint statement announcing that they will consult with their constituent structures on the prospect of a suspension of the current industrial action from 20 November until the JNC scheduled for 15 January 2015. This statement can be found below:

JOINT UCU/UUK STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE USS JOINT NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE (JNC) HELD ON 13 NOVEMBER 2014

The University has been notified that the University and College Union (UCU) has secured a mandate to call on its members to take action short of a strike in the form of an assessment and marking boycott commencing from 6 November 2014. Additionally, the UCU has advised employers that it may call on its members to take additional strike action at any time. This action is being taken in relation to potential changes to the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS).