The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) provides its member institutions with timely advice and guidance on all employment and reward matters relevant to the HE sector. Our purpose was revised in 2023: UCEA is the leading voice on employment and reward matters in the UK Higher Education sector. We support our members to be employers of choice through collaboration, advocacy and expert advice.
UCEA has five core values which, as our behavioural compass, will guide our actions at an individual, organisational and sector level:
Leadership - We consult, challenge and provide thought leadership
Expertise - We develop and share our knowledge, information and evidence-based insight
Inclusivity - We respect differences and utilise the benefits they offer
Integrity - We demonstrate and promote what is right to uphold the highest standards
Aspiration - We encourage learning, innovation and forward thinking
Our four strategic priorities encompass:
- Promoting constructive employment relations
- Supporting employer aspirations to enhance the employee experience
- Supporting members through our influence and engagement
- Taking forward UCEA in support of our members
Membership is voluntary and open to UK HE providers and associated organisations. We are funded through our members' subscriptions and fees. We aim to anticipate the challenges of changing times, working jointly with other sector bodies and agencies, and our broad membership means we are well networked, well informed and influential. We conduct voluntary collective negotiations at a national level on the annual base pay uplift to apply to non-senior staff.
We are governed by a Board drawn from Vice-Chancellors, Principals and Chairs of governing councils of universities.
