Industrial action

What does industrial action mean and how could it impact my studies? 

GUCU voted in favour of two forms of industrial action:

• Strike action. Strike action is when university staff stop working completely for a set period as part of an industrial dispute. During a strike, participating staff pause all work, including teaching, office hours, marking and assessment, meetings and emails, research duties and administrative tasks
• Action short of a strike (ASOS). ASOS is where staff stop undertaking a specific part of their duties. This is most commonly in the form of a marking and assessment boycott

Participating staff may also choose to join a picket line on campus to raise awareness of the dispute. GUCU members have been taking action short of strike since 27 April 2026. They have since announced their intention to take full strike action from 8 June 2026.

Why is industrial action taking place?

The action is in response to Future Goldsmiths, the University’s action to overcome financial challenges and secure our place as one of the world's leading creative and distrinctive universities. This includes:

• Offering courses aligned to the University’s creative core, rooted in world-leading practice and critical research and reflecting what prospective students tell us they would like to study
• Providing flexible learning which fits the real lives of students, such as through improved timetables or using technology more effectively and delivering new forms of learning
• Investing in our physical and digital infrastructure, including teaching and social spaces and tools to support assessment
• Supporting strong partnerships with schools, colleges and further education both in the UK and overseas to support recruitment to Goldsmiths

Will Future Goldsmiths have an impact on my studies?

We expect current students on full-time programmes to complete their current programme of study. No changes will affect your programme, beyond the standard adjustments made in any given year. There may be some minor impact on part-time students in a very small number of programmes. These students will be contacted directly.  

How can I share my views about Future Goldsmiths?  

Student representation is embedded throughout the University. Students are represented on the University Council, Academic Board and other committees and forums where significant decisions require approval, and school and faculty representatives ensure student perspectives inform decisions across academic schools. The Students’ Union sabbatical officers also work directly with senior leaders on your behalf.  

We regularly survey students throughout the year through module evaluations, pulse surveys, the National Student Survey (NSS) and the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) to make sure your experience shapes how we develop and improve.  

If you would like to make your voice heard, your student representatives are best placed to make sure your concerns and priorities are understood by senior leaders. Leaders will be actively engaging with student representatives. 

How will I be kept informed about the impacts of industrial action on my studies?  

We will communicate with students by email as we receive further details about industrial action, including the impact on specific cohorts of students.  

What is the University doing to minimise the impact of industrial action on students? 

Colleagues from across the University are working hard to mitigate and reduce the impact as far as possible on students. We are committed to minimising the impact of action on you and have plans in place to support this. 

Where teaching and assessment is impacted the University can utilise its Exceptional Academic Regulations (PDF). These regulations allow us to mitigate the impact on our studies and assessments and are designed to ensure that we:  

• Support all students fairly and equally
• Support students to progress and graduate
• Maintain strong academic standards 

Specifically, these regulations allow the University to:  

• Identify other ways in which students can achieve and demonstrate learning outcomes if all planned teaching cannot be delivered
• Authorise temporary changes to assessments
• Provide additional mitigations to individual or groups of students
• Support students to graduate and progress 

We are committed to continue to work closely with GUCU and colleagues to reduce any potential impact. 

Will University facilities remain open?

Yes. The campus will be fully open, including the Library, teaching spaces and workshops and common areas.

Will planned teaching continue?

Yes, you should attend your planned teaching sessions as normal. If a member of staff informs the University that they are planning to participate in action which will impact teaching, we will let you know. In some cases, teaching staff may notify students directly about cancelled teaching, which we are encouraging staff to do via the VLE or email. We know that short notice cancellations are disruptive and frustrating for students, and we will try our best to limit how often this happens.  

Will planned assessment continue?

Yes. If there is an impact on your assessment, we will notify you.

Can I still contact my personal tutor or other academic staff on strike days? 

Yes, you can. However, you should expect that office hours for participating staff may not run, and participating staff will only look at emails or other communications outside of strike periods. If you need an immediate response, please using the live chat or in-person.

What is the university doing to reduce the potential impact of a marking and assessment boycott?

The university is taking steps to ensure that all scheduled exams can go ahead, with additional exam invigilators prepared to step in as necessary.

Given the marking and assessment boycott, when can I expect to receive my marks?

This depends on the length and nature of the marking and assessment boycott and whether the academics overseeing marking and assessment are taking part in the industrial action, which means it is not possible to share a date by which all marks will have been received. However, we will do everything we can to keep you informed of timelines for distributing marks, transcripts and degree classifications, and will prioritise final year students.

If my classes are cancelled and not re-scheduled, how can I be assessed on my knowledge in the end of year examinations?

Our colleagues will assess the impact of any lost learning on your ability to complete assessments. Adjustments we make as a result will be communicated to you on an ongoing basis, by email.

If my class is cancelled, will I be marked as absent on SEAtS? 

Where the University is informed that the class is cancelled, this class will be cancelled on SEAtS. If your class has been cancelled but you have received no notification you should , who will ensure your attendance record is updated accordingly.

Will not attending a cancelled teaching session impact my visa?

No. If a teaching session is cancelled, not attending will have no impact on your student visa, even if the session is still appearing on SEAtS.

Will my work be marked if my lecturers are on strike – how will this affect me?

You should continue to prepare for your assessments and/or examinations as planned and you should submit work and sit examinations as usual, unless you are advised otherwise. The University’s academic policies, as far as possible, will help to ensure you are not significantly negatively affected by any delay in marking. 

Will I be entitled to an extension for my dissertation, research project or other submission of work if the deadline falls within the strike period?

You should assume all current submission and exam dates remain unchanged unless advised otherwise. 

What if my supervisor does not attend a meeting on my dissertation or final year project due to industrial action?

Please notify your Head of School, Personal Tutor or the , if after attempting to contact your supervisor, you cannot reach them.

Will my examinations and assessments still take place?

You should continue to prepare for your assessments and/or examinations as planned and you should submit work and sit examinations as usual, unless you are advised otherwise. The University’s academic policies including exceptional academic regulations, as far as possible, will help to ensure you are not significantly negatively affected by any delay in marking.

Who can I ask for help if I have a question about my studies?

You can speak to any academic colleague, but in the first instance you should consider: 

• Your personal tutor
• Your module convenor
• Your programme leader
• Your Head of Subject
• Your Head of School

If you don’t receive support after contacting the staff above, you can contact the Student Hub. 

What is the University doing to support PGR students during the Industrial Action period?

The University has put in place the Statement of Commitments in respect of PGR students at Goldsmiths, which aims to support those who may be affected by processes of institutional change and transformation, including periods of industrial action. These statement of commitments may be found on the Graduate School VLE.

This statement sets out the process for reengagement of supervisors who have taken VSS and the process for identifying alternative supervision where needed. The statement also sets out the guidelines for the S4 extension scheme, an extension scheme intended to partially mitigate for time lost due to disruption of supervision. If you have any questions about the statement, please do reach out to graduateschool@gold.ac.uk.

I’m a PGR student with an upcoming submission deadline during the industrial action period – do I still need to submit my thesis by my deadline?

If your submission deadline is approaching and you have been unable to finalise your thesis as a result of substantive feedback from your supervisor being delayed due to industrial action, please get in touch with the Graduate School team (graduateschool@gold.ac.uk) who will be happy to discuss the possibility of applying for an extension or interruption where appropriate. If your thesis is ready to be submitted by your deadline, please do go ahead and submit as planned.

How will my assessments be impacted by the marking and assessment boycott (MAB)?

GUCU have confirmed that MPhil/PhD vivas (whether upgrade or final examination) fall under the current MAB. The only exception to this will be cases where delaying an assessment at either upgrade or final examination would pose a tangible risk to visa/immigration status, time-sensitive funding, or otherwise result in significant financial hardship. 

GUCU have indicated that exemptions to the MAB will be decided on a case-by-case basis. If you think your assessment should be exempt on the basis set out above, please contact the GUCU PGR officers Georgie Rowlands growl003@gold.ac.uk and Annabell Knapp a.knapp@gold.ac.uk for guidance in the first instance. 

What follows below sets out the Graduate School’s approach to facilitating upgrades and viva examinations.

How will my viva voce (at final examination stage) be impacted if one of my examiners is taking part in the marking and assessment boycott?

The Graduate School continues our role in facilitating MPhil/PhD examinations and we will work on the basis that vivas will be held as planned unless we are notified otherwise by examiners or supervisors.

In the first instance, our recommendation is that you discuss this with your supervisor who will be coordinating the viva. If you are notified that your examiners are unable to examine your thesis during this period of industrial action, there are a few possible outcomes: 

• If, as set out above, you or your supervisor believe your viva examination should be exempt from the assessment boycott under the guidelines set out by GUCU, you should contact the GUCU PGR Officers to discuss this (their contact details can be found above); they will review each request for exemption on a case by case basis
• If you do not feel you are eligible to make a request for exemption, your supervisor may discuss the possibility of appointing alternative examiners so that your examination can be held as soon as possible
• Alternatively, your viva will be scheduled for an alternative date outside of the boycott period, and your supervisor will notify you once a possible new date has been confirmed 

If any issues arise due to a delayed examination, the Graduate School team will be available to talk things through, and we can provide letters explaining any delay to funders and employers if and as needed.

I’m due to have my MPhil/PhD upgrade (Transfer of Registration) during the period of industrial action, will this be affected?

The Graduate School will work on the basis that upgrade panels are being held as planned apart from where we are notified otherwise by School PGR Leads or supervisors. 

In the first instance, our recommendation is that you discuss this with your supervisor who will be coordinating the upgrade, or your School PGR Lead who has oversight for PhD candidates in your school and subject area. If you are notified that your assessors are unable to examine your upgrade during this period of industrial action, there are a few possible outcomes: 

• If, as set out above, you or your supervisor believe your upgrade assessment should be exempt from the assessment boycott under the guidelines set out by GUCU, you should contact the GUCU PGR Officers to discuss this (their contact details can be found above) and they will review each request for exemption on a case by case basis
• If you do not feel you are eligible to make a request for exemption, your supervisor may discuss the possibility of appointing alternative assessors for your upgrade so that your assessment can be held as soon as possible 

Alternatively, your upgrade will be scheduled for an alternative date outside of the boycott period, and your supervisors will notify you once a potential new date has been identified. 

If your upgrade panel is delayed due to industrial action, you should continue to work on your thesis in the meantime.  Delay in organising an upgrade panel should not impact on preparing and finalising your upgrade papers that should be submitted within the timelines set out in the Code of Practice for PGR students. 

If you are feel you are unable to continue to work on your thesis due to a delayed upgrade, please be in touch with the Graduate School team (graduateschool@gold.ac.uk) who can advise on your individual case, including the possibility of a brief interruption of studies if necessary and possible in line with any visa restrictions. 

What is an Interruption of Studies for PGR students and what impact does it have on my research degree studies?

You can read more about the process for interrupting your studies as a PGR student in the Graduate School guidance: Interruptions for PGR students. If you have any questions after reading this, please reach out to the Graduate School team (graduateschool@gold.ac.uk) who will be able to give you tailored advice.  

I am a Student Visa holder PGR student, can I apply for an Interruption of Studies? 

PGR students in receipt of a student visa can take one 60-day interruption during their programme without their visa being impacted. It is not possible to take additional periods of interruption without the existing visa being cancelled.  

If you are a PGR student with a student visa considering a period of interruption and you would like to discuss your options, please be in touch with graduateschool@gold.ac.uk. For detailed advice on your visa status, please contact immigration@gold.ac.uk 

I think my upgrade/viva voce should be exempt under the guidelines set out by GUCU, what should I do? 

The Graduate School cannot adjudicate on exemptions to the GUCU boycott. Rather, exemptions to MAB as it applies to PGR students will be decided by Goldsmiths UCU on a case-by-case basis. If you think your assessment should be exempt on the basis set out above, please email the GUCU PGR officers Georgie Rowlands (growl003@gold.ac.uk) and Annabell Knapp (a.knapp@gold.ac.uk) for guidance in the first instance.

I’m feeling anxious about all of this – where can I go for additional support?   

If you are feeling anxious about the prospect of industrial action, remember that all students can access wellbeing support at any time throughout their studies. You also may be interested in exploring some of the self-help resources available on our website.

I'm unhappy about the impact of the marking and assessment boycott on my studies. Can I make a complaint? 

Yes, and we want to make sure any complaint you submit is properly considered. To ensure that happens, you will need to wait until your final results and progression outcome have been formally confirmed through a ratified transcript before submitting a complaint. The complaints process will not open until that point. 

This is because the full impact of the marking and assessment boycott can only be properly assessed once your academic outcomes are known. Once your results have been released and your progression or award confirmed, you will normally have three months from the date your final transcript is published to submit your complaint.

In the meantime, it may help to keep a record of any disruption you experience. Full details of the MAB complaints process, including how and when to submit, will be shared as soon as possible.  

Can I make a complaint about the planned full strike action?

A dedicated process for complaints about the wider strike action will launch in due course, following the commencement of strike action on 8 June 2026. This will include information about when and how to submit a complaint.

I have a question that is not answered here – how should I raise it? 

You can raise questions with the Student Hub. You can also find information from other sector bodies:

• Office of the Independent Adjudicator
• Office for Students 

Can I attend graduation when I haven’t received my results?

If you are a finalist student who hasn’t been able to receive your results due to strike action, you are permitted to attend the graduation ceremonies. Details are on our Graduation page. 

Can I attend graduation if I have a summer resit? 

Yes, if you are a finalist student who has a summer resit, due to the provisions the University is putting in place to support students, you are permitted to attend the graduation ceremonies.

Do I have to attend graduation to graduate?

No, you do not need to attend a graduation ceremony to be awarded your qualification and graduate. The qualification from the University is awarded when agreed by the Board of Examiners, there is no need to physically attended a graduation ceremony - whether you are graduating this year or any other year.