Goldsmiths Strike Becomes Longest in UK University History at 130 Days
Goldsmiths University staff have been on strike for 130 days, marking a record in the UK higher education sector. The strike began after initial actions on April 27 and escalated to a full strike on June 8 due to proposed layoffs and restructuring plans. Over 50 postgraduate fine art students expressed their frustrations in an open letter, highlighting the disruption caused by the unresolved dispute. With 10 out of 12 faculty members participating in the strike, many students, particularly newcomers, remain unaware of the ongoing issues. Second-year students are facing delays in grades, and missing the October 31 fee deadline may affect their enrollment status.
Key facts
- GUCU's strike at Goldsmiths has lasted 130 days, the longest in UK higher education history
- Action short of a strike began 27 April; indefinite full strike action started 8 June
- The dispute concerns Goldsmiths' restructuring programme and proposed academic redundancies
- More than 50 postgraduate fine art students signed an open letter about course disruption
- Students say 10 of 12 staff are on strike and no academic or workshop inductions were held
- Second-year students have not received marks or feedback from interim assessments
- The 31 October fee deadline carries near-immediate withdrawal and a 25% term fee liability
- Goldsmiths says fewer than 2% of programme modules are affected and three offers were made, the latest rejected
- The previous record was held by the University of Brighton
- Nine Goldsmiths graduates have won the Turner Prize, including Gillian Wearing (1997) and Laure Prouvost (2013)
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Goldsmiths, University of London
- Goldsmiths University and College Union
- University of Brighton
- University of London
- Turner Prize
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom