UCU Congress 2026

 UCU Congress 2026 will be held at Harrogate Convention Centre from Wednesday 27 May - Friday 29 May 2026

   UCU 2200 Calling notice of Congress 2026 including deadlines for motions and amendments. [130kb]

Registration

Timetable and dates

Accommodation

Expenses

Childcare facilities

Fringe & social events

Congress Papers

Motions

Delegate entitlements

Congress Business Committee

REGISTRATION

Registration for Congress is now open!

Online registration is available and delegates are encouraged to use it where possible. 

Delegates can register online here

Note: All NEC MUST register using the above link.

The deadline for registration is 5pm on Friday 24 April

The registration deadline is the same for on-line and in-person attendance. 

Once registered delegates will receive an email confirmation to say their registration has been received.

TIMETABLE AND DATES

ACCOMMODATION

All accommodation will be booked by UCU for delegates on a bed and bed breakfast basis. Delegates will be asked to indicate their requirements for accommodation when they register to attend Congress, and no further action is required from delegates or branches to book accommodation.

As in previous years, delegates from the same region will be put into the same hotel where possible. Delegates are urged to register as early as possible and no later than the 24 April deadline in order to assist us in organising the accommodation in this way.

Delegates' hotels will be confirmed by e-mail approximately three weeks ahead of Congress. However, an email to confirm accommodation requests will be sent out soon after registration. If you have not received confirmation a few weeks after your registration please contact Sue Bajwa.

If you make a cancellation four weeks or more before Congress, it is likely (but not certain) that we can make arrangements so as not to incur accommodation costs. Cancellations made less than three weeks before Congress will usually require the union to pay the full cost of accommodation.

Hotels will usually request credit card details on arrival. This is the usual practice of many hotels as you will be charged for any extra costs incurred during your stay (e.g. newspapers/phone calls etc). Any hotel extras should be settled by delegates prior to departure and if not, will be invoiced to delegates by the hotel. Please also see the expenses section below.

EXPENSES

Reasonable travel and subsistence expenses will be paid to cover costs necessarily incurred in attending Congress, including delegates' travel from work or home addresses within the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. These expenses will be met centrally by UCU. Receipts must be submitted in respect of all expenses claimed, whether travel or subsistence. An expenses claim form specific to Congress will be made available to delegates.

Hotel accommodation for delegates will be paid for directly by UCU; other necessary subsistence costs (such as evening meals) will be reimbursed to delegates in accordance with the expense claim form.

Delegates are asked to minimise their expenses wherever possible, including booking advance travel tickets.

CHILDCARE FACILITIES

A crèche/kids' club will be provided during the hours of Congress business and official fringe meetings, and there will be no charge for this facility where alternative arrangements cannot be made. Please indicate on the registration form if you require this service, and the relevant forms will be sent out to you. Please make sure that we are notified of your requirements by the deadline of 25 April.

Alternatively, members may claim a dependants' allowance to contribute to additional care expenses incurred directly in relation to attendance at Congress. Details of the scheme are available upon request from the Sue Bajwa.

FRINGE & SOCIAL EVENTS

There will be a welcome reception on Tuesday 26 May and a delegate dinner at the  for all members on Thursday 28 May for those attending in person..  Delegates must register if they are attending these.

Fringe meetings will take place on Wednesday & Thursday lunchtime. A programme of official fringe meetings will be available nearer to the time.

CONGRESS PAPERS

Congress papers - reducing printed paperwork

Congress papers will be available to download from a dedicated page on UCU's website. Papers will be uploaded as they become available. An email will be sent to all delegates no later than the Tuesday, 13 May  when all advance papers are expected to have been uploaded, with a link to where the papers can be found.

Only delegates who indicate, in response to the relevant question on the online registration form, that they do want to receive a hard copy Congress mailing, will receive a mailing of all Congress papers, which will be posted no more than a week in advance.

All delegates that requested accommodation will be sent an email copy of their accommodation details approximately three weeks before Congress, along with a document that sets out practical information about Congress attendance.

The final bound agenda of motions and amendments will be available for all delegates to collect on arrival, as in previous years.

MOTIONS

The deadline for submission of Congress and FE and HE sector motions is noon on Friday 13 March 2026. 

Click here for the online motions form

Further information about submission of motions can be found in the  Congress calling notice [130kb].  Any queries about the submission of motions, please contact: congressmotions@ucu.org.uk

Please also note the guidance on writing motions using the language of the social model of disability [100kb].

DELEGATE ENTITLEMENTS

Branches are entitled to one delegate per 400 members or part thereof 

Delegate entitlements

CONGRESS BUSINESS COMMITTEE

Nominations are sought for the following vacancies:

• two higher education members of the Congress Business Committee
• two further education members of the Congress Business Committee

  Further details can be found here [111kb]

  Click here for the nomination form