Automatic re-enrolment into a workplace pension

Legislation relating to workplace pensions requires that all employers automatically enrol specific groups of their workers into a pension scheme every 3 years.

For the University of Glasgow, the date from which we were first required to implement auto enrolment was 1 April 2013. This means that we were required to re-enrol all eligible workers on 1 April 2016 and will now be required to do so again on 1 April 2019.

If you are already a member of one of the University’s pension schemes there will be no change for you as a result of this.

If you are not currently paying into a pension scheme the University is required, by law, to auto enrol you into a workplace pension if you are aged between 22 and State pension age (currently 65) and have earnings above the statutory minimum amount of £833 per month. However if you have voluntarily left one of the University’s pension schemes in the last 12 months we are not required to re-enrol you at this time.

We will contact you individually by the end of April if you are affected by this requirement.

Further information, including FAQs, can be found on our webpage at www.gla.ac.uk/pensionautoenrolment.

Research impact workshops

Upcoming workshops on research impact (24th April) (register via Core):

1. Planning your research impact: 24th April 2019 / 10.00-12.00 / No 11 The Square
Understanding the concept of impact is now a key element in researchers’ professional development and advancement. This session will look at the reflective process that helps you to examine your research with impact in mind, helps you to structure an impact strategy around your area of research, which can then be developed and refined over time. Examples will be drawn from participants’ own research. Open and relevant to researchers in any discipline.

2. Impact statements in grant applications: 24th April 2019 / 13.30-15.00 / No 11 The Square
This session provides information and ideas on how to approach writing an impact plan for grant applications. Bring a draft, if you have one. Find out how you can link with existing initiatives or internal support and networks to strengthen your case and avoid duplication of effort. These sessions will use examples from different disciplinary areas, looking at the expectations of funders, challenges in identifying ‘end users’ of the research, basic good practice in setting out your impact summary and pathways to impact. Numbers will be limited to ensure opportunity for discussion, questions and troubleshooting on individual statements. Open and relevant to researchers in any discipline.

Access information – Lift notification system

The University’s Disability Equality Group has recognised the need to ensure staff and students have up-to-date information when University lifts are out of order.

Two email distribution lists for staff and students have been established for those who want to be notified when any lifts are out of order or undergoing maintenance.

Notifications will be issued by Estates and Commercial Services - although they will not have access to the names of those on each list. The Equality and Diversity Unit (EDU) will manage the list for staff, and the Disability Service will manage the student list, ensuring confidentiality.

If you would like to be added to either of these distribution lists, please contact the relevant team emails detailed below:

For staff: equality@glasgow.ac.uk
For students: disability@glasgow.ac.uk
You will be able to unsubscribe from this list at any time simply by contact the relevant team, and review the relevant Privacy Notice.

Pint of Science Glasgow ihas been launched

Tickets have gone on sale for the world’s largest festival of public science talks, which will see more than 40 scientists take to the stage in pubs across Glasgow.

The international, three-day Pint of Science festival will see thousands of scientists simultaneously bringing their research out of the lab to share with the public in over 300 cities across 24 countries. Founded seven years ago by two UK researchers, the festival brings a unique line up of talks, demonstrations and live experiments to the nation’s favourite locals. New for 2019 is the festival theme “What Next?” – we’ll be posing this critical question to researchers working across a huge range of scientific disciplines.

Researchers from Glasgow’s universities and beyond will be speaking at several pubs across the city, including The Record Factory, Dram!, The Butterfly and Pig, The Woods, Brutti Compadres and The Griffin. Tickets are available from the Pint of Science website (www.pintofscience.co.uk), with each evening costing just £4.

Ferguson Bequest applications

The Ferguson Bequest was left to the University by Professor Tom Ferguson to foster the social side of University life.

The Ferguson Bequest Committee would like to encourage applications for funding to be considered at its meeting in May. The Committee is keen to promote any type of activity that encourages staff to socialise together and some suggestions so far are:

• Campaigns across campus that might encourage staff participation in sport/relaxation activities
• A wider range of ticketed events with emphasis on celebrating the culture of Glasgow
• Gaelic language events
• Events and initiatives with a sustainability theme

Applications forms can be found at: 

https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/courtoffice/fergusonbequest/applicationforfunding/

For more information, please contact Rhona Little in the Court Office: Rhona.little@glasgow.ac.uk

First published: 11 April 2019

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