Emma4VP | About Emma | Election Statement | Media | Endorsements | Contact Emma
“Emma embodies the values that I want to see in UCU leadership: openness, a willingness to learn, compassion, and a relentless, positive focus on achievement: what we as union members can do, rather than what we cannot. Spending time with her is energising and inspiring, which the whole of the UCU membership should benefit from – and they will if they elect her to VP.“
– Dr Sylvia de Mars, Senior Lecturer in Law, Newcastle University
“I support Emma Battell Lowman for Vice President. Emma is a passionate advocate and ally who is able to bring people together and foster a sense of purpose and common grounding. She is a compassionate and empathetic listener which forms the basis of her approach to organising and negotiating. She has an unwavering commitment to equality and inclusion.”
– Dr Jennifer Bergevin, University of Leeds
“I have never met a leader as inspirational as Emma Battell Lowman. Emma has a deep strength of character, resilience, and practical knowledge, drawn from her extensive experience of collective action in higher education. She gets things done. She is committed to the collective good and equality. And most of all, her enthusiasm and empathy for others bring out the best in everyone. I strongly endorse Emma for VP.”
– Professor Katrina Navickas, University of Hertfordshire.
“Emma is a natural, compassionate and caring leader. She is extremely experienced at bringing together people with varied opinions to work together to achieve compromise in incredibly difficult negotiating situations. She is careful to listen to all people’s views before reaching a conclusion. I have no doubt she can lead our union through the challenges ahead, and hopefully maximise our chance of improving and protecting our working conditions. I fully support her candidacy as VP.“
– Rebecca Linnett, PhD student, University of Leicester
“Emma Battell Lowman is exactly who UCU needs as our next Vice President. She brings joy to every conversation, passion to finding solutions, a fierce intellect and experience to understanding the issues at hand, and a preparedness to listen whilst maintaining core values. She knows precarity first-hand but crucially she engages whole-heartedly with all voices with experience beyond her own, to bring others to the fore. She would be an incredible Vice President, and I joyfully endorse her candidacy.“
– Dr Lisa Rüll, University of Nottingham
“I am endorsing Emma Battell Lowman for VP (HE) because I have seen for myself her commitment to a united, powerful and truly member-led union. On NEC and HEC Emma has consistently made an effort to ensure the Committees worked with what the union could deliver, holding the union to account while working to ensure unity between its branches rather than division. I once contacted HEC to deliver the results of a motion my branch passed. Emma was the only member to respond. This speaks volumes about her commitment of engagement with branches as well as the energy she would put in to the position of VP and her leadership of UCU. From the highest levels of the union leadership to its grassroots, Emma has put members’ needs and views at the heart of her work. As VP (HE) Emma will lead our union to deliver real change that makes a real difference.“
– Dr Emma Kennedy, Senior Lecturer in HE Learning and Teaching at the University of Greenwich, NEC member and Greenwich Branch Communications Officer.
“Emma Battell Lowman is exactly what we need in our next Vice President. She makes me feel like we can do anything – her enthusiasm and joy are absolutely infectious. Emma has lived experience of precarity, job insecurity and the hostile environment – wholly unnecessary cruelties which our union is rightly pushing back against. She is an exceptional academic and union organiser. Emma is a gifted public speaker, mediator and works with critical compassion. Now more than ever we need Emma as our next Vice President – I could not endorse her more strongly.“
– Dr Jo Edge, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh
“I have seen this woman in action and she’s got what we need to represent us at this level. She’s able to think on her feet, she knows when to listen to members and when to take charge of the room away from bosses. She’s the creative and inspiring person we need at the front.”
– Dr Chris Williams, Senior Lecturer, Open University
“Emma is one of the strongest communicators I’ve met, and will make our case to employers and the public with unique force and poise. She can speak both from lived experience of the precarity in our sector and professional expertise in the global struggle against exploitation.”
– Dr Ben Pope, Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow, University of Manchester
“I simply cannot think of a better person for this role than Emma. I have seen up close how she can bring people together, handle difficult situations and advocate effectively for a better workplace and a better world. Her commitment to ‘critical joy’ is inspiring, and exactly what our union needs to build our power and win our fights!“
– Robin Clarke, University of the Arts London
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Emma4VP | About Emma | Election Statement | Media | Endorsements | Contact Emma
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