ABOUT NCUP

ABOUT NCUP

What is the National Conference of University Professors?

We are a charity and learned society of independent academics for discussion and expression of the voice of Professors and other senior academics, and to support younger/emerging academics through their career progression. The NCUP is a non-political charity aiming to promote beneficial developments in the UK university system. The NCUP can arrange dialogues with the professoriate over a range of issues.

Founded in 1989 our membership is broadly distributed geographically and covers all disciplines across the arts, sciences, technology, humanities and social sciences.

NCUP is affiliated with the Australian Association of University Professors, the Canadian Association of University Teachers and the American Association of University Professors and the think tank HEPI (Higher Education Policy Institute).

The Work of the NCUP

The NCUP provides a forum for professors to network, participate in seminars, and lectures and current debates on issues relevant to the working life of a professor today, both nationally and internationally.

The NCUP is associated with and maintains discussion with senior figures in politics and higher education

The NCUP responds to discussion papers on matters relevant to higher education. Responses have covered government white papers, research funding and the place of the UK university system in Europe and the world.

The NCUP issues press releases and sends letters to the press to disseminate the views of the membership on specific issues. Good contacts have been established with the press on higher education matters.

We hold an annual education lecture. Recent titles include “My family and other dyscientics” by Professor Mike Watts (2022) and “A New Vision for Higher Education Post Covid-19: From Policy-Takers to Policy-Makers” by Sir Anthony Seldon (2021).  Reduced fees for these seminars are offered to current and joining members of the NCUP. Occasional travel bursaries are provided for postgraduate and postdoctoral students to support travel to conferences such as our collaboration with dental colleagues in Italy and the annual conference at Brescia. The theme for 2022 was “Back to the Future: Oral and Mental Health Across the Ages.”

The NCUP has commissioned a series of studies of issues of concern to the professoriate including the following which are available at the links below:

You can download our constitution here Constitution (PDF document).

Registered Charity Number 1180796.