100% of Lectures Now Filmed at Lincoln University, Union Says

The University of Lincoln has made it mandatory to record all lectures, a shift from the previous academic year when filming was considered best practice but not required.

A spokesperson for the university stated that the change ensures every student has access to the teaching materials and support needed to succeed. The university described the new policy as standard practice and said it allows for exceptions and reasonable adjustments when recording is not appropriate.

Local labor groups have pushed back against the new rules. Bradley Wall, chair of the Lincoln and Districts Trades Council, compared the policy to a big brother state that constantly follows and records workers. He said he did not know of a single person who would be happy with the new policy.

Wall described the process as recording staff so the university can point out when they have done something wrong. He suggested the policy creates a surveillance environment for employees rather than a simple tool for students.

The University and College Union raised additional concerns about how the footage might be used in the future. Branch chair Dr. Katie Hunt said members are worried about their voices, images, and comments being repurposed without consent. She noted that some staff fear their spontaneous remarks could be used to train artificial intelligence models or distorted for later use.

Hunt said the university policy also permits using lecture recordings during investigations into staff misconduct complaints. She argued this turns teaching tools into surveillance tools for workers. She added that some migrant colleagues from more authoritarian regimes are concerned that unguarded comments could attract negative consequences back home.

Dr. Hunt said the previous policy, where staff could opt out of recording, had worked well. She recommended that filming remain voluntary to address safety and privacy concerns. The university said it remains committed to constructive engagement with recognized trade unions as it implements the new policy.