University strike 2018 UK dates: Which universities are striking? And what days are lecturers walking out on?

A number of students have demanded refunds
PA Wire/PA Images
Martin Coulter22 February 2018

Thousands of university lecturers are expected to walkout across the UK today.

The strike action, which could see teaching staff spend up to 14 days on the picket line, comes after a bitter row with employers over pensions.

Negotiations appear to have hit a deadlock and students are demanding refunds on their tuition fees.

Read below to find out everything you need to know about the ongoing strike.

A wave of industrial action is due to begin on Thursday
PA Wire/PA Images

Why are lecturers striking?

Teaching staff at 61 universities across the UK are protesting proposed changes to their pensions.

They claim the plans, put together by their employer, Universities UK (UUK), could see them £10,000 a year worse off.

The UCU (University and College Union) says younger lecturers will be worst affected, with some facing losing up to half their pensions.

Why have the changes been put forward?

UUK says their current pension scheme has a deficit of £6bn which needs plugging.

They argue that, without some changes, pension contributions would have to rise significantly.

They say that even after the changes, the scheme will compare well, with employer contributions double those of the private sector average.

How long will the strike last?

If UUK refuses to come to negotiating table, the strike could last well into March. Initial walkout action will take place on Thursday February 2 and Friday 3.

This will be followed by a three-day strike the following week, a four-day walkout the week after, culminating in a full working week's protest in the week beginning March 12.

What about students?

Tens of thousands of students are expected to be affected by the strikes, with a number of them demanding compensation for the loss in teaching hours.

Petitions have been set up by student unions across the country, demanding refunds on their tuition fees for hours lost in the run-up to their summer exams.

Last week a poll of 1,500 students for Times Higher Education magazine found over half (51.8%) would supporter their lecturer in a walk-out and just under a third (29.3%) would not.

Students at City University recently demanded they be refunded more than £1,000 each to make up for hours missed.

Their petition read: "It is our argument then that those of us having sections of their module removed from the curriculum are not receiving the service we, as consumers, are paying to receive."

Which universities are striking?

Aberdeen, University of

Aberystwyth University

Aston University

Bangor University

Bath, University of

Birkbeck College, University of London

Bristol, University of

Brunel University

Cambridge, University of

Cardiff University

City, University of London

Courtauld Institute of Art

Cranfield University

Dundee, University of

Durham University

East Anglia, University of

Edinburgh, University of

Essex, University of

Exeter, University of

Glasgow, University of

Goldsmiths, University of London

Heriot-Watt University

Hull, University of

Imperial College London

Institute of Education

Keele University

Kent, University of

King's College London

Lancaster, University of

Leeds, University of

Leicester, University of

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Liverpool, University of

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Loughborough University

Manchester, University of

Newcastle University

Nottingham, University of

Open University

Oxford, University of

Queen Mary, University of London

Queen's University Belfast

Reading, University of

Royal Holloway, University of London

Royal Veterinary College, University of London

Salford, University of

Senate House, University of London

Sheffield, University of

SOAS, University of London

Southampton, University of

St Andrews, University of

Stirling, University of

Strathclyde, University of

Surrey, University of

Sussex, University of

University College London

Scottish Association for Marine Science at University of the Highlands and Islands

Ulster University

University of Wales

University of Warwick

University of York

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