Students have vowed to support University of Sussex staff taking part in the first national strike in five years.

The University College Union (UCU) announced yesterday that tutors and lecturers will stage a two-day walk-out in protest at a reduction in pension benefits.

Staff will join colleagues from 62 other universities across the UK in the action.

Yesterday the University of Sussex Student Union said it backed the UCU members.

A spokesman said: “In supporting them we see our biggest hope of saving higher education from the threatened position that it is in now.”

Sussex staff are due to walk out on March 22 and March 24.

Last week two-thirds of UCU members of the University Superannuation Scheme – the university national pension scheme – voted for strike action.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt has asked the Employers Pension Forum for urgent talks to resolve the dispute through mediation service Acas.

A University of Sussex spokeswoman said: “This is a national dispute in relation to the funding of pensions, which are facing tremendous cost pressures.

"The changes to university pension provisions, which have been consulted on nationally, allow existing staff to retain a final salary pension scheme.”