The University of Suffolk's campus and facilities will remain open throughout the biggest ever higher education strikes, university chiefs have said.

On Tuesday the University and College Union (UCU) announced strikes for November 24, 25 and 30. The action will be the biggest ever to hit UK universities and could impact 2.5 million students.

But the University of Suffolk has pledged that its facilities and campus will remain open to students.

A spokesman for the university said: "The university is concerned at UCU’s announcement of the upcoming industrial action which could impact some of our students’ studies. After such a disruptive period for students over recent years due to the pandemic, any degree of further disruption to their learning and student experience is regrettable.

"We hope staff will consider the impact industrial action has on our students and the university will do all it can to ensure students continue to thrive and progress on their courses.

"The dispute is a national one and we urge the negotiating bodies who represent our sector on pay and pensions and UCU to continue to work together to reach agreement and to avoid any further disruption.

"Many of our staff will not be taking part in the industrial action and the university campus and facilities will remain open. Students should plan to attend any scheduled learning sessions unless they are advised otherwise by the university."

The strikes come after UCU members overwhelmingly voted in favour of industrial action last month in two national ballots over pay and working conditions as well as pensions.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “Campuses across the UK are about to experience strike action on a scale never seen before. 70,000 staff will walk out and make clear they refuse to accept falling pay, cuts to pensions and insecure employment.

“This is not a dispute about affordability – it is about choices. Vice-chancellors are choosing to pay themselves hundreds of thousands of pounds whilst forcing our members onto low-paid and insecure contracts that leave some using foodbanks. They choose to hold billions in surpluses whilst slashing staff pensions.

"UCU members do not want to strike but are doing so to save the sector and win dignity at work. This dispute has the mass support of students because they know their learning conditions are our members’ working conditions.

"If university vice-chancellors don’t get serious, our message is simple – this bout of strike action will be just the beginning.”