UNIVERSITY bosses have “failed staff and students,” education unions charged today as 10 days of nationwide strikes kicked off over “devastating” pensions cuts, poor pay and deteriorating working conditions.

The universities of Leeds and Bradford became the latest to join the University and College Union (UCU) walkouts, which originally began in December when 58 institutions across Britain took industrial action. 

In total, staff at 44 universities began a five-day strike today, with academics on picket lines from Dundee to London also joined by members of support staff union Unison.