Over a million students face disruption as academics from 56 universities signed up to strike over their pay and pension.

On Thursday the University and College Union (UCU) announced that lecturers voted to back strike action in two ballots over pensions and pay and working conditions.

The ballot is valid for six months, meaning that academics could take industrial action at any point between now and next Spring. The union is required by law to give universities two weeks' notice before striking.

UCU has been locked in a battle with Universities UK (UUK), which represents vice-Chancellors, over proposed pension reforms to address a reported deficit and rising benefit costs.

Last spring, lectures and classes were disrupted at more than 60 universities by 14 days of strikes across four weeks.

At the time, the row centred on proposals that would change the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) from a "defined benefit" scheme, which gives workers a guaranteed income in their retirement, to a purely "defined contribution" scheme, in which pensions are subject to fluctuations in the stock market.

The current dispute is over UCU members being forced to make increased contributions to maintain the same level of benefits. Employees are now paying in 9.6 per cent of their salary to the scheme rather than the 8 per cent they paid last year.