Students at Goldsmiths University have demanded to have their tuition fees reimbursed for every day lecturers go on strike.

Lecturers from 64 universities across the UK will walk out today (February 22) in a dispute over pensions after talks between them and Universities UK, which represents universities, broke down.

The strike will cover 14 days between February and March this year with lecturers saying the new pension scheme will leave them almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement.

Students at Goldsmiths University have backed their staff and have demanded they receive their tuition fees back for each day they miss in education.

A petition has been launched, gathering 2,500 signatures at time of writing, saying it is “unreasonable” to be expected to continue to pay.

The petition, launched by Lauren Corelli, says: “We pay £9,000 as a year as undergraduates - more as postgraduates.

“If the university and the senior management team can't support its staff, it is unreasonable we should still continue to pay the full amount for an educational experience that won't be provided.

“During this time, students on average will see between 20-40 contact hours lost depending on how timetables are structured, with four weeks of the term being affected. It is unacceptable for this to happen at a crucial time in the academic term.”

A spokesperson for Goldsmiths, University of London said: “We are keen to work with other universities to secure a positive and sustainable outcome for all members of the USS, in the context of considerable uncertainty surrounding the future funding landscape for higher education.

“The challenges facing the USS are complex and can only be addressed by constructive dialogue between all parties which is why the Warden of Goldsmiths has called for the national employer and employee representatives to return to the negotiating table to resolve the dispute fairly and swiftly.

“In the event of strike action we will take all reasonable steps to minimise any disruption to students.”

Sally Hunt, University and Colleges Union general secretary, said: “Unsurprisingly staff are angry and significant disruption on campuses across the UK now looks inevitable.

“We doubt any universities want a prolonged dispute that carries on towards exam season and would urge vice-chancellors to put pressure on Universities UK to get back round the table with us.”

A spokesperson from Universities UK said: “University staff will still have a valuable pension scheme, with employer contributions of 18 per cent of salary, double the private sector average. This makes strike action very disappointing.

“UUK remains at the negotiating table, but so far UCU has refused to engage on how best to address the funding challenges facing USS.”