Universities will have to close if lecturers go on strike in protest at Government pay reforms.

Staff have backed proposals for a week-long strike after a ballot conducted by the Association of University Teachers and also agreed to boycott assessments indefinitely.

The union - which is also protesting about student top-up fees - is opposing Government plans to modernise pay structures.

But the final decision on whether to strike was being made by union leaders later today.

AUT researchers claim the reforms would lead to lecturers receiving small annual rises in the future, which will cost them £6,000 in increases over eight years.

It says researchers would lose £17,000 over nine years and senior support staff £47,000 in 21 years. It is also feared the reforms could lead to people with the same jobs earning more in different institutions.

Ben Monks, an AUT union official, said a strike would have a major impact on universities.

Of the 22,433 AUT members who voted, 66.65 per cent voted for strike action and 81.2 per cent voted to boycott assessments.

Mr Monks said: "The reforms would give institutions a lot of flexibility to pay people different market rates for particular subjects.

"Two people doing the same job in the same institution could be paid different amounts and we object to that. It's unequal pay for work of equal value."

If the strike is sanctioned by union executives, AUT members in Wales would strike on Monday, February 23, followed by members in England the following day, all UK members on Wednesday, Scottish members on Thursday and Northern Irish members on Friday.

Mr Monks said: "The strike action will certainly have an impact in Sussex. Universities will be closed down and I hope that will be the case across the UK.

"Institutions in Sussex depend on AUT members to run.

"Institutions are primarily about teaching and research and they will be feeling the pinch."

The National Union of Students confirmed students and lecturers would back a national strike.

NUS president Mandy Telford said: "The unprecedented number of AUT members who have voted so overwhelmingly to reject these damaging proposals is further proof that the Government has not won the war on university funding.

"Lecturers should not be paid because of where they work, but for what they do and students should not be forced to pick and choose their courses based on cost.

"Students have no desire to be taught by underpaid, demotivated lecturers and they support the action taken by the AUT."