STUDENTS at leading universities including Oxford could have their final-year exams interrupted by a series of strikes.

More than 42,000 staff at 64 institutions are set to walk out tomorrow and Friday in the first of 14 days of strikes that will run until March 16.

Up to a million students will be affected, with half a million teaching hours lost as the dispute over proposed changes pensions continues.

The University and College Union has a mandate to take industrial action up until July 19, which covers the period when exams are being taken by students and marked.

Sally Hunt, general secretary of the UCU, said: “The key now is how universities react to the action this week. We hope they will react responsibly.

“If they don’t we will be meeting on March 2 to consider what wave two of the action will involve and nothing is off the table at this stage.

“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.”

UCU has announced it will stage 14 days of action if there is no resolution, starting with a two-day walkout from tomorrow.