Earlier this month, Keele University announced it was considering the job cuts to save £1.5m from its salary bill.

In a statement, the university blamed the lack of government funding.

It said that while salary costs were rising above the rate of inflation, public funding did not matching the increases.

Lower standards

The statement added: "This year has seen a serious worsening of the financial problem for the whole higher education sector and Keele has not been immune."

But lecturers' representatives say the plans are already affecting their ability to raise funding through grants.

And if the job cuts go ahead, they fear that teaching standards will be lowered.

They have also argued that the move would put the university into a decline and damage the wider local economy.

Lecturers will be lobbying members of the University's ruling council at their meeting on Thursday.