Up to 1,000 people are expected to march in protest at proposed job losses at the University of Brighton this Saturday.
The University and College Union (UCU) says supporters from across the country are preparing to march through Valley Gardens, starting from The Level at 11am.
A rally will be held in Victoria Gardens at midday.
The UCU is fighting the university’s plans to make more than 100 staff redundant, with 400 academic staff declared at risk of losing their jobs.
It has started balloting its members for industrial action.
Last week, 94% of 1,500 staff responding to an online survey said they had no confidence in the university’s vice chancellor, Debra Humphris.
Chair of Brighton University UCU, Dr Mark Abel, said: “The scale of these jobs cuts means that this is not just a question of 100 people losing their livelihoods and careers, terrible though that is.
“The future of the University of Brighton is at stake. The current leadership seems intent on running it into the ground.
“The university already offers 15% fewer courses and modules than it did 6 years ago. Chemistry, geography and maths have all disappeared. These cuts will accelerate the decline.
“It’s clear that the university wants to wind down humanities and English literature, and nearly all the tourism and events lecturers face redundancy.
“Many of the masters level courses that local people rely on for personal development have been withdrawn. It is hard to imagine what will be left if we continue on the present trajectory.
“The university is not the plaything of the Vice Chancellor and senior management.
“It is a public asset that belongs to the staff who run it, the students who study at it and the community of Brighton, Hove and Sussex.
“We are determined to fight the proposed redundancies and to defend the educational provision offered by the university.”
The union says the university’s proposals also involve ending of almost all of the university’s work with the community.
The university intends to close the Brighton Centre for Contemporary Art at Grand Parade, just three years after it opened.
The union says the university has now also started deducting 100% of the salaries of staff participating in a marking and assessment boycott as part of UCU’s national campaign for fair pay.
On Saturday, Brighton University staff will be joined on the march by UCU members from London, Liverpool and elsewhere, as well as members of the public.
The rally will be addressed by Lloyd Russell-Moyle, MP for Brighton Kemptown.
