Lecturers at four Scottish universities are due to go on strike on Tuesday in separate disputes with employers over job cuts.
The industrial action will affect Aberdeen, Dundee, Heriot-Watt and Strathclyde universities.
Staff with the UCU union at all four institutions will walk out on Tuesday and Wednesday, while some will take further action later in the month.
Union officials say that at each university managers are refusing to rule out compulsory redundancies.
A number of universities across Scotland have faced the prospect of industrial action as leaders seek to cut costs.
Jobs are now under threat
Jo Grady
Jo Grady, UCU general secretary, said: "The jobs crisis in Scotland's universities is a result of a decade of underfunding.
"Poor management decisions, changing immigration rules and fluctuations in international student recruitment have all played their part, but the key contributor to the current crisis is ongoing government underfunding.
"Jobs are now under threat as fixed-term contracts end without renewal and universities threaten hundreds of redundancies."
She continued: "There has never been a time when so many jobs are on the line.
"In turn this is leading to staff being forced to strike and join picket lines to defend their jobs and to oppose cuts.
"The Scottish Government and Universities Scotland review into the sector's sustainability is a welcome acknowledgement that things can't go on as they are, but a review is no comfort to the people losing their jobs right now, or to the students seeing their courses cut."
A spokesman for Dundee University said: "We are committed to doing all we can to ensure there is as little disruption to students as possible from DUCU's strike action.
"We anticipate the majority of classes and student contact time will proceed as normal."
A spokesman for the University of Strathclyde said: "We recognise the importance of job security and are continuing to work with our trade unions while taking steps to minimise disruption to students.
"Like many universities across the UK, we are facing significant financial pressures.
"This means we need to make savings now through a mix of income generation and controlled salary and non‑salary savings.
"This ensures long‑term sustainability and a strong platform to deliver our strategy."
A University of Aberdeen spokesperson said: "The continued challenges and financial pressures testing Scotland and the rest of the UK's higher education sectors mean change is necessary.
"Our adapting for continued success transformation programme will help tackle our deficit and also deliver a more resilient, relevant and sustainable university.
"We understand concerns raised but the prospect of industrial action is disappointing, particularly when our students would be those most affected."
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government recognises the vital role that universities play in Scotland's economy and wider society, which is why we are investing over £1.4 billion in the sector in 2026-27 - a 5% rise.
"However, we also appreciate the pressures currently impacting the sector across the UK due to a range of factors including the impact of inflation and energy prices, UK Government immigration policies hampering international student recruitment and UK Government increases to employer national insurance contributions."
He continued: "While universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own staffing and operational decision-making, we expect them to observe fair work principles.
"Compulsory redundancies should only be considered as a last resort after all other cost-saving measures have been fully explored."