University students at Penryn’s Tremough campus have staged a ‘sit in’ in the campus bar in protest against cuts to education and the rise in tuition fees.

The students of University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter in Cornwall were taking part in a national day of action against the government.

They gathered in the campus bar the Stannary, bearing placards with slogans such as “Education: not for sale” and “We didn’t cause the recession.”

They are demanding that the senior management of University College Falmouth and the University of Exeter to publicly condemn the cuts to education and the public sector; greater transparency in the running of the university; the university does not take any disciplinary action against any student or person involved with protests at Tremough campus and nationwide; public support from senior management and faculty heads, unions and other occupations to support any further protest action against cuts and tuition fee rises; a meeting with the senior management of the university; and the full support of the FXU student union.

The students have said they will work with unions, other occupations and students to show solidarity, “in order to create a united movement against the cuts.”

They have vowed to “carry on occupations at Tremough campus until our demands are met.”