A survey has revealed high stress levels at Britain's largest university, sparking union claims that lecturers' health will suffer and educational quality will decline.

The survey, by lecturers' union Natfhe, of staff at Manchester Metropolitan University shows that 97 per cent of the 300 respondents (about a quarter of the teaching staff) were experiencing some stress. About 65 per cent reported an increase in stress.

A third of the respondents felt that the stress they were under was excessive. Major causes were time pressure (65 per cent), work overload (63 per cent), poor communication (55 per cent), low participation in decision-making (49 per cent), lack of control over the pacing of work (49 per cent), low pay (47 per cent) and poor job environment (43 per cent).

Specific complaints at the 28,000-student institution included increased student numbers, excessive class sizes, temporary contracts, constant pressure to expand to fulfil university targets and Government intervention in education. Staff said that stress was causing a number of health problems including back pain, high blood pressure and insomnia.

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Bob Askew, MMU's Natfhe branch negotiating secretary, said: "The combination of overcrowded classrooms and overstretched lecturers makes a fall in standards inevitable and presents a gloomy prospect for students."

Two-fifths of the respondents said that their morale was poor, while more than 80 per cent criticised the university's directorate for its lack of interest in staff opinions.

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An institution spokesman said that its health and safety committee was addressing the issue of workplace stress. He added: "We recognise the difficult national environment and the impact this may have on staff morale. However, the validity of the Natfhe report should be questioned because of the low number of academic staff who responded to the questionnaire."

The Association of University Teachers is about to commission a national stress survey among its members.