Students in Canterbury have urged Archbishop Rowan Williams to back their peaceful protest as university authorities seek to break up a nonviolent sit-in.

The Student Christian Movement has praised nonviolent student occupations and protests against cuts, ahead of the 9 December vote on Higher Education funding.

Student Christianity is vibrant and growing, says SCM, which has co-hosted a world 'Prayers of Freedom' gathering at Manchester Cathedral.

Students and lecturers are warning that theology and religious studies departments in British universities could be under threat due to cuts in higher education funding. Bangor University will this year accept new theology students for the last time, while staff at Birmingham have warned that they will consider strike action to resist compulsory redundancies.