Bradford University today pledged to fight two claims of discrimination by a lecturer who has pursued 16 separate actions over failed job applications and sackings.

Suresh Deman, of Eltham, south east London, will appear at a tribunal in Leeds next month in the latest round of his cases against the university, which he accuses of race discrimination and victimisation.

He has just settled a long-running case against the University of Greenwich, which was ordered to pay out £46,000 after he made 70 complaints of race discrimination and victimisation.

His first claim was made in 1988 against the University of Pittsburgh which settled in 1996 for £28,300.

And he is currently fighting another 12 separate cases - including claims against the Commission for Racial Equality which he accuses of racism.

Finance lecturer Mr Deman, 49, who studied for a PhD at Bradford University, admitted he was pursuing a string of similar actions against universities across the country but insisted he was fighting "institutional racism".

The cases against Bradford Unive-sity relate to two job applications he made for positions in its economics and management schools.

He claims he was racially discriminated against when he applied for the first job, and that he was then turned down for the second job because he had begun legal action over the first one.

Mr Deman, a US citizen of Indian origin, lost his case over the first application, but has now begun an appeal which is to be heard in January.

A Bradford University spokesman said it would continue to fight the accusations.

"The university strenuously denies the claims made by Mr Deman against it," he said.

"An employment tribunal case involving the university and Mr Deman has been adjourned until February. The university feels it would therefore be inappropriate to discuss the matter until these proceedings have been concluded."

Today Mr Deman said he was repeatedly being rejected for jobs because of the claims he had made in the past and was trying to defend himself.

"They are trying to portray me as a troublemaker," he said.

A spokesman for the University of Greenwich said it was considering an appeal against the award by the Ashford employment tribunal in October. He said only two of Mr Deman's complaints had been upheld.