Seven days of strikes involving tens of thousands of university support staff in February and early March have been called off.
Five unions, including Unison and the University and College Union (UCU), issued a joint statement on Friday with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA), which represents 144 higher education employers.
Strikes set to begin in the weeks commencing February 20 and February 27 will be called off, Unison, Unite and the UCU said, in recognition of progress made in talks with the UCEA.
The EIS and GMB have no plans for strikes before February 27.
Both sides have agreed to further time-limited talks to discuss other concerns, including zero-hours contracts.
Unions said there has been an agreement from the employers to give more money to the lowest paid in higher education and undertake a review of salary grades of all staff.
Unison's head of education Mike Short said: "Improving the wages of the lowest paid university employees is a crucial step. Cleaners, domestic staff and others at the bottom of the pay scales have been in dire need of help.
"The pay structure in the sector has been unfit for purpose for years, with far too many staff earning just the minimum wage with little chance to progress in their careers.
"The fact that talks are to continue is a positive move. It's vital that progress is made in improving the wages of everyone working in higher education."
Jo Grady, University and College Union (UCU) general secretary, said: "To allow our ongoing negotiations to continue in a constructive environment, we have agreed to pause action across our pay and working conditions and USS pensions disputes for the next two weeks and create a period of calm."
It comes as a result of discussions facilitated by Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
