Vice-chancellor’s salaries need to be justified warns Government after wages revealed
University backs boss who gets paid twice as much as the Prime Minister
THE University of Birmingham’s vice-chancellor was paid £386,000 last year – more than double the salary of Prime Minister Theresa May.
Professor Sir David Eastwood’s wage was the fifth highest in England’s universities in 2017/18, according to figures from the Office for Students (OfS).
And, while it was almost £100,000 less than the wage paid to the topearner at the University of Bath, Sir David’s salary was more than a string of other institutions, including Oxford. It was also substantially more than the £150,000-a-year paid to the Prime Minister.
UK students, meanwhile, have been told tuition fees for the 2019/20 academic year will remain capped at a maximum approved sum of £9,250.
The university defended Sir David’s wage, saying he was recognised as a “highly-successful and experienced leader”.
And it said it was “widely recognised” the university’s performance had improved ‘markedly’ under his leadership.
In 2017, it was reported that more than 160 Birmingham academics protested over Sir David’s salary and benefits. They wrote an open letter saying: “Sir David has received £2.9 1) University of Bath ........................................................................................... £470,000 2) University of Cambridge .............................................................................. £431,000 3) University of Southampton ........................................................................ £423,000 4) London Business School .............................................................................. £422,000 5) University of Birmingham ........................................................................... £386,000 6) Imperial College .............................................................................................. £373,000 7) University College London.......................................................................... £368,000 8) University of Surrey........................................................................................ £364,000 9=) Open University ........................................................................................... £360,000 9=) University of Oxford .................................................................................... £360,000 million in salary from the University of Birmingham since he became vice-chancellor in 2009. This is on top of the highly desirable university-funded residence provided for him on campus, and his universityfunded chauffeur-driven car.”
The Edgbaston-based university contributes more than £3.5 billion to the economy, has more than 34,000 students and 8,000 members of staff.
In 2017/18, it had an annual turnover in excess of £680 million and assets of £1.3 billion.
Sir David Eastwood said: “I am committed to giving generously.
“The value of my giving to the University of Birmingham alone, for example, exceeds £100,000. I also give to numerous other educational, cultural and social causes.”
Altogether, 124 of the 133 universities across England paid their bosses more than the £150,000 the Prime Minister earns.
Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the OfS, said: “It is not for the Office for Students to set a vicechancellor’s pay.
“We understand that running a university is a significant and complex task, and it is right that those who excel in their roles should be well rewarded.
“Despite this, where pay
Universities – and individual vicechancellors – need to be confident that they can justify the pay they receive.
Nicola Dandridge
is out of kilter, or salary increases at the top outstrip pay awards to other staff, vice-chancellors should be prepared to answer tough questions from their staff, student bodies and the public.
“It is good to see signs of pay restraint at some universities, with some vice-chancellors refusing a salary increase.”
She said institutions received significant funding, both in the form of direct grants drawn from public taxation and funding from student loans.
“Universities – and individual vice-chancellors – need to be confident that they can justify the pay that they receive,” said Ms Dandridge. Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “While universities are autonomous institutions, around 45 per cent of English institutions’ income in 2016/17 came through up-front public funding, so they are rightly subject to public scrutiny.
“Of course salaries need to be competitive, but high pay must be justified by high performance on objectives such as widening participation for disadvantaged groups, low dropout rates, growing export earnings and pioneering innovative research.”