The Office for Students (OfS) has published new analysis on the
pay of senior university staff in England. The figures include
details of salary, allowances, or other forms of renumeration for
vice chancellors as well as information on staff paid over
£100,000 a year for the 2019-20 academic year.
This analysis only accounts for the earliest months of the
pandemic. It shows that the average pay for vice
chancellors has plateaued - although there remains significant
variation across the sector. Total remuneration paid to vice
chancellors and other heads of higher education providers fell in
60 providers, while it rose in 93. Pay increases for vice
chancellors are lower, on average, than the 1.8 per cent increase
recommended for university staff during this time. The report
also sets out details of pay ratios between the heads of
providers and staff, as well as explaining details of anomalous
salaries that may have occurred due to staff changes, bonuses or
retirements.
The analysis found that, for the academic year 2019-20, the
percentage of university staff who were paid a basic salary of
£100,000 or more was 1.8 per cent, a rise of 0.1 percentage
points since the previous year.
Commenting on the data, Nicola Dandridge, chief executive at the
OfS, said:
“This new report provides important information about senior
staff pay at universities, and ensures that this information is
made available to students, staff and members of the public.
“These figures demonstrate that – across the sector as a whole –
pay increases for vice chancellors were lower than the increases
recommended for all university staff. But that should not
disguise the fact that some of these salaries, and the
differences in pay between vice chancellors and academic staff,
will appear very high. Those universities should not be surprised
to be asked difficult questions about this.
“Vice chancellors’ pay is set by the universities themselves, not
the OfS. Leading a university is a complex and difficult role
that requires great flexibility, knowledge and experience, and it
is right that those who excel in these roles should be properly
rewarded.
“However, where there are instances of an imbalance in pay at
universities, it is important that this information is freely
available and open to scrutiny. As part of our reporting
requirements, universities and colleges must provide and publish
a justification for the remuneration of the head of their
institution. The OfS will continue to publish this information,
giving everyone with an interest in higher education the
opportunity to see levels of pay at individual institutions, as
well as the trends across the sector as a whole.”
ENDS
Notes
- The Office for Students is the independent regulator for
higher education in England. Our aim is to ensure that every
student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience
of higher education that enriches their lives and careers.
- A copy of the report is attached.
