University defends principal's £7k Hong Kong trip

Cash-strapped Dundee University has defended a £7,000 trip to Hong Kong by its principal and said it generated more than ten times that amount in revenue.

Prof Iain Gillespie told staff this month that job losses are "inevitable" as the university faces a potential deficit of £30m in the next financial year.

The Courier reported that the Hong Kong trip for Prof Gillespie and another staff member last year cost £7,154 in flights and accommodation.

The university said that its chair of court had previously agreed that Prof Gillespie could travel premier economy or business class for long haul flights.

The newspaper reported that Prof Gillespie travelled business class from Edinburgh to Hong Kong at a cost of £4,723, while his colleague flew on a cheaper fare of £1,067.

Accommodation for the two-night stay cost £682 each.

It was also reported that business class flights for a forthcoming trip to China and Dubai were booked at a cost of more than £8,300 before being cancelled and rebooked with lower cost premium economy flights.

It is understood that last year's Hong Kong trip resulted in more than £75,000 in income and donations to the university.

But one university staff member told BBC Scotland News that they thought the use of business class flights was "irresponsible".

They said: "When we are asked to work with budget cut after budget cut, covering multiple jobs due to the recruitment freeze, it's galling to see the principal living it up on business class flights with his £300k salary."

The university said its activity in China was "a major part" of its global strategy which it said brought in millions of pounds a year through "student recruitment and in-country education and collaboration".

A spokesman said: "The principal is travelling to and from China by premium economy, at a considerably reduced cost rather than what had been indicated, and which must be weighed against the value of our global partnerships and all they bring to Dundee."

He added that it was "not unusual for plans and commitments to change" when planning international travel.

The spokesman said: "That sometimes comes at a relatively small cost as flights and accommodation have to be rearranged, but again must be weighed against the value of the activity and the significant income it helps generate to the university."

In an email to staff earlier this month Prof Gillespie said the university was planning for "a significant deficit" in the wake of "an extremely challenging period" for the UK higher education sector.

And despite a recruitment freeze and reducing operational expenditure, he said it was still looking at a deficit of between £25m and £30m next year.

The university currently employs more than 3,000 people.

Prof Gillespie told staff: "We must take further action now to address our financial stability and long-term future.

"Given the profile of our costs, it is inevitable this will mean a reduction in our staffing levels.

"This will be a very difficult period, certainly for this financial year and next."