Coventry University has come under fire after it emerged that senior leaders spent around £150,000 on first- and business-class flights while staff face widespread redundancies.
The University and College Union (UCU) revealed the figure following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request covering travel between January and November 2024.
Vice-Chancellor Professor John Latham CBE reportedly spent £7,870 on a single business-class flight with Emirates, while other senior staff, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Wells, took flights costing over £4,000.
Coventry University Group (CUG) defended the spending, stating that less than £30,000 of the total was directly paid by the group, with the remainder funded through grants and contracts with overseas partners. A spokesperson said the trips were necessary to support the university’s growing international student body and strengthen relationships with partners in countries including Egypt, Singapore, Kazakhstan, China, and India.
“When travel is required to support strategic growth, all individuals must adhere to the group’s travel policy, which has clear rules on appropriate class of travel,” the spokesperson added. CUG aims to reach 50,000 students studying at its overseas campuses or hubs and expects to announce additional international sites within the next year.
The union criticised the leadership for high travel costs while delivering nearly £100 million in cuts over a two-year period. Lara Chaplin from Coventry UCU said staff were being made redundant, often rehired on “substantially worse” terms, including reduced annual leave.
“Our student numbers are taking a hit, and we’re spiralling down the league tables,” she said. Chaplin questioned why leaders could not travel economy, arguing: “It’s one rule for them and another for the rest of the university workers. If we are in it together, then we should be in it together.”
