University of Edinburgh principal and vice chancellor to take 20 per cent pay cut due to coronavirus

Professor Mathieson earns £342,000 a year as principal and vice chancellor of the university.

Professor Peter Mathieson will take a 20 per cent pay cut due to COVID-19

The principal and vice-chancellor of Edinburgh University, Professor Peter Mathieson, is to take a 20 per cent pay cut due to the impact of coronavirus.

The rest of the senior management team at the University will also take a 10 per cent pay cut as the University looks at the potential for furloughing some staff who are unable to work from home.

Professor Mathieson warned staff in an email that the University faces a “major financial impact” due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Old College, the University of Edinburgh

He said the University faces “large losses of income” from accommodation, catering and conferences and through the cost of providing online learning for students.

In an email to staff, he states the decision to take a pay cut follows the recognition of “new cost pressures” on the University’s cashflow.

He said: “Our University was in a stable financial position coming in to this, and we are working hard to ensure that we will emerge from it in the best position we can.

“However, I do need to emphasise the seriousness of the situation.

“We want to honour our commitment to reward excellence but we also have to recognise the new cost pressures on this year’s and particularly next year’s cashflow.

“In the same vein, I will be taking a pay cut of 20 per cent for six months and all other members of the senior team will take a 10 per cent cut for the same period.

“We will be open in September and delivering high quality education to our students wherever they are at that point. Having the ability to offer high quality online and hybrid learning and teaching will be key.

“Rest assured that because of our strong and internationally-renowned educational offering we will not be reducing the standards for entry.

“We have already successfully demonstrated that we can react rapidly to changing circumstances, so we will need to keep doing this for the foreseeable future.

“We will need the ideas, creativity and commitment of everyone in our University community to see our way through this in the best possible way.”

The principal added that the University will be open in September and be offering courses and degrees to students “wherever they are at that point”.