University of Sheffield vice-chancellor claims £17,000 in business class travel expenses

University of Sheffield vice-chancellor Koen Lamberts has claimed £17,598 in business class travel expenses this year, The Sheffield Tab can exclusively reveal.

This figure includes £16,778 for long haul flights to three overseas business trips, and £820 on non-standard rail travel to business events between May and July.

The total amount of registered expenses for the vice-chancellor for 2024 is £17,799 – the remaining £200 of which is registered as food and drink for business dinner meetings between January and July.

This comes at a time when the university’s finances are under scrutiny, amid a £50m shortfall and the launch of a voluntary severance scheme to target £23m in staff cuts and help the university aim towards regaining financial surplus by 2026/27.

Expenses figures also reveal the vice-chancellor’s registered expenses have increased by 68 per cent from 2023 – when the figure was £10,458.

This was divided between £8,555 for long haul flights for two overseas business trips, £1,405 in non-standard rail travel to business events, and £496 in food and drinks for business meetings.

In the 2022-23 academic year, Professor Lamberts’ registered expenses were lower again – standing at £9,603.

Koen Lamberts has been president and vice-chancellor of the University of Sheffield since November 2018, having previously held the position at the University of York.

At a meeting of the Sheffield branch of the University and College Union (UCU) earlier this month, 880 university staff members voted in favour of a no confidence motion against the University Executive Board.

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A University of Sheffield spokesperson told The Sheffield Tab there are “a single set of rules for any of its employees (including the Vice-Chancellor) who incur expenses for University business purposes”, and that it is “committed to responsible financial management and these expenses are reviewed regularly and are detailed transparently on our website.”

They added: “It is an important part of the vice-chancellor’s role to represent the University at events and to meet businesses, international partners and donors in the UK and around the world to secure funding and opportunities that benefit our staff, students and research.

“We are committed to ensuring value for money in the way University funds are spent and expenses are detailed transparently on our website.”

Featured image via @steelcitysnaps on X/University of Sheffield