Coventry University travel spend under fire as overseas expansion plan draws scrutiny
Union cites about £150,000 in senior leaders’ flights amid redundancies; university says most costs were funded by grants and tied to international growth plans
A freedom of information request submitted by the University and College Union (UCU) shows Coventry University Group leaders spent about £150,000 on flights between January and November 2024, a figure the union says reflects substantial first- and business-class travel by senior staff. The university group contends that less than £30,000 of the spend was paid solely by the group itself, with a significant portion funded through grants and contracts with overseas partners. The figures come as Coventry University Group outlines an international expansion strategy and pursues new overseas campuses amid ongoing financial pressures.
The university group said the travel was part of its drive to expand overseas and to deepen relationships in foreign markets. It noted an increased share of students studying abroad and argued that international growth requires in-person engagement with partners and prospective students. The group has previously signaled that it expects to announce more overseas campuses or hubs in the coming 12 months as part of its growth plan. The university has faced cost-cutting pressures in recent years, including a near-£100 million savings target announced in December 2023 as part of a two-year restructuring.
In the FOI disclosures seen by the BBC, the vice-chancellor, Prof John Latham CBE, spent £7,870 on a single Emirates business-class flight, while other long-haul or premium-class flights exceeding £4,000 were taken by staff such as deputy vice-chancellor Prof Richard Wells and other senior officials. Coventry UCU spokespersons said they want to see responsible leadership from the university and that travel choices should be scrutinised in light of financial pressures on staff.
Coventry University Group said its travel policy sets clear rules on the appropriate class of travel and stressed that travel is necessary to support strategic growth in international markets. The group outlined a strategy to generate growth and income by delivering education abroad, including campuses or regional hubs in Egypt, Singapore, Kazakhstan, China and India. A spokesperson said the aim is to reach 50,000 students studying at sites overseas and that more overseas campuses are expected to be announced in the next 12 months. The spokesperson added that travel undertaken for these purposes is designed to generate a surplus to support UK-based communities and to protect jobs at home, noting that not all international initiatives occur remotely.
Lara Chaplin, a Coventry UCU representative, criticised the university’s financial trajectory amid job cuts and restructuring. She described the institution as being “millions and millions of pounds in deficit” and said staff were facing redundancies while senior leaders traveled. Chaplin questioned why leaders could not travel in economy class, saying, “One rule for them and then another for the rest of the university workers.” She argued that if the university claims to be in it together with staff and students, travel policy should reflect that reality and not send a different message about priorities during a period of cost pressures.
Coventry University Group emphasised that the travel policy applies to all individuals and that travel decisions are made within the framework of a broader growth strategy. The group defended its international ambitions, pointing to a desire to raise the university’s profile, strengthen global partnerships, and attract students from overseas to support the university’s long-term financial resilience. It noted that overseas growth can help sustain community programs and safeguard domestic jobs, even as the institution pursues efficiency improvements and cost containment.
The controversy comes as universities navigate a period of financial constraint and intense competition for international students. While leadership travel can be an essential element of building partnerships and accelerating international projects, unions and staff argue that high-cost travel signals misaligned priorities when domestic staff face redundancies and tighter terms and conditions. Coventry UCU has called for greater transparency and alignment between executive decisions and the financial realities faced by frontline staff, students and local communities. The university group, meanwhile, continues to frame its international expansion as foundational to long-term sustainability, signaling that forthcoming announcements on overseas campuses are likely as part of a broader push to diversify revenue streams and expand its global footprint.
