University of Aberdeen’s Principal Pete Edwards has spent over £35,500 of university money since he was appointed as principal in November last year.
His expenses include stays at 5-star hotels in Hong Kong, China, Mumbai, and Qatar, as well as business class flights worth up to £5,000.
This comes after the university announced that they are going to cut 111 full-time equivalent jobs in order to plug a £12 million deficit.
Staff members told The Gaudie: “The level of principals’ pay and expenses continues to be shocking for staff working in universities.”
His predecessor, George Boyne, spent £57,000 in expenses over a 2 year period.
Edwards was appointed to his role in November 2025, with a reported salary of between £255,000 and £260,000.
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A University of Aberdeen spokesperson said: “The University of Aberdeen is a global institution and travel is an essential part of supporting our education, research, student recruitment and international partnership activities.
“The Principal’s expenses arise from representing the University at academic, national and international engagements, including ceremonies and meetings with senior leaders from partner organisations and other universities.”
What did Edwards spend his money on?
Principal Edwards has gone on 13 university funded trips so far as Principal. His destinations include China, New York, India, Qatar, and London.
Two return business class flights to Hong Kong and one to Mumbai set the university back over £13,000. In total, he has spent over £25,000 on flights.
The stated reasons for the trip include visits to the Aberdeen University Mumbai campus, Alumni events, and a £2,600 flight to attend the New York Tartan Day parade.
On a trip to China, the university spent £1,500 for a 3 day stay in the Westin Blue resort and Spa, a 5-star hotel and spa with hot tubs in the bedrooms.
He also stayed in 5-star hotels in Hong Kong, Mumbai, and Qatar with hotels alone adding up to £5,700 over the 10 month period after his appointment.
In the same time period, he spent almost £2,500 on taxis, with £450 spent on taxis in March alone. This included multiple £50 taxis from his house to Aberdeen Airport or from his office to his house.
Only 9 months into his post, he spent £40 of the university’s money on a taxi from a dinner at Cafe Andaluz to his house.
He also spent over £250 in train tickets, £30 in oyster card payments, and £4.90 on a “snack for return train journey” in August.
The entirety of his expenses since November can be viewed below:
September_Additional_Redacted Subsistence_Gifts_Misc_Taxi Train_Hotel_Flights – CTM Bookings (1)
Who is Pete Edwards?
After spending 40 years at the university, Edwards got appointed to the role of Principal back in November 2025.
Previously a computer science professor, he was tasked with taking on the university’s funding challenges. He has been overseeing the Adapting for Continued Success program, the universities plan to plug its £12 million funding gap by 2028.
As part of the plan, the university will be cutting 111 full-time equivalent jobs, restructuring the 12 faculties into 4 schools, and implementing student:staff ratios for courses.
Edwards made headlines after refusing to state his pay in an interview with The Gaudie in July. When asked if his pay was between £255,00 and £260,000, he said that it was “publicly available.”
What’s going on at the historic university?
In February, the university announced that it was needing to make £12 million in cuts to achieve its goal of breaking even by 2028.
Since then, the university has announced a number of measures to close the gap.
Members of the university staff have hit out against the university, with one uni lecturer saying there is a “mental health crisis” amongst staff at the university.
Staff have gone on strike for 12 days so far this year.
Aberdeen’s UCU branch has now announced that they will be balloting for more strikes this academic year.
