According to the University World News, many British vice-chancellors are paid as much if not more than the British prime minister. But not, of course, as much as premier-league footballers – or failed bankers. Latest figures collated and audited by accountants Grant Thornton on behalf of Times Higher Education show the average university head earned £193,970 in 2007-08. The annual salary of the average premier-league player was £676,000 in 2007.

By comparison, vice-chancellors here in New Zealand, with their average annual remuneration package of $430,000 in 2007, fare slightly better than the prime minister with his annual salary of $395,000.  However, they are more closely matched with their sporting counterparts.  Wikipedia reports that top All Blacks earned about $500,000 in 2007, with Dan Carter estimated at between $700,000 and $900,000 a year, including endorsements.  And cricketers such as Daniel Vettori, Brendon McCullum, and Ross Taylor got between $300,000 and $400,000 from New Zealand Cricket. Those cricketers who participate in the Indian Premier League earn significantly more.

It has been suggested that while the large pay disparity between vice-chancellors and football stars in Britain means that many universities are in danger of losing talented vice-chancellors to the premier league.  By contrast, here in New Zealand, vice-chancellor salaries have kept up with those of All Blacks and cricket stars, meaning our tertiary-education institutions are less vulnerable to talent poaching. Even CEOs of some of our polytechnics, with salaries of $190,000 to $300,000, should be able to resist the financial lure of going to play for the Super 14.

Now that we know this top level remuneration issue has been addressed, we can focus more fully on the need to have wages and salaries for other staff in the tertiary-education sector, academic and general, that compare fairly with their overseas counterparts.

From Diane Spencer at University World News