Edinburgh University forced to admit no foreign dignitaries have attended the principal's home amid anger over £43,000 upkeep bill

It previously claimed the Regent Terrace mansion was used to entertain ‘international guests and dignitaries’

Edinburgh University’s justification for splashing out tens of thousands of pounds on the home of its principal has been called into question after it emerged that no foreign dignitaries have attended receptions at the property in recent years.

The ancient institution was criticised in October after a freedom of information (FOI) request by The Scotsman revealed the costs of maintaining Sir Peter Mathieson’s mansion on the city’s plush Regent Terrace had more than doubled in the last year.

As well as paying for cleaning, gardening, energy and council tax for the home, the £43,966 bill for 2022/23 included £1,089 on landscaping for Eucalyptus tree works.

Professor Peter Mathieson, the principal and vice-chancellor of the University of Edinburgh

The university has repeatedly said that one of the reasons it pays these costs is because the residence is used for official events to “welcome international guests and dignitaries”, which “strengthens the university’s global reputation and increases our partnerships and potential funding streams”.

However, in response to a new FOI request, the university has now confirmed that “there have been no dignitaries who have attended any of the events” at the property since Sir Peter was appointed in February 2018, based on a definition of a dignitary being someone who holds a high rank or office in a foreign country.

The response also shows that fewer events have been held at the property in the last couple of years, following the removal of Covid-19 restrictions.

There were 31 receptions between February 2018 and March 2020, but just 16 between April 2022 and November 2023, only four of which were this year.

Regent Terrace, Edinburgh. Image: Lisa Ferguson

The new FOI request was submitted by Dr Jonny Dennis, a postdoctoral research associate at the university and an officer at the UCU trade union’s Edinburgh branch.

He said: “As a keen observer of university affairs, it has been increasingly clear that the situation surrounding the principal’s accommodation raises significant concerns about fiscal responsibility and transparency.

"Recent FOI requests have revealed that not only does the principal live in one of Scotland’s most exclusive addresses at no personal cost, but the university foots the bill for running expenses that exceed the average salary of a university researcher.”

He added: “The university’s claim that the residence is regularly used for hosting foreign dignitaries is categorically untrue according to the university’s own data.

"Under Mathieson’s tenure, the mansion has seen a decline in the number of events hosted in general, most recently averaging just four per year.

"These events, often just catered lunches and parties for senior management, hardly justify the substantial upkeep of such a property.”

Sophia Woodman, co-president of the UCU trade union’s Edinburgh University branch, said the university’s justification for the spending was “questionable”.

She said: "As a union we are concerned in general about the ever expanding gap between very high paid managers in universities, including our own, and the majority of the staff and the majority of our members.

"That is a matter of concern and we see no justification for anybody to be paid as much as the principal is, and it’s particularly galling then to see that, without any really clear reason, he’s also having his bills paid for him when he earns that much money.”

An investigation by The Scotsman previously revealed how pay levels among Scotland’s university principals had soared last year, after many agreed salary cuts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sir Peter was given an increase last year of £43,000, making his total package worth £406,000. The rise took him back to about his previous level of pay in 2022, after he agreed a 20 per cent cut for six months of the previous year.

In the 2022/23 financial year, he accepted the 3 per cent increase that was applied to all staff.

The principal is the only member of staff who has accommodation provided by the Edinburgh University. It said this was common practice among higher education institutions.

The property, built between 1826 and 1833, was designed by William Henry Playfair and is Category A listed due to its special architectural and historic interest. It was donated to the university in 2015.

The total upkeep bill in 2022/23 was £43,966, an increase from £17,910 in 2021/22 and £11,494 in 2020/21. Cleaning, gardening and electricity costs all more than doubled in the last year.

Concerns about the spending emerged this year after Edinburgh University’s response to a national marking and assessment boycott, carried out by the UCU trade union amid a dispute over pay, was criticised by staff and students.

Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) recently voted to pass a motion calling for Sir Peter to resign.

An Edinburgh University spokesperson said: “In common with most other universities, accommodation for the University of Edinburgh’s principal and their immediate family is provided as part of the role.

“The principal's current residence was a gift donated to the university in 2015. In agreement with the donor, funding released from the sale of the previous residence was allocated to create an endowment for access bursaries for students.

"The principal’s residence is not used solely as a family home but also frequently as a venue for hosting formal university events, and as such, the institution covers fuel costs and costs for maintaining the building.

"The residence is used for official events to welcome dignitaries, international guests, and important university stakeholders, which strengthens the university’s reputation and increases our partnerships and potential funding streams.

“The university is proud to be the custodian of many historic buildings, including the principal’s residence, which was first built in the 1800s.

"To maintain the conservation of these buildings, we regularly review our estate and work closely with different contractors to ensure they are in good condition.”