University staff have continued to deliver high quality education...whilst suffering from cutbacks in funding and declining pay

David Triesman AUT

They will present a 25,000-strong petition to university vice-chancellors in London.

The new figures are produced by the Times Higher Education Supplement.

They show that the highest paid vice-chancellor, the dean of the London Business School, was on a salary of more than �250,000.

Some vice-chancellors' salaries went up by over 20% last year.

The average increase was 6.3%, more than double the 3% imposed on university staff following a pay dispute last year.

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) has joined with six other higher education trade unions and the National Union of Students to fight for a better pay deal.

Leader of the AUT, David Triesman, said the vice chancellors' "fat cat" mentality amounted to hypocrisy of the highest order.

The AUT wants universities to use additional funding announced as part of the comprehensive spending review, by the Secretary of State for Education, David Blunkett, to improve pay levels.

It says the funds could help to end the pay gap between female and male staff, and provide pay levels comparable with other professions.

'Legitimate need'

At Friday's protest, Mr Triesman is expected to say: "University staff have continued to deliver high quality education to an increasing number of students whilst suffering from cutbacks in funding and declining pay.

"Now that David Blunkett has started to provide extra funding to higher education it is time for vice-chancellors to recognise the legitimate need for lecturers to receive a fair pay settlement."

In November last year, David Blunkett announced �330m over three years to help support increases in academic and non-academic pay.