Compensation Packages of at Least $1 Million at Five Autonomous Universities

Assoc Prof Tan Kheng Boon Eugene asked the Minister for Education (a) how many staff or faculty at each of the five Autonomous Universities (AUs) have had annual overall compensation packages of at least $1 million in the last five years; and (b) whether there has been an upward drift of salaries of top management in our AUs that is disproportionate to or outstrips similar peer institutions in North America and Europe.

Mr Heng Swee Keat: In the last five years, an average of five staff in each year across all five AUs have had overall compensation packages of over $1 million. This number corresponds to around 0.03% of the 16,000 full-time staff and faculty members employed collectively by the five AUs.

The salaries of top management in foreign universities vary widely, with some far exceeding salary levels of top management here. However, we do not have the details of remuneration packages in other universities and are, therefore, unable to make direct comparisons.