Cambridge University spent £90,000 on travelling expenses for Vice-Chancellor Alison Richard during 2008-9, it was revealed on Friday.

Professor Richard travelled to China, the United States, India, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and Switzerland during the last academic year, at a total cost of £93,636 on accommodation, travel, and other expenses. It is estimated that the trips represent over 86,000 air miles flown.

According to the University, the Vice-Chancellor’s trips were on official business, for the purpose of connecting with alumni, meeting potential partners and benefactors, and raising funds for the University’s 800th Anniversary Campaign.

Notable items in Professor Richard’s travel expenses include a charge of £1,700 for one night accommodation at a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi for herself and three staff members.

The extravagant hotel expenses have raised criticism from Professor Gillian Evans. “The claim she is a very important person and must big herself up is highly dubious and an absolute gift to those hostile to Cambridge for alleged elitism" she said.

Professor Evans added, “On the face of it these are classic ‘fact-finding missions’ of the sort where I believe the National Audit Office has formerly had awkward questions for vice-chancellors elsewhere.”

However, the University has defended the travel expenses, deeming them to be necessary. According to a spokesman, “This is the Vice-Chancellor of one of the greatest universities in the world. She is meeting with world leaders. You would expect her to be staying at premier places, rather than slumming it at a B&B.”

The spokesman also pointed to the global nature of Cambridge, which made foreign travel very important. “It is a truly global University, with students from 135 countries.”

Cambridge students appear to agree. A first-year economist told Varsity, “To be honest, £90,000 doesn’t seem like a lot, considering that she is the Vice-Chancellor.”

She added, “Besides, if you think about how much money she is responsible for raising for the University, it is actually a really good return on investment.”

As of last month, fundraising for the University’s 800th Anniversary Campaign had brought in nearly £940 million. The Campaign is on track to exceed £1 billion by 2012.

Professor Richard’s seven-year term as Vice-Chancellor ends in October. Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz has been nominated to step into the top spot starting October 1st 2010.