Education Secretary Michael Russell has criticised above-inflation pay rises among some university principals.
Institutions are free to set awards without interference but they should not be “out of step” with pay increases for staff, he told MSPs at Holyrood.
He responded to concerns raised by Labour MSP Ken Macintosh following reports that almost half of Scotland’s university principals took increases above inflation. One was as high as 24% but some accepted no rise or just 1%.
The pay rise controversy comes at a time when university and college staff are taking industrial action over a 1% pay offer.
Mr Russell said: “I do not support or endorse what has happened I make that clear.
“If principals, as they do from time to time, ask for my private advice on what they should do, my advice is unequivocal: they should do what ministers in the Scottish Government have done, they should do what has been done right across the public sector they should make sure they show restraint and leadership.
“They certainly should not allow themselves to be awarded pay increases massively out of step of those salary terms and conditions that are being offered to their staff. I can’t be any clearer than that.”
Mr Macintosh said people are “outraged” by large pay increases.
“To hear Mr Russell’s private advice when we’re talking about public funds is not acceptable to this Parliament,” he said.
“This is a public matter. We’re talking about half a billion pounds of public money going to these institutions.”
Labour should table plans to nationalise universities if they want ministerial intervention, Mr Russell suggested.
A Universities Scotland spokeswoman said: “Of course, we expect principals’ salaries to come under intense scrutiny but it’s important to give the figures some context.
“Many principals have taken a below-inflation increase over the last year. In instances where the increase is higher than this, we’re aware of at least one case where an uplift was agreed following many years in which the principal in question refused to take an increase.
“Universities are highly efficient users of public funding and they also receive more than half of their funding from private sources.
“University principals are in charge of multi-million pound enterprises and responsible for many thousands of staff and students and hundreds of stakeholders. It is a complex and demanding job which commands a high salary.”