A probe into a controversial £282,000 payment to the former principal of Aberdeen University is expected to take several months to complete.
It is understood the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is not due to reveal the findings of its investigation until December.
The inquiry relates to a payment made to Sir Ian Diamond, who stepped down from the top job at the ancient institution in July last year.
The Press and Journal exclusively revealed last month that the SFC had launched a review into the payment to determine whether it “met the clear governance and value-for-money requirements” set by the Scottish Government body.
The remit of the inquiry is expected to be published within the next two weeks.
It is understood that it relates to the decision to pay Sir Ian a sum of £282,000 for his contractual 12-month notice period.
Sir Ian had announced his plans to retire in August 2017, but he only triggered his notice period in July last year, the same month he officially stepped down from the prestigious post.
It means that his official notice period only ended this month – a year after he retired as principal.
The payment emerged just a few months after the SFC ordered universities to improve transparency on executive pay in the wake of a review into the departure of Robert Gordon University principal Ferdinand von Prondzynski, who received a £237,000 pay-off in August last year.
Esther Roberton who succeeded businessman Martin Gilbert as senior governor at Aberdeen University earlier this year, welcomed the review last month.
“As the new senior governor of the University of Aberdeen I share the Scottish Funding Council’s concerns that best use is made of the public purse,” she said.
“I therefore welcome this review and will ensure that we cooperate fully to determine the facts surrounding the end-of-service arrangements for the former principal.”
Sir Ian, who has not responded to The Press and Journal’s attempts to contact him, was succeeded by Professor George Boyne as principal and vice-chancellor from August 1 last year.
The previous principal produced a report on “efficiency, effectiveness and value for money” for Universities UK in 2011, and currently serves as chairman of the UK Government’s Social Security Advisory Committee, as well as Edinburgh College and global children’s charity Plan International UK.
