The University of Greenwich and and the University of Kent have announced a merger under the proposed name of London and South East University Group, from 2026.
While both institutions will retain their individual identities, much of the professional services and operational cost base will be merged as one institution. This will include retaining just one vice chancellor.
The universities are keen to stress that new and existing students will not be impacted and will be able to study and graduate with the institution they selected.
The move is being reported as the creation of a new ‘super-university’ that stretches all the way from the University of Kent’s campus in Canterbury to central London. Currently both universities share facilities at the Medway campus in Gillingham.
The merger will create a combined capacity of more than 47,000 students, making it one of the UK’s largest institutions, and has been welcomed by both the Office for Students and the Department for Education as an “innovative approach”.
Georgina Randsley de Moura, acting vice chancellor and president at the University of Kent commented: “It’s no secret that the sector’s got significant financial challenges and there’s been a lot of discussion in the sector over the last year about how we need to self-solve for that.
When asked about job losses in a BBC interview, the acting VC said: “The reality is, and it’s the elephant in the room, that all universities have had to restructure. What this does is it gives us a real opportunity to say, what could a bigger structure look line.”
More than 40% of the British higher education sector is believed to be in financial deficit with continued job losses evident across the sector.
Jacqui Jenkins, director of networks and engagement at The PIE, who recently joined from The British Council, reacted to the news saying “It’s been evident over the last few years that competing wasn’t really helping either institution; it makes total sense for these two universities to collaborate.
“As this report suggests, instead of undercutting each other, [the universities] may pool recruitment strengths to attract both domestic and international students under a regional umbrella. Domestically, these two universities have long competed for the so-called commuter student, and internationally, I suspect this newly formed multi-university group could be one of the world’s biggest financial, tech, legal, and cultural hubs.”
Domestically, these two universities have long competed for the so-called commuter student, and internationally, I suspect this newly formed multi-university group could be one of the world’s biggest financial, tech, legal, and cultural hubs
Jacqui Jenkins, The PIE
Earlier this year, a new taskforce was set up to drive efficiency and cost-saving across universities in England through collaborative solutions, including the exploration of mergers and acquisitions. The taskforce on efficiency and transformation in higher education is chaired by Nigel Carrington, an international mergers and acquisitions lawyer, and former vice chancellor at University of the Arts London.
Elsewhere, the UK government has yet to announce plans for higher education reform, but has reiterated the intention to impose a 6% levy on international student income.
The first of its kind, the creation of a multi-university group between the universities of Kent and Greenwich could now be viewed as a template to safeguard against financial risk, whilst leveraging the combined strengths of institutions to create ‘super-university’ structure.
The PIE News will continue to follow this story.
