The universities of Kent and Greenwich are to merge in an attempt to improve their financial viability against a backdrop of economic turmoil across higher education in the UK.
Under the proposed name of London and South East University Group, the single institution will have one vice-chancellor from the academic year starting in autumn 2026. The two universities combined will have 28,000 first degree undergraduates, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
The universities said the combined institution would provide a stronger financial foundation to overcome the economic challenges facing universities now and in the future.
The Office for Students (OfS), England’s higher education regulator, welcomed the move and suggested that more universities might explore similar options as their income has fallen for the third year in a row.
This is due to falls in numbers of international students after immigration and visa changes as well as the declining real-terms value of the tuition fee paid by UK students, with the result that 40% of English universities are now believed to be in financial deficit.
The Department for Education (DfE) said ministers “welcome innovative approaches such as this one”.
The University and College Union (UCU) general secretary Jo Grady said staff and students at both universities would be “alarmed” by the announcement.
“If today’s announcement is indicative of how the government intends to deal with financial instability in the sector we should all be worried. It instead needs to present us with a clear and coherent strategy for how it will deal with the crisis in higher education,” she added.
The vice-chancellors of both universities told the BBC that the move was not a takeover by either institution, although they added that the new university model would be “resilient and financially viable”.
The new university will operate across the existing campuses, including in Medway, where students from both Greenwich and Kent already share the library and other facilities.
Kent has one other campus, in Canterbury, about 30 miles (48km) from Medway, while Greenwich has two other campuses, one on the banks of the River Thames in Greenwich – itself about 28 miles from Medway – and the other in Avery Hill, south-east London, about 24 miles away.
Many institutions have been trying to repair budget deficits by slashing building and maintenance spending as well as cutting courses and staff, with the sector expected to sell off more than £400m worth of land and property this year.
Prof Georgina Randsley de Moura will remain the interim leader of Kent until the merger, when Prof Jane Harrington, who runs Greenwich, will become the vice-chancellor of the new institution.
Prof Randsley de Moura said the “trailblazing model” would enable the universities within the new group to retain their name, identity and campuses.
Students will be unaffected by the change, with applications continuing as normal to each institution and degrees awarded in the name of Kent or Greenwich.
Harrington said the universities had worked together on the Medway campus for 20 years and now wanted to contribute more to the economy across London and the south-east.
She added that students would “absolutely categorically” be able to complete any course they are already enrolled on, including those starting university this autumn.
The universities said there are no immediate plans for job losses. Harrington said that costs would be saved by reducing senior roles.
In May, Greenwich confirmed it was cutting the equivalent of 15 full-time posts by August. Kent has already started winding down some courses to reduce costs after posting a deficit for another year in 2024.
Across England, job losses at many institutions over the last couple of years have been mounting, with the University and College Union (UCU) estimating the overall number of posts cut at about 5,000.
Mergers were previously rare but have now become more common, with City St George’s created from two separate University of London universities last year, although most others have involved smaller or specialist institutions.
The OfS chair, Edward Peck, said: “The OfS’s financial sustainability analysis has starkly demonstrated the challenges facing the sector. More universities taking steps to ensure their long-term financial future will likely explore the possibility of working more closely with partners, up to and including mergers. While the OfS will consider any regulatory decisions in this case carefully and on their merits, these initial proposals are to be welcomed.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “This collaboration shows how strong partnerships in higher education can help enable delivery of world-class teaching and research while maintaining the best interests of students.
“Through our plan for change we are committed to fixing the foundations of higher education, and we will soon publish our plans for HE reform as part of the post-16 education and skills strategy white paper.”
