Govind Tekale
Two universities are joining forces to create what’s being called the UK’s first “super-university.” The Universities of Kent and Greenwich plan to merge under a new name – the London and South East University Group – starting in autumn 2026.
The merger comes as many UK universities face money troubles. More than 40% of English universities are currently running at a loss, according to recent figures. The new university will span from London (Greenwich/Avery Hill) to Canterbury, with campuses also in Medway — about 24–28 miles from London to Medway and roughly 30 miles from Medway to Canterbury. With nearly 50,000 students, it will become one of the UK’s largest higher education institutions and the biggest in southern England.
Professor Jane Harrington, currently leading Greenwich, will become the first vice-chancellor of the combined university. She explained that students won’t see immediate changes.
“Students can absolutely categorically complete any course they are already enrolled on,” Harrington told the BBC. This includes those starting university this autumn.
Students will continue to apply to either Kent or Greenwich separately, and degrees will still carry the name of the university they chose. The universities will keep their individual names and campus locations while sharing a single governing body.
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Both universities already share facilities at their Medway campus, where they’ve worked together for 20 years. The merger will expand this collaboration across all their sites, including Greenwich’s London campus and Kent’s Canterbury location.
Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, acting leader of Kent University, described the plan as a “trailblazing model” that would help both institutions remain financially stable while expanding research opportunities.
The Office for Students (OfS), which regulates universities in England, has welcomed the announcement. Edward Peck, chairman of the OfS, said: “This initiative demonstrates that higher education providers are continuing to take significant steps to address in a practical manner the challenges that they face.” The merger has also received support from the Department for Education, which said it “welcomes innovative approaches such as this one.”
However, not everyone sees the move positively. The University and College Union (UCU) has expressed concerns about potential job losses. Jo Grady, UCU’s general secretary, described the merger as “a takeover by Greenwich” as Kent was on “the brink of insolvency.”
“This isn’t offering stability to students, to staff or to the sector,” Grady added. While the universities claim there are no immediate plans for job cuts, both have already made recent reductions. Greenwich cut 15 full-time positions earlier this year, while Kent has begun eliminating some courses to reduce costs after reporting another year of financial losses.
The announcement follows a period of increasing financial pressure on UK universities. Tuition fees have risen slightly to £9,535 this year, but their real value has fallen due to inflation since fees were raised to £9,000 thirteen years ago. International student applications, which typically bring in higher fees, dropped 16% last year following visa restrictions.
Vivienne Stern from Universities UK called the merger “a perfect example of creative thinking” in response to financial challenges. “Income has been falling and costs going up,” she noted.
Detailed planning work is expected to be completed by the end of this year, with implementation schedules to follow. If approved, the super-university will officially launch in the 2026-27 academic year.
