Kent and Greenwich to merge in 2026, creating UK’s first ‘super-university’ amid financial strain

Two universities in the South East of England are to merge in 2026, forming the UK’s first so-called “super-university”. The University of Kent and the University of Greenwich will combine under a new banner, creating an institution with almost 50,000 students and campuses spanning London, Kent and Medway.

The new body will be known as the London and South East University Group, overseen by a single vice-chancellor. Professor Jane Harrington, currently in charge of Greenwich, will take the top role when the merger takes effect in the autumn of 2026. Kent’s interim leader, Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, will remain in post until then.

England’s higher education regulator, the Office for Students, has welcomed the move, describing it as a pragmatic response to the growing financial pressures on universities. Around 40% of English institutions are now estimated to be running deficits.

However, the University and College Union (UCU) has warned of job losses, describing the merger as “almost certainly” leading to redundancies. Jo Grady, the union’s general secretary, accused Greenwich of effectively taking over a struggling Kent, which she said was “on the brink of insolvency”. She argued the government should have intervened earlier: “This isn’t offering stability to students, to staff or to the sector.”

The Department for Education struck a different tone, praising what it called an “innovative approach”. Ministers suggested the merger could provide a blueprint for other universities facing mounting costs and declining student numbers.

While large-scale university mergers are rare in the UK, smaller consolidations have been on the rise. The University of the Highlands and Islands brought together several colleges, and last year City St George’s was created within the University of London. But nothing has yet matched the geographical scope or student population of this latest development.

Under the plans, the combined university will continue to operate across all existing sites. Students from both institutions already share facilities at the Medway campus, where the partnership has been in place for two decades. Kent’s main campus in Canterbury, and Greenwich’s bases at Avery Hill and on the Thames in Greenwich, will also remain open.

Both vice-chancellors insist this is not a takeover, nor a financial rescue. Professor Randsley de Moura called it a “trailblazing model” designed to give both institutions greater resilience. Professor Harrington said the goal was to harness “the best of both universities” and extend their reach across the region.

For current and prospective students, officials say there will be little visible change. Applications will still be made to either Kent or Greenwich, and degrees will be awarded in the names of the individual universities. “Students can complete any course they are already enrolled on, including those starting this autumn,” Harrington said.

Still, staff anxieties remain high. Both universities have made cuts in recent years, with Greenwich confirming 15 job losses this summer and Kent winding down some courses after reporting another deficit. Union leaders fear the merger will accelerate those reductions, even if senior management posts are trimmed to save costs.

Some academics have expressed cautious optimism. Jack Davis, a researcher based in Canterbury, said: “It’s a bit too early to know exactly what it means in terms of restructuring, but I can see the benefits of collaboration. If other institutions have equipment we don’t, maybe it opens up new opportunities.”

For students, however, the bigger worry is value for money. Alex Stanley of the National Union of Students warned that mergers and cuts risk reducing course choice and staff-to-student ratios. “With tuition fees set to rise, students are being asked to pay more for less,” he said.

The launch of the UK’s first super-university may set a precedent for others to follow – but it will also test whether scale alone can provide stability in a sector under mounting strain