The universities of Kent and Greenwich have merged to form the London and South East University Group (LASE), described as the UK's first “super-university”.
The group has more than 50,000 students across four campuses in south-east London and Kent, making it the UK's third-largest higher education institution.
The two universities legally merged last month but will continue to operate as distinct academic divisions and retain their existing names. Students will apply to either Kent or Greenwich, and degrees will continue to be awarded in the name of their chosen university.
Students will also be able to use libraries and access wellbeing services across campuses in Greenwich, Medway and Canterbury. The group will offer some subjects that were not available when the universities operated separately.
Prof Jane Harrington, LASE's chief executive, said the merger had made the institutions financially stronger and would help them respond to regional skills needs and youth unemployment.
The merger comes as universities across the UK face mounting financial pressures. The Office for Students told MPs that 24 providers were at risk of becoming insolvent and closing in the 12 months from November last year. It also warned that 45% of higher education providers could face a deficit in 2025-26.
Harrington said the challenges included higher running costs, barriers facing high-fee international students and uncertainty over domestic student fee levels.
LASE is preparing a “lessons learned” blueprint for the Department for Education, intended to provide a model for other universities considering a group structure.
In May, King's College London and Cranfield University announced plans to merge in August 2027.
