The London university that will become part of the UK’s first ‘super university’

The UK’s first ever ‘super university’ is coming, and it’s going to be in London. No, it’s not a place where the superheroes of tomorrow will learn how to fly, time travel and read minds, it’s actually two unis merging together to form one massive institution. A bit like Voltron, we suppose.

The universities of Greenwich and Kent have confirmed that they will join together to create Britain’s first two-in-one uni. Once merged, the new organisation called the London and South East University Group will be the UK’s third largest higher education institution. 

First announced in September 2025, the green light for the jumbo university has now been given by the Department for Education and Office for Students. The two educational establishments will merge on August 1 2026, with the University of Greenwich’s current vice-chancellor, Professor Jane Harrington, becoming the vice-chancellor of the merged group. 

Kent and Greenwich universities will still keep their names and operate as distinct entities within the group, with prospective students able to apply to either one separately. All staff will be employed by the group which will have one vice-chancellor, one board of governors and one executive team. 

Professor Harrington said that the universities would ‘continue to provide world-class teaching, grow our research tackling real-world challenges, and ultimately foster a culture where staff, students and communities thrive, collaborate and succeed together’.

She added: ‘For current and future students, they can be reassured that nothing changes for them, apart from the reassurance of the greater resilience and new opportunities that will come from the collective resources of being part of this new multi-university group’. 

The London and South East University Group has said it will be a ‘blueprint for others to follow’ as universities throughout the UK face financial challenges. The Office for Students warned in November that about 45 percent of university could be facing a deficit of cash from the past two years.

Boffins look out: here is every London university ranked best to worst, according to the 2026 Times University Rankings. 

Plus: the best university in London, according to the Guardian.