Brain boxes and clever clogs of the capital city, listen up. Having announced the ambitious plans last year, the University of Greenwich and the University of Kent have now officially completed their merger to become the UK’s first ever ‘super university’.
The official launch of what will henceforth be known as the London and South East University Group (LASE) will take place on September 7. And the rather momentous occasion is set to be marked with ‘a special ceremonial moment’ across the four campuses.
The new university group will unite over 50,000 students in total, making it the third largest uni in the country. The merger comes amid the ongoing economic pressures that British universities are facing. And the entirely new university model has been created in a wat that means other institutions can join the group in the future.
Whilst the LASE group will have a new chancellor, governing body, and senior executive team, the two universities will still operate under their own names. The University of Kent and the University of Greenwich will maintain their distinct academic identities – and students will continue to apply to, study at, and graduate from the specific university of their choosing.
Professor Jane Harrington, CEO of LASE, said: “There has been tireless work over the last year working to an ambitious timetable and developing a new university model that has never been done before.
“It means we are starting with a smooth transition, an extremely strong senior executive team and clear direction so that we can fulfil our potential as the UK’s first super-university.”
