The universities of Kent and Greenwich secured formal approval and exchanged contracts to merge into the UK’s first consolidated university group, a legal entity set to operate from 1 August. Under the arrangement both institutions will retain their teaching brands but will employ staff centrally and be governed by a single board and management team led initially by Greenwich vice‑chancellor Jane Harrington. Officials said the structure aims to pool resources, increase resilience amid falling international student numbers and financial strain, and could serve as a blueprint for other cash‑stretched institutions. The partners have engaged in detailed legal and financial due diligence and are working with the Office for Students and the Department for Education to complete integration plans. University leaders framed the merger as a regional strategy to strengthen capacity across London and the South East while promising further consultation on structural changes over the coming years.