The incoming vice-chancellor of a soon-to-be merged university group said there is now a “blueprint” for others to join the newly formed entity, but said she could not rule out job cuts as the institutions join forces.
The universities of Kent and Greenwich have announced their intention to form a “superuniversity”, set to be called London and South East University Group, which will become one of the largest institutions in the UK.?
Although?both institutions have denied that financial troubles were behind the move, Jane Harrington, the current vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich who will become the leader of the new group, said that if the merger were not to go ahead, “almost certainly each institution would have to do restructuring”.
“What I would say if staff are concerned, is that we are likely to look at it, and I suspect there’ll be some restructuring. But my absolute ambition is that we will get ourselves very quickly to a place where we are financially stable and resilient, and that actually enables us to go forward.”
Course sharing between the institutions could be considered “where it makes sense”, potentially in areas where the group is looking to grow into new areas, but Harrington noted that there will be many instances where “it doesn’t make sense”.?
“If you’re doing accounting or finance at Canterbury or you’re doing it at Greenwich, you’re doing it at those local institutions,” she said.
The group could also expand to allow other institutions to join the newly formed entity, Harrington said, adding that they have designed a “blueprint”?which?means “other institutions in time could come into the organisation as well”.
But staff at both institutions have described how the news came as a “shock” that has caused stress among colleagues, and the?University and College Union (UCU) branches from both universities confirmed that they had not been consulted on the merger before the announcement.?
Both universities have made staff cuts in recent years – with?Greenwich announcing plans to cut 300 staff?last year, while Kent has embarked on?successive years of staff cuts and course closures?– sparking fresh fears over what impact the merger might have on jobs.
Ruth Ballardie, co-chair of the University of Greenwich UCU, said that many staff had found out about the news through the media, and that the announcement came “completely out of the blue”.
She said immediate concerns among staff revolved around how the merger could impact job security, pay, and pensions, adding that staff at Greenwich are on the Teachers’ Pension Scheme, while staff at Kent are on the Universities Superannuation Scheme, which has a far lower employer contribution rate.
Despite its job cuts, Ballardie observed that Greenwich posted a??in its most recent financial statement, and questioned what it had to gain from the merger.
“You can’t tell me they’re going to merge and not have redundancies, it would not make logical sense. Why is Greenwich picking up an institution that’s in a much worse financial position?”
Kent UCU committee member and media lecturer Heidi Colthup said the news?was a “shock” to staff and comes during a period of restructuring of its professional services division, as well as?changes to the academic term, which?means?staff have needed to redesign courses to fit the new model.
She said it was “disappointing” that the unions had not been consulted but added that she hopes staff can build better relations with the new management.
The sector’s worsening financial situation has prompted universities to look at new operating models, and the progress of the London and South East University Group will be watched closely across the sector.?
Diana Beech, director of the Finsbury Institute at City St George’s, University of London – another recently merged university – said the move feels “less like a conventional merger and more like a strategic alignment of two institutions united by a shared commitment to enhancing opportunity and prosperity across a common region”.
She said its success will hinge on whether it leads to “a meaningful transformation of both universities’ business models”.?
“A superuniversity spanning London and the south east certainly offers scale and reach, but the real test will be whether it delivers genuine innovation in provision, governance and delivery, and whether students and staff tangibly benefit from the change,” Beech told?THE.?
“If this partnership can move beyond simple structural integration to become a catalyst for new thinking and regional impact, it could set a powerful precedent for place-based collaboration in UK higher education.”
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