The universities of Greenwich and Kent have confirmed they have been given formal approval to merge into the UK’s first “super-university”.

The merged entity will be the third-largest higher education institution in the UK, the universities said, and is consulting on being named the London and South East University Group.

The University of Greenwich’s current vice-chancellor, Prof Jane Harrington, will be the designate vice-chancellor of the merged university group.

The higher education institutions announced plans to merge in September last year, saying the merger would be a “blueprint for others to follow”.

Legal documentation has been formally signed by both universities and approval from the Department for Education and Office for Students has been received, they confirmed on Wednesday.

The merged group will exist from 1 August 2026.

The two universities will still operate as distinct academic divisions within the university group, retaining their current names.

Students will still apply to and graduate from the university they choose, the institutions said.

All staff from both universities will be employed by the university group, which will have one vice-chancellor, one board of governors and one executive team.

It is believed that senior executive positions will be confirmed by April, and will include the University of Kent’s acting vice-chancellor, Prof Georgina Randsley de Moura.

Harrington said that together the universities could “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 merger comes as universities in the UK continue to face financial challenges, with the Office for Students warning in November that about 45% of providers could be facing a deficit for 2024-25.

The University and College Union general secretary, Jo Grady, warned in September the merger was a “result of severe financial pressure”.

The universities said the merged group would provide a strong financial foundation for getting through economic challenges.

The University of Greenwich’s governing body chair, Craig McWilliam, said: “The new multi-university group represents a bold and responsible response to the pressures facing higher education, rooted in strong governance, shared values and a clear civic purpose.”