SUMS Consulting is pleased to invite executive leaders from across its member institutions to an in-person event at 12 Bloomsbury Square, London on Thursday 15 October 2026. We will be exploring a new and different approach to institutional merger: the innovative federated partnership created by the University of Greenwich and University of Kent – the London and South East University Group.
From 1 August 2026 the two universities will share a single governing body, executive team and academic board, whilst each keeps its own name, campuses and identity. The structure is closest to the multi-academy trusts now common in schools, on a significant scale: around 47,000 students and roughly £600 million in income. The Office for Students has supported the move and pointed to the group model as a route other institutions may need to consider as financial pressure builds across the sector.
The event will combine presentations with a roundtable discussion designed to spark debate, encourage open exchange and collective learning across the sector.
Introducing our speakers
Professor Jane Harrington
Prof. Jane Harrington has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the new London & South East University Group, which she will lead.
Professor Jane Harrington joined the University of Greenwich as Vice-Chancellor & CEO in December 2019. She has worked in Higher Education for over 30 years and her specific interests include teaching excellence, widening access into higher education, inclusion and social mobility.
Jane is passionate about making an impact through working in close partnerships across schools and colleges, business, community and the university sectors.
Before joining Greenwich, Jane was Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at the University of the West of England, Bristol (UWE) and previously worked in senior roles within the university’s Faculty of Business and Law.
Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura
Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura is Acting Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Kent, and a Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology with research specialisms in leadership and innovation.
She is committed to widening access into higher education, social mobility and inclusion, and has led major transformation initiatives at Kent.
Most recently, Georgina has been leading the University of Kent’s role in the creation of the London and South East University Group, the UK’s first multi-university group, developed in partnership with the University of Greenwich.
Joel Arber, Chief Executive Officer, SUMS Group
Joel Arber will host the session. He has led organisations across three sectors: commercial consultancy in advertising, higher education as a Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and the charity sector as Chair of FCAT, a ten-school multi-academy trust with a turnover of £45 million. That makes him one of the few people in the room who has run group governance in practice, in the school sector that gives this university model its closest precedent. He joined SUMS in 2019 and has overseen the expansion of SUMS’s work internationally, and supporting major university transformation at scale.
What you will take away:
- a clear view of when a group model is the right answer, and when shared services or other structures serve better
- the governance and leadership decisions that made it work, and the ones the speakers would approach differently
- an honest account of the obstacles, from regulatory approval to staff engagement, and how they were handled
- a peer-level discussion you can draw on before you face the same questions.
The event is free and open to colleagues across SUMS member institutions, and places are limited. Registration takes a minute, and we will confirm your place by email.
Register your place: SUMS Consulting: Shaping the Future of HE – SUMS
Who should attend?
This event is designed for senior executives making decisions about long-term, sustainable and structural change in their institutions:
- Vice-Chancellors considering strategic transformation options
- Chief Operating Officers and Chief Financial Officers managing constrained resources
- Chief Transformation Officers planning and leading strategic change
- Registrars and planning directors driving institutional resilience
- Chairs, Vice Chairs and Committee Chairs of Governing councils, requiring robust evidence for decision-making.
This event, hosted by SUMS Consulting, is just one of the many benefits of our unique membership model. SUMS Membership offers excellent value for money, providing access to our management consultancy services, expert staff, extensive knowledge base, and a wide range of events designed to support learning, professional development, and networking.
We look forward to welcoming executive leaders from our member institutions to this pivotal session in London on Thursday 15 October.
