Cranfield University signs agreement with London's King's College in first step towards proposed merger
Cranfield University has signed an agreement with King’s College, London, in what the institution has described as ‘the first step towards a proposed merger.’
Cranfield University claims that the proposed merger will ‘create a UK university especially equipped for the changing world’.
The university has confirmed that nothing will change for students joining Cranfield in the autumn of 2026. However, it would no longer be an independent university once any merger is completed.
It confirmed that Cranfield’s ‘globally recognised name and brand’ would be safeguarded by the merger, and that its campus on College Road would remain ‘open and active’ in its current location.
Cranfield University will also continue to operate from its other sites, which include MK:U in Milton Keynes.
Once completed, the merger is expected to strengthen each institution to support national capability and resilience across the fields of engineering and technology, environment and resources, energy, economy, industry and leadership, society and policy and security and defence.
The universities have pledged that together they will deliver a globally leading engineering and technology capability, a distinctive contribution to national resilience, security and defence, leading business and management education provision and a combined force at the forefront of environmental science and policy.
Chief executive and vice-chancellor at Cranfield University Professor Dame Karen Holford said: “This merger is an exciting proposition for Cranfield, aligning our deep specialisms in engineering, technology, and management within King’s College, London.
“It is an intentional step, which brings Cranfield University’s outstanding applied research, nationally important facilities, sovereign capability, and long-standing industry links to King’s, creating enormous potential and continuing our mission to tackle real-world issues.
“In merging, we build on the strengths of Cranfield and King’s to embed our shared ethos of truly working in the service of society.
“Together we will create a global university that is not only committed to excellence, but delivers it with purpose, drive, and scale”.
Cranfield University says that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding is the first stage to merging the two universities.
The next stages are formal due diligence, the development of detailed academic and business plans, and the drafting of a legally binding merger agreement, which it is hoped will be signed in November of this year.
Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance added: “The combination of Cranfield and King’s creates an extraordinarily powerful university.
“It holds huge potential for the Oxford-Cambridge growth corridor and for wider UK research capability and training, bringing together two world-class institutions and giving King’s a place at the heart of one of our most important regions for science and technology.
“It will create a driver of innovation and growth, capitalise on the complementary strengths and specialisms of both institutions and increase access, capacity and resilience across teaching and research.”