University of Kent is part of London and South East University Group, established on 1st August 2026.
LASE University Group is a company limited by guarantee and a charity, with one unified Board of Governors, one executive team and one Vice-Chancellor.
The Board of Governors is the main decision making body of the University Group. It has the ultimate responsibility for setting and monitoring the strategy of the University Group. The Board of Governors agrees the strategy of the University in conjunction with the executive and monitors its implementation.
See full details of the new LASE University Group governance arrangements.
Current Legal Status
Since the 1st August 2026 merger of the University of Kent and the University of Greenwich, the University of Kent has transferred its business, assets and liabilities to LASE University Group and is now focused on the winding-up and final dissolution of its remaining business affairs, and eventually, the surrender of its Royal Charter.
Accordingly, Kent’s supreme governing body is now the Council for Dissolution.
The University of Kent is a self-governing autonomous institution established by Royal Charter in 1965. The Charter sets out its overall constitution and is supplemented by Statutes and Ordinances that provide more detail as to how the University operates in practice. Kent’s previous governing instruments have been repealed by Order of His Majesty The King in Council, and the following approved revised governing instruments are now in place.
Birds-eye view of Canterbury campus
Magna Charta Universitatum
The University of Kent is a founding signatory of the Magna Charta Universitatum. Signed in 1988, the Charta is a commitment to institutional autonomy for universities, the link between teaching and research, academic freedom and the internationalism of higher learning. The Charta has an associated Observatory that gathers information and forms opinion from signatory institutions to promote fundamental university values.
Charity information
The University of Kent was established by Royal Charter in 1965. It is an exempt charity subject to the provisions of the Charities Act 2011 (HMRC reference number XN5452). The Office for Students is the principal regulator for all higher education institutions (HEIs) in England which are exempt charities.
University of Kent is part of London and South East University Group, established on 1st August 2026.
LASE University Group is a company limited by guarantee and a charity, with one unified Board of Governors, one executive team and one Vice-Chancellor.
The Board of Governors is the main decision making body of the University Group. It has the ultimate responsibility for setting and monitoring the strategy of the University Group. The Board of Governors agrees the strategy of the University in conjunction with the executive and monitors its implementation.
See full details of the new LASE University Group governance arrangements.
All HEIs with exempt charity status are required to publish the following information on their websites:
- The legal name and the correspondence address of the institution (see below);
- The main constitutional documents in force currently;
The University of Kent is an exempt charity in accordance with Schedule 3 of the Charities Act 2011. The Order in Council came into operation on 1 October 1965.
The University of Kent's legal name and correspondence address is:
The University of Kent
The Registry
Canterbury
Kent
CT2 7NZ
United Kingdom
London and South East University Group is a charity and company limited by guarantee, registered in England. Registered No: 986729
The Group's legal name and correspondence address is:
London and South East University Group
Old Royal Naval College
Park Row
London
SE10 9LS
Queries about the above should be sent to the Group University Secretary, Peter Garrod at the above address.
Contact us
To contact us about any Governance matters please email councilsec@kent.ac.uk