City St George’s joins South London skills and growth collaboration

City St George’s, University of London has joined a new collaboration bringing together South London’s leading universities and further education colleges to support skills, innovation and economic growth across the sub-region.

Billed as the ‘South London Colleges and Universities Partnership’, the arrangement brings together ten institutions through a shared Memorandum of Understanding, creating a more coordinated approach to research, skills provision and employer engagement.

For City St George’s, the initiative strengthens its role in supporting regional growth and expanding opportunities for students, graduates and local communities.

South London has a £38 billion economy, with 1.2 million residents, 55,000 businesses and 550,000 jobs. The collaboration is designed to better connect this scale of opportunity with education and training pathways, helping residents move more easily into high-quality employment while supporting employers to access the expertise they need.

City St George’s will contribute its strengths in education, research and professional engagement, particularly in areas aligned to the partnership’s priority sectors: health and life sciences, digital and creative industries, the visitor economy and green technologies. These sectors reflect both regional demand and areas where the University already has established expertise and partnerships.

A central aim of the collaboration is to strengthen links between further and higher education. By bringing together colleges’ strengths in technical and community-focused learning with universities’ expertise in advanced study and research, the partnership will support clearer progression routes for learners and a more responsive skills system for employers.

In a joint statement, the Vice Chancellors and Presidents, College Principals and Chief Executives of the ten institutions said:

“Our Universities and Colleges are engines of innovation, growth, and learning, creating opportunity right across the region, and both enriching and being enriched by the economic, social and cultural life of South London’s diverse communities.

“Each institution brings its own strengths, and together our global, national and regional networks give us the power to create real impact. By working as one, right alongside our partner South London boroughs, we can amplify that impact for everyone who lives, works, studies and is vested in South London.”

The partnership will work closely with the South London Partnership – a collaboration of the London Boroughs of Croydon, Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames and Sutton – to support delivery of BIG Ambition: South London Growth. This includes aligning activity with wider plans for economic development, skills provision and investment across the sub-region.

It will also build on existing collaboration through BIG South London, which acts as a delivery vehicle for joint activity (BIG stands for business innovation and growth). Since 2021, this work has supported over 1,000 businesses, created more than 1,000 jobs, developed over 150 new products and services, and generated over £40 million in additional economic value.

Kanan Barot, Assistant Vice-President (Civic Planning & Development) at City St George’s, said:

The launch of this network shows what can be achieved when organisations have the will to work together to achieve together, for the good of all.

I am thrilled at the potential this represents for collaboration between further and higher education, to deliver for our communities in South London.

Dr Sionade Robinson, Vice-President (Enterprise, Engagement & Employability) at City St George’s, said:

“Since our merger with St George's we've been excited by the civic engagement opportunities in South London and so this new partnership is a great foundation on which to build.”

Councillor Gareth Roberts, Chair of the South London Partnership, said:

“South London already has outstanding universities and colleges. This agreement brings them together with a clearer focus and a stronger shared voice.

“It means better coordination on skills, closer links with employers and a clearer offer to investors. Most importantly, it helps local people access the training that growing sectors demand – making it easier to turn talent into opportunity.”

Deputy Mayor for Business Howard Dawber added:

“It’s great to see colleges and Universities work hand-in-hand to boost opportunity, investment and growth across South London. This supports our commitment to building a more integrated skills and employment system, as outlined in the Mayor’s Inclusive Talent Strategy, growing our economy while ensuring Londoners can access the career and training pathways they need.”

The ten institutions are: City St George’s, University of London; Croydon College; The Institute of Cancer Research, London; Harrow, Richmond & Uxbridge Colleges; Kingston University; London South Bank University Group; St Mary’s University, Twickenham; South Thames Colleges Group; University of Roehampton; and University of the Arts London.

A formal signing ceremony will take place later this year. In the coming months, the partnership will continue to develop its programme of work, including collaboration on skills priorities, employer engagement and future funding opportunities, with City St George’s helping to shape programmes that support learners, businesses and communities across South London.