The University of Glamorgan and the University of Wales, Newport, have announced plans to merge.
The new university will be of a similar size to Cardiff University.
Governors and senior managers from both universities are to develop a detailed plan that will form the blueprint for the new university – the new name of which will form part of the discussions.
The two institutions say the aim of the merger is to build on its close partnership developed from their work with UHOVI (Universities Heads of the Valleys Institute).
Andrew Wilkinson, Chair of the Board of Governors at the University of Wales Newport, said: “The governors of the University of Wales, Newport welcome this development as both institutions seek to build on their respective strengths to develop a new, entrepreneurial model of higher education across South Wales. Our guiding aim is to build a new institution which will create a step-change in HE provision and will have a far greater impact on the region than the sum of its parts.”
Professor John Andrews, Chair of the University of Glamorgan’s Board of Governors, said “With the major investments both universities have made in recent times to provide the best possible experience for our students, this is a good time for us to further develop the scale and range of our combined higher education offer across South Wales to become an institution that can compete not only in the UK but on a global basis.”