Two University of London member institutions have called a halt to merger talks.

The governing bodies of Royal Holloway, University of London and St George¡¯s, University of London had disclosed details of the discussions, which got under way in summer 2021, last September.

But negotiations have come to a close without a union being agreed. This echoes events of 2008, when the Tooting-based medical school and the Egham-based university announced plans for a merger?but?scrapped the proposal a year later?in the face of funding uncertainties driven by the financial crisis at the end of that decade.?

In a , the two institutions said that merger talks ¡°have come to an end¡±.

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¡°During the autumn, discussions have enabled both universities to identify potential new collaboration opportunities. Work will continue to develop these areas of joint interest, which will complement existing successful partnerships,¡± the institutions said.

Paul Layzell, Royal Holloway¡¯s principal, said while a merger ¡°would have accelerated our ambitions in health¡±, the university¡¯s new department of health ¡°takes us into new exciting new areas¡±.

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¡°I am confident that new collaborations will emerge in the future, adding to the already successful collaborative arrangements that are already in place,¡± Professor Layzell said.

The cancellation of talks represents an abrupt turnaround from an update on negotiations issued by Professor Layzell at the end of November which said that ¡°a merger between Royal Holloway and St George¡¯s would seem to offer the possibility of a strong, dual excellence university, one which would draw from broad disciplinary strengths that will increase visibility, impact and international reach¡±.

A ¡°detailed and rigorous due diligence process¡± was under way at that point, Professor Layzell said.

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com