About Us

The Eastern Academic Research Consortium, or Arc, brings together three radical, interdisciplinary universities on the eastern seaboard of England: the University of East Anglia, the University of Essex, and the University of Kent.

For fifty years they have been home to socially aware, radical and disruptive research and education, forged in communities built on equality, respect, and intellectual freedom.

Our background

The Eastern Arc universities have a shared history of radicalism and a willingness to engage with diverse cultures and outlooks. Find out more here.

Our future

Eastern Arc is one of ten regional consortia, each with a different focus and set of strengths. What sets us apart is our ambition to deliver real and tangible change through a close collaboration to address pressing issues of sustainable development. Find out more here.

Our members

With 50,000 students and £800m in income, the Eastern Arc universities are a significant force in UK higher education. We can count six Nobel laureates among our former staff and students, and all three of our members are in the top ten universities that balance both world-leading research and inspiring teaching.

But our contribution goes beyond academia, and together we bring in almost £2.4bn of economic benefit to our region. Find out more about our members here.

Our structure

The shared consortium is not intended to duplicate or replace existing structures, but rather to supplement and support them. Nevertheless our governance structure provides robust leadership and oversight of our collaboration. There are five elements to it. Find our more here.