The universities of Greenwich and Kent are considering plans to merge their Medway campuses and run them jointly.
Greenwich is to stop teaching at its Woolwich campus in 2002, moving students to its campus in the Medway town of Chatham. The move will double its student numbers in the town to more than 3,000.
Kent has established its presence in the area through a partnership with Mid-Kent College. The University of Kent at Medway will have about 1,400 students this autumn.
The campuses are situated close together in the historic dockyard area of Chatham. Mid-Kent College's Horsted site is also nearby.
Greenwich vice-chancellor Rick Trainor said there was a possibility that the campuses could be combined and expanded to be run jointly by the universities.
He said a decision on whether to pursue the scheme would be made in the next six months.
At Kent, deputy vice-chancellor Robert Freedman said the institutions were preparing a memorandum of understanding.
He said: "Both universities have a presence in the area, and we are in very active and harmonious discussions about how to take that presence forward to offer fully complementary and coordinated provision in the Medway towns."
Greenwich and Kent have already agreed to run pharmacy provision together, but Professor Freedman said other joint academic projects were still under discussion.