Welcome to all our new and returning School of Economics, Politics and International Relations (EPIR) students! We thought this would be a fantastic opportunity to introduce you to your EPIR Head of School, Dr Amanda Gosling. Take a look at the interview below and find out more about Amanda and their role at Kent.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey to becoming Head of School?
I became Head of the School of Economics in 2023 and then of the larger combined School of Economics, Politics and International Relations in 2024. This is very late in my career, showing that it is possible to show an old woman new tricks.
What are your top priorities for the school this academic year and why?
I want the school to do all the things we are really good at. To teach exciting and important material, engage our students, and equip them for whatever the future has in store for them. We live in “interesting times” and the research in our school offers context, explanations, and solutions. I want our students to get the benefit of this.
What are you most proud of in your school, and are there any specific achievements?
I can’t and don’t want to rank our achievements. Everything matters, from the undergraduate who suddenly gets what comparative advantage means to the member of staff who publishes an important article. I am just very lucky to have the job I do and to get to see it.
What is the one thing that students might be surprised to learn about you?
When I was very young (14 or so), I joined the Women’s Peace Camp at Greenham Common for a day.
What’s your favourite spot on campus and why?
It has to be the wooded paths near my office in Sibson, especially when the bluebells come out in Spring. There is something calming and restorative about trees.
Is there a student success story that has inspired you in your career as Head of School?
There are loads, but I find it particularly moving when the students that I teach as undergraduates go on to graduate studies, PhDs, and then academic careers. It reminds you of all the potential in the lecture theatre that you are standing in front of.
What one piece of advice would you give students during their time at University to maximise their academic success this year?
Don’t be fixed in your ideas; otherwise you cannot learn.