The new academic year is upon us, and with it comes a new cohort of students.  Everyone in the Graduate School would like to welcome our new Master’s and Doctoral students, we hope you have a smooth induction to the University.  You should all have received information about the range of events organized across the campuses, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

And of course, an equally warm welcome back to our returning students.  We hope you have had a productive, refreshing summer and are looking forward to the opportunities of the coming year.

Keep an eye out for our weekly email bulletins which include lots of useful information about events happening throughout the year.

You can find the Graduate School on the third floor of Cornwallis East, we run training events and offer a range funding opportunities.  Full details of our services are available on our webpage

Over the next two days the University will be hosting an innovative conference on Heritage and Biography, at Canterbury on Friday 9th September and at Medway on Saturday 10th September.

Under the critical recognition that we become who we are by telling stories about our pasts, and living the stories we tell, this two-day interdisciplinary event aims to bring together perspectives on the relationship between heritage and biography from sociology and cultural studies, literary studies, social history, cultural geography and socio-legal studies.

The event has been organised by University of Kent postgraduate students Emma Pleasant, Sophie Rowland and Luke Shoveller (ESRC), supported by Dr David Nettleingham ^[6] (Lecturer in Cultural Sociology, University of Kent) and the Graduate School. The group was awarded funding following an open competition organised by the ESRC South East Doctoral Training Centre (SEDTC).

Keynote speeches will be given by Patrick Wright, Professor of Modern Cultural Studies, King’s College London and Tim Strangleman, Professor of Sociology, University of Kent

The School of Psychology will be hosting a conference on Leadership and Diversity in Keynes College tomorrow.  Fatima Tresh, PhD student, was successful in gaining funding from the SEDTC to hold this event.  Key note speakers include Professor Michelle Ryan from  the University of Exeter, Professor Robin Martin from Manchester Business School and Antonia Sudkaemper, PhD student from the University of Exeter.

The conference will bring together academic researchers, postgraduate researchers and HR professionals for knowledge exchange and research as well as practical advice and collaboration. The aim of the conference is to discuss and highlight current progress and challenges in achieving diversity and addressing potential interventions for success in equality and diversity.

This innovative event is happening today, in the Darwin conference room, from 9am – 6pm.  Participants will engage in a number of interactive activities with an aim of cultivating networking skills, leadership attributes and entrepreneurial expertise.

The day has been organised by Hollie MacKenzie and Conor Heaney, with support from the Postgraduate Experience Awards and Creative Campus