Kent is one of 57 higher education institutions where members of the University and College Union (UCU) voted in support of taking strike action, or action short of a strike, over HE sector pay and conditions.

On 5 November, UCU released the dates for the planned strike action, which are:

• Monday 25 November – Friday 29 November (5 consecutive days)
• Monday 2 December – Wednesday 4 December (3 consecutive days)

The Graduate School is working closely with colleagues across the university to mitigate any affects from the current industrial action. Please liaise with Schools and your Directors of Graduate Studies or Postgraduate Administrators in the first instance, unless there is something specific with which the Graduate School can help you. We are exploring ways to make sure any Researcher Development training sessions are rescheduled or occur again at another time to enable your participation.

Graduate School
University of Kent
Cornwallis East, 3rd Floor

T: (0)1227 824089
E: graduateschool@kent.ac.uk 

If you have a query regarding a Global Skills Award or Researcher Development training session, please direct your queries to skills@kent.ac.uk. 

Kent has set up a student website containing information about the industrial action, FAQs and the support available to you should you require it. Please visit the Student Guide.

The Graduate School’s recent surveys for Graduate Teaching Assistants and Hourly Paid Lecturers showed that you value opportunities to meet each other.  Dr Jo Collins (Graduate School), Dr Jennifer Leigh (UELT) and Nicole Brown (SSPSSR) are working on a project funded by the Staff and Educational Development Association to support GTA development and to understand the needs of our international GTAs better.  As part of this we will be running the following sessions which are open to all postgraduates who teach:

• Tools for teaching: Becoming a “teacher”, 13 November 2019, 11-1pm
• Tools for teaching: Engaging students in discussions, 22 January 2020, 12.30-2.30
• Tools for teaching: Questioning techniques, 5 February 2020, 1-3pm
• Tools for teaching: Assessment and providing feedback, 4 March, 10-12pm

To book, or find out more please see http://bloom.kent.ac.uk

These sessions are supported by the Graduate School, UELT, and the Staff and Educational Development Association, who have sponsored this initiative (the project has also been aided by TESSA-funded research carried out by Jo Collins and Nicole Brown (2018-19)).

Please contact j.p.collins@kent.ac.uk if you have any queries.