On 16th-17th May the GRC hosted its second Career Planning Beyond Academia event for third and fourth year PhD students. The event was attended by 31 researchers, from all divisions.

On day one students started by exploring their values, skills and self before considering the job market through discussion with Alumni and undertaking career scanning activities. Day two saw students build on the knowledge and learning of the first day through practical activities which enhanced students’ readiness for getting a job. The activities focused on how to translate your PhD skills, prepare for interview, and protect your mental health and resilience during the post-PhD job hunt.

Both days were facilitated by a mix of internal and external speakers and supported by opportunities for career coaching and CV reviews.

The event received fantastic feedback, including:

“A big thank you for organising this event, an epitome of the support that Kent students can get. I found these two days incredibly useful and provided tools to properly kickstart jobhunting. It was one of those events where you would not let your mind switch because you’ll miss valuable information.”

New online booking system

The Graduate School’s current online booking system (https://bloom.kent.ac.uk) is being replaced by a new system from July/August 2020. 

You will be able to access the current system (bloom) until 31st July 2020. After this date the system will not be accessible and you will be needing to use the new system to book for upcoming workshops and 1:1 sessions.

The new system will be accessible from July and all students will be emailed with the link to the new online system in July 2020.

Postgraduate Researchers

You have been booking onto workshops and completing your Researcher Development Assessment (RDA) on bloom – https://bloom.kent.ac.uk. You will still be able to access bloom in order to download versions of your RDA and workshop certificates until 31^st July 2020. From 1^st August you will not be able to access that system.

If applicable please make sure you access bloom and do the following before 31^st July 2020:

• 1^st year PhD students – complete your RDA and download this if your probation review is due in the next few months
• Download any copies of your RDA (especially those who are due their probation review over the next few months).
• Download any certificates of workshops you have attended via My Profile > My workshop history

Please note these will not be available after 31st July 2020.

Be part of the Graduate School’s  Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition!

Participating in Kent’s University-wide Three Minute Thesis Competition raises your research profile and showcases Kent’s thriving doctoral research.

Developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), the exercise cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition supports your capacity to effectively explain your research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

You will have the chance of representing Kent at the UK’s competition and you could win one of three prizes.

Please note all those who participate in the University Final will be filmed and the winner’s video will be used to represent Kent in the UK semi-final in July, competing against doctoral researchers from other participating universities. If the winner of the University competition is successful in the semi-final stage, they will be in the final on 11th September 2017 at the Vitae Conference.

For more information and to register to participate please visit:

www.kent.ac.uk/graduateschool/news/3MT.html 

For the attention of (FAO):  2nd and 3rd year PhD students

^9th Cumberland Lodge Doctoral Students Conference, 30^th August – 2nd September 2016

The Graduate School is pleased to be able to offer one funded place at the above conference for a second or third year doctoral student.  Please see further details here: www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk/PhD

The conference is open to students of all disciplines at any stage in their doctorate, and is designed to help both those embarking on doctorates and those considering what they will do in the longer term. During the conference, students will:

• explore common concerns
• have opportunities to present their research to those in different disciplines and institutions
• engage with those with doctorates with careers within and outside the academic world.
• receive training in communication and successful application writing

Students will also have the unique experience of staying at Cumberland Lodge, a charitable foundation with over sixty years’ experience of working with students from across the world, and which each year hosts approximately 180 academic visits from universities across Britain.

The Graduate School is offering one funded place, to a second or third year PhD student, in single accommodation which includes all meals and refreshments.  We will also refund reasonable travelling expenses to and from the Lodge i.e. rail or mileage from Kent or the South East.

If you are interested in attending this event please email Carla Doolan, Postgraduate Development Coordinator at skills@kent.ac.uk by 5pm, Friday 27th May, explaining briefly what you would hope to gain from the experience.  Applications will then be considered by the Dean of the Graduate School.

There will be a Research Cafe taking place at the following times, at the Canterbury Campus, in the Graduate School Training Room, Cornwallis East, 3rd floor:

Wednesday 18th May, 10-11am

Tuesday 31st May 10-11:30am

Coffee/tea and biscuits provided.

Each café features one or two 20 minute talks from postgraduate researchers from different disciplines, with a chance to ask questions, debate and network.  If you would like to contribute, or have and idea/theme in mind for an upcoming Research Café session, please contact Hannah Huxley at: hh318@kent.ac.uk.

On Monday 14th March 2016, six postgraduate students gave a short presentation about their culture as part of the Global Skills Award programme. Thank you to the following students who presented and made the evening a great success:

On Monday 7th December 2015, six postgraduate students gave a short presentation about their culture as part of the Global Skills Award programme. Thank you to the following students who presented and made the evening a great success:

For the attention of (FAO):  2nd and 3rd year PhD students

8^th Cumberland Lodge Doctoral Students Conference, 15^th– 18^th August 2015

The Graduate School is pleased to be able to offer one funded place at the above conference for a second or third year doctoral student.  Please see further details here: www.cumberlandlodge.ac.uk/PhD

The conference is open to students of all disciplines at any stage in their doctorate, and is designed to help both those embarking on doctorates and those considering what they will do in the longer term. During the conference, students will:

• explore common concerns
• have opportunities to present their research to those in different disciplines and institutions
• engage with those with doctorates with careers within and outside the academic world.
• receive training in communication and successful application writing

Students will also have the unique experience of staying at Cumberland Lodge, a charitable foundation with over sixty years’ experience of working with students from across the world, and which each year hosts approximately 180 academic visits from universities across Britain.

The Graduate School is offering one funded place, to a second or third year PhD student, in shared accommodation which includes all meals and refreshments.  We will also refund reasonable travelling expenses to and from the Lodge i.e. rail or mileage from Kent or the South East.

If you are interested in attending this event please email Carla Doolan, Postgraduate Development Coordinator at skills@kent.ac.uk by 5pm, Friday 15th May, explaining briefly what you would hope to gain from the experience.  Applications will then be considered by the Dean of the Graduate School.

On Monday 23rd March 2015, seven postgraduate students gave a short presentation about their culture as part of the Global Skills Award programme. Thank you to the following students who presented and made the evening a great success: