Category Archives: School News

Meet Our PSAC Open Days Team

We are looking forward to welcoming potential applicants to our Paris School of Arts and Culture during our upcoming Postgraduate Open Days 2021. The event will be held virtually on Wednesday 24 February, 16:00-19:00 (GMT).  It’s an excellent opportunity to converse with members of our faculty, staff and current students. Meet those who will be in attendance below. They will be happy to answer questions regarding our Paris Master’s programmes in Film, Creative Writing and the History and Philosophy of Art as well as queries on student life and living in Paris.

Dr Frances Guerin

Dr Frances Guerin is a Senior Lecturer and the School Deputy Director of Graduate Studies for our Paris School. She teaches modules in our Film and History and Philosophy of Art programmes. She completed her PhD in Cinema Studies at NYU in 2000, following an MA in Art History at University of Melbourne, and a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature at University of Adelaide, Australia. Her articles on art and film are published widely in academic and art journals. She is also the author of three published monographs and has two forthcoming publications. Read Dr Guerin’s full bio here.

Yelena Moskovich

Yelena Moskovich

Yelena Moskovich is a Lecturer in our Creative Writing MA Programme. She studied theater at Emerson College, at the Lecoq School of Physical Theatre and Université Paris 8. She is the author of two novels: Virtuoso (Two Dollar Radio, 2020) and The Natashas (Serpent’s Tail, 2016). Her plays and performances have been produced in the US, Canada, France and Sweden. Read her full bio at this link.

Frank – PSAC Admissions & Recruitment Officer

Neda – MA Creative Writing (Paris)

 

Callum – MA Film Studies (Canterbury-Paris)

 

Esme – MA History & Philosophy of Art (Paris)

Have you signed up for our event yet? Register here.

Annual Paris Lecture to Feature Professor Ben Hutchinson – Virtual Event 3 March 2021

We are pleased to announce that our annual Paris Lecture, in conjunction with our Paris Master’s Programmes, will be taking place virtually on Wednesday 3 March at 18.30 (GMT). Our annual Paris event not only celebrates Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture, but also showcases strong and exciting research undertaken by our academics and students at the University of Kent.

Ben Hutchinson, Professor of European Literature at the University of Kent, will present his new book The Midlife Mind: Literature and the Art of Ageing (Reaktion Books, 2020), followed by a panel discussion chaired by Professor Jeremy Carrette (Dean for Europe), with three leading specialists in the field of literary studies: Lucie Campos, Director of the Villa Gillet, Claire Davison, Professor of Modernist Studies at Paris III, and Daniel Medin, Professor of Comparative Literature at the American University of Paris.

The talk and panel discussion will explore the meaning of midlife and ageing through the history of literature. What does it mean, in the famous formulation of Dante, to be in the middle of life’s way? From the ancients to the moderns, from poets to playwrights, writers have long meditated on how we can remain creative as we move through our middle years. There are no better guides, then, to how we have regarded middle age in the past, how we understand it in the present, and how we might make it as rewarding as possible in the future. The talk and discussion will explore these issues alongside questions of the midlife crisis, the menopause, the acceptance of mortality, and the creative potential of ageing. Read more on Professor Hutchison’s book here.

The lecture will begin at 18.30 virtually via Zoom. Please ensure you register so you can receive your link to access the event.

Register now

There will be an opportunity to ask questions after the panel discussion, so please send any questions in advance to events@kent.ac.uk.

We look forward to seeing you on March 3rd.

Spring Term Teaching Update

February 2021 update 

These continue to be difficult and challenging times. France officially came out of lockdown (confinement) in early December 2020. Since that time, a 6 p.m. curfew has been in place across the country. Shops, parks and outdoor spaces and public services are open, but bars, restaurants, cinemas, and museums remain closed until further notice.

In accordance with French government regulations, as of 5 February 2021, the University of Kent Paris School is now able to return to face-to-face teaching in small groups.

Students who wish to take advantage of this opportunity must read our Code of Conduct carefully and adhere to all polices outlined within it. All classes will take place in a socially distanced format at our study centre at Reid Hall.  Please remember in particular:

  • Masks must be worn at all times on the premises
  • Follow social distancing guidelines.
  • Wash your hands regularly.

Those students who do not wish to attend class in-person or are unable to do so, can continue to join their classes remotely.

The University would like to remind all students and staff to look after themselves, keep safe, adhere to the Code of Conduct and support each other.

Please address any questions to paris@kent.ac.uk.

December 2020 Update

Since the decision was made to move all PSAC teaching online, government restrictions have remained in place with regard to the delivery of face-to-face university teaching. Our priority is the safety of staff and students and our support of the government measures to overcome the pandemic. We will continue to review the situation as it evolves.

FRENCH GOVERNMENT UPDATES

On November 28, the French government announced that France would begin the process of “déconfinement”, or gradually stripping back lockdown measures. At this stage, plans are still vague, but the French government has announced that universities are likely to re-open their doors in late January 2021, with in person teaching beginning approximately two weeks after this date. Looking ahead to the Spring Term, which starts on Monday 18 January 2021, we hope to return to face-to-face teaching as soon as we are able to do so, in line with government guidance. 

If government measures allow, we hope to be able to welcome all incoming students to Reid Hall from 20 January, and return to face-to-face teaching (for applicable modules) shortly thereafter. We expect the first week or two of the Spring Term to be delivered 100% online, in accordance with French government guidelines. Some modules will be delivered 100% online over the course of the entire term, whereas others will be delivered in a face-to-face format.  

More information on restrictions currently in place in France can be found here.

WELCOME WEEK: 18-22 January 2021 

Welcome week will begin for all incoming students (students beginning their programmes in January 2021, but also students coming to Paris after spending the Autumn Term at our Canterbury campus) on Monday, 18 January. We highly recommend that all students join us in Paris by this time if possible; however, please note that it is vital to have good internet access to participate in all welcome week sessions.  The vast majority of our sessions will be held virtually, with a few in-person meetings where possible. We will be releasing the welcome week programme shortly.

SPRING TERM DATES

23 December 2020-3 January 2021 (inclusive): Christmas closure. All university offices will remain closed over this period, and re-open virtually on Monday, 4 January 2021. Please note that University staff will answer all messages received during this time after 4 January 2021.  

18 January 2021: Spring Term begins/welcome week for all incoming students. We strongly advise all students to return to Paris before 18 January if they are able. Please check any travel restrictions in place before travelling to France. 

20 January 2021: French Government announces updated Covid guidelines. 

25 January 2021: Spring Term classes begin (Week 14) for all Paris programmes/modules. All classes will begin online. 

5 February 2021: Expected return to face-to-face teaching (with social distancing measures in place) in applicable modules.  

We will continue to monitor government announcements and hope that we will be able to deliver face-to-face teaching as early as possible in line with our Covid-19 Code of Conduct. We will keep all staff and students informed of our plans as soon as the situation becomes clearer in the new year. 

Photo credit: (c) Guillaume Bontemps / Ville de Paris (December 2020)

Welcome Week: Scavenger hunt winners!

During Welcome Week for new postgraduate students in Paris, we hold a scavenger hunt across the Left Bank.

Students follow the trail across the 5th and 6th arrondissements, discovering new sites, taking photos and getting to know each other along the way.

The prize this year: Cheese and Wine tasting!

Documentary screening and discussion for Black History month

Students at the Paris School of Arts and Culture participated in a documentary screening and discussion, an event co-hosted with the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP), in the context of UK Black History Month. The event follows a new cooperation agreement between the two universities based in Paris.

This first joint event between the two Paris-based Universities featured a discussion between the Cameroon film-maker Jean-Marie Teno and African cinema specialist Melissa Thackway, with a showing of Teno’s documentary film ‘Afrique, je te plumerai / Africa, I will fleece you’ (1992), examining colonialism and Cameroon’s War of Independence.

Students at the Paris School of Arts and Culture followed social distancing measures and connected remotely to ULIP for the discussion.

 

Kent and University of London Institute in Paris launch new cooperation agreement

The University of Kent in Paris and the University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) have committed to enhancing the learning experience in Paris for both their student bodies by working more closely together, particularly during these challenging times of Covid-19 and at the end of the Brexit transition period.

Both institutions are the only UK universities to have academic centres in Paris and offer a unique opportunity to UK and international students seeking to gain the intellectual experience of living and studying in the city.

Through their new cooperation agreement, students at both institutions will benefit from greater resource sharing and linked activities between the two universities and their student societies. They will also have access to a wider social network and shared knowledge on the practical approaches to living and studying in Paris.

For the universities, they will deliver joint seminars and lectures, explore the synergies of research engagement across the two institutions, and cooperate on the delivery of quality education during a globally uncertain time.

The first joint event will be a discussion between the Cameroon film-maker Jean-Marie Teno and African cinema specialist Melissa Thackway, with a showing of Teno’s documentary film ‘Afrique, je te plumerai / Africa, I will fleece you’ (1992), examining colonialism and Cameroon’s War of Independence. It will take place on 21 October, as part of Black History Month.

The agreement was signed by Professor Georgina Randsley de Moura, Kent’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic Strategy, Planning and Performance, and Dr Tim Gore, Chief Executive Officer of the University of London Institute in Paris. Together with Professor Jeremy Carrette, Kent’s Dean for Europe, they said:

‘This is an exciting adventure to bring together our UK-based educational experiences in Paris and we are looking forward to the new opportunities it will bring for our respective institutions. We have frequently worked together in a number of ways over the past few years to provide our students with life-changing experiences and opportunities. Through our new agreement we will be able to improve our offer through the sharing of resources, local knowledge and support. It will enhance the student experience and enrich their time in one of the most exciting European cities for art, literature and culture.’

Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture is a specialist postgraduate centre offering advanced, flexible degrees across the arts, including in architecture, history of art, film, drama and literature. Its modules were designed to capitalise on the city’s vast heritage and culture. Established in 2010, the School is based in Columbia Global Center‘s Reid Hall in the district of Montparnasse.

The University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP) traces its history as a centre of Franco-British academic friendship back to the end of the 19th century. It became an Institute of the University of London in 1970. The campus is located in the 7th Arrondissement, home to many of Paris’s most famous cultural landmarks. Its activity in Paris includes an interdisciplinary undergraduate programme in French Studies, International Politics and Cultural Studies; a post graduate community and a lively research and public seminar programme. ULIP has a number of active partnerships in particular with Queen Mary University of London; King’s College London and Goldsmiths University of London.

Prof Jeremy Carrette interviewed by the BBC in Reid Hall

Pandemic and Politics: COVID-19, Global Crisis and the Challenge to Humanity

What has COVID-19 revealed about our political world? Has it changed politics and the world order? Why does a pandemic isolate us and bring us together? And does the world really want change after a vaccine?

Date: Thursday 14th May

Time: 3pm (Brussels/Paris time)

Scholars from the University of Kent’s internationally renown Brussels School of International Studies will discuss the complex political world of COVID-19 responses, the effectiveness of politicians, the hidden politics behind the health management and the potential of new political environments.

Professor Adrian Pabst
Professor of Politics @University of Kent

Dr Amanda Klekowski von Koppenfels
Reader in Migration @University of Kent

Dr Albena Azmanova
Reader in Political and Social Thought @University of Kent

Register your place by clicking on this link!

This is the latest in our webinar series on international issues in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Previous Talk: (Watch it back below)

Title: Whatever Happened to Brexit? Europe After COVID-19

Just a few months ago, Brexit was the dominant issue on the EU’s agenda – things have changed. Does the pandemic threaten the already tight negotiation schedule between the EU and the UK? How does it change the position of both parties? And how about the credibility of the EU, at times when solidarity seems to be questioned?

Next talk:

‘Literature, Life and Lockdown: How the Humanities can help the Species Survive‘, featuring Professor Ben Hutchinson, Professor of European Literature and Academic Director of Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture, Dr Frances Guerin, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Director of Graduate Studies of Paris programmes at Kent’s School of Arts, and Dr Lauren Ware Lecturer in Philosophy at Kent’s School of European Culture and Languages (1 June 2020).

Statement of intent regarding Autumn 2020

The University of Kent is looking forward to welcoming new and returning students in the autumn of 2020. We will, as now, be open for business when the autumn term begins on 21 September 2020

However, we recognise that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to have an impact on how we all live and work. It is likely that we will have to adapt how we deliver our education, and the wider student experience of university life, in response to changes in government requirements.

We realise what an anxious time this is and want to assure you that planning is already underway to prepare the University for the next academic year. If necessary, we will adapt our teaching styles and delivery methods to ensure that the education and experience of students remains of the highest quality possible and occurs in a safe and effective manner – taking into consideration relevant advice and guidelines that are in place at the time. The safety and wellbeing of our students, staff, visitors and surrounding communities will continue to be our highest priority.

We are committed to ensuring that the standards that led to the University being rated as gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework are upheld, whether that teaching is delivered face-to-face, online or in a blended form of the two with appropriate social distancing in place. Our community of teaching, research and professional services staff will ensure that all education continues to be both a stimulating and fulfilling experience for all our students whether they are at Canterbury, Medway, Brussels or Paris.

We know our campuses are an important part of student life and we look forward to welcoming you all on to campus as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime, as we transition back to more usual ways of working, we promise you that, as a member of the University, you will be part of a diverse, dynamic and supportive community and receive an education of the highest possible standard.

This is a repurposed version of a blog post and may differ from the original. View the original blog post.

Applications to scholarship fund open today

Paris Scholarships to the value of £5,000 will be awarded to a limited number of outstanding applicants able to demonstrate a high level of academic achievement, clear intellectual ambition and the potential to make a strong contribution to their chosen MA programme.

Criteria

To be eligible, candidates:

  • Must have received a conditional or unconditional offer of a place on one of the Kent, Paris programmes for the academic year starting in September 2020, whether split-site (Canterbury and Paris) or Paris only.
  • Must start their course in September 2020
  • Intend to study full-time only
  • Can be UK, EU and overseas fee paying students
  • Will be assessed on academic excellence, and will usually hold by July 2020 a first-class Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, or hold by July 2020 an equivalent non-UK qualification or a Master’s degree at merit or distinction in a relevant subject or equivalent

For students whose programmes are quoted in euros, your scholarship will automatically be converted into that currency.

How to apply

Candidates must send a letter of motivation, not exceeding 500 words, stating why they wish to join their chosen Kent, Paris MA programme and how this fits into their longer term plans.

The letter of motivation should be saved with the following file name: “FirstnameSURNAME_application number_letter of motivation”, for example: CatherineWOOD_123456789_letter of motivation.doc.

The letter should be addressed to the Academic Director of Paris programmes and sent by email to paris@kent.ac.uk with the subject line: “Scholarship application Firstname SURNAME application number”, for example: Scholarship application Catherine WOOD 123456789.

The opening date for accepting applications is Wednesday 1 April 2020.

Deadline

Friday 15 May 2020, 23:59 BST

Students participate in seminar on psychogeography

Students enrolled on Paris School module The Verbal and the Visual: Dialogues between Literature, Film, and Art spent Friday afternoon learning about and participating in their own experiment in psychogeography. Under the direction of guest seminar leader and author Professor Vybarr Cregan-Reid, University of Kent students combed the streets of Paris in their bare feet in order to explore their urban environment from an unfamiliar (and sometimes uncomfortable!) perspective. Psychogeography was first made popular as a concept in France in the 1950s, notably by philosopher and artist Guy Debord.