Kent clinical health practitioners can benefit from a new internship programme at the University aimed at developing their research capability.

Up to eight places are on offer for the internship programme, which is being funded by the Health Education Kent Surrey Sussex (HEKSS)/National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Integrated Clinical Academic Programme 2017-18.

The University’s Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS) will provide the research training and development opportunities to a range of health practitioners under the programme. This will form part of CHSS’s commitment to support and advise health care staff across the region to develop and undertake research projects. HEKSS will award funding to support back-fill cost, tuition fees and reasonable expenses.

“We are delighted to have been awarded this valuable funding! It means CHSS can now provide research training and development opportunities to a range of local health practitioners. The programme will help the University to develop research capability and capacity across the south east region”.
CHSS Research Fellow Dr Ferhana Hashem (Intern Programme Leader)

For more information, visit the website or contact Ferhana at f.hashem@kent.ac.uk

From Monday 17 July, Estates will begin collecting their stock of 140 heaters, to carry out essential annual inspections and safety checks.

If you have any heaters on loan from Estates, please email estateshelpdesk@kent.ac.uk or phone extension 3209, so that collection can be arranged.

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Gary Richardson, Maintenance Stores Supervisor

The University has had a strong student recruitment round this year with fewer places available in Clearing than in 2016. Despite economic and political uncertainties, students are continuing to see the value and benefit of studying at a top-ranked university such as Kent.

For prospective students whose A level results are different to those anticipated, there is a dedicated team on hand to answer enquiries. Help and advice can be accessed online at www.kent.ac.uk/clearing or via the Clearing hotline on +44 (0)1227 768896.

Students who find themselves in Clearing after getting grades below those expected are being advised to stay calm and think of the situation as an opportunity.

Entering Clearing – the process by which students looking for a place can search for degree courses that still have places – need not be too stressful.

Top of the list of do’s and don’ts is that students shouldn’t panic. Clearing represents an excellent opportunity to find a degree place that is appropriate, says Head of Recruitment and Admissions Steven Holdcroft.

Organisation is the key to successfully negotiating the process. Shortlists of courses should be drawn up – but flexibility is also important. Students should keep in mind the subjects they studied at A level but also think about their wider academic interests.

Students who achieve better than expected or predicted grades at A level can enter a process known as Adjustment. This provides an opportunity for students who have not only met the conditions of their firm choice but have exceeded them to reconsider where, and what, to study.

Above all, students finding themselves in either situation should not feel rushed or pressured. They should take time to think carefully about offers and plan a visit to the university they are considering.

Prospective students are welcome to visit the Canterbury or Medway campuses for a self-guided tour.

Last week Denise Everitt, Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer, signed the Trade Union Congress (TUC)’s ‘Dying to Work’ Charter which seeks to offer additional protection to employees who are diagnosed as terminally ill.

The Charter represents the University’s commitment to support employees following their diagnosis in order to avoid added stress and worry. It provides security of work, peace of mind and gives the employee the opportunity to choose the best course of action for themselves and their families, helping them with dignity and without undue financial loss.

By signing the Charter, the University commits to supporting employees who are coming to the end of their life, giving them the freedom to choose whether to remain at work irrespective of their ability to fulfill all requirements of their contractual role.

“Many staff will be aware that the University has a long standing practice of doing its utmost to support colleagues who are terminally ill. We all recognise the vital role that work can play in establishing some normality, security and social support when colleagues and their families have to face the challenges and difficult decisions raised at end of life. The Charter gives us the opportunity to make a clear and public statement so that our commitment is known and unnecessary worries avoided both for those directly affected, and for their colleagues who want to know that University will show both compassion and support for those affected.” Alison Ross-Green, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development.

We have developed a Memorandum of Understanding which outlines how earnings will be protected if working hours are reduced. In addition, the maximum sickness allowance of six months full pay, followed by six months half pay will be available for staff with one year’s service, rather than the usual requirement of five years’.

Each individual and situation is different and therefore the employee’s line manager, Human Resources representative and Occupational Health representative will work with the employee to develop a work plan tailored to them.

All cases will be managed on an individual basis, with respect, dignity and compassion.

Owen Lyne from the University of Kent Branch of UCU said “We welcome wholeheartedly the University of Kent’s signing of the Charter as well as its adoption of a memorandum of understanding. We believe this will provide significant reassurance to members of staff and their families when facing the trauma of a diagnosis of a terminal illness.”

More information can be found on the Human Resources website and on the TUC’s Dying to Work website

Kent Sport staff member Lesley Parker set off on Saturday morning with her husband Andy and good friends Lizzie and Martin, on an epic cycle ride of 1,125K (700 miles) through France. The adventure started in Bishopsbourne and will end in Bagneres de Luchon in the Pyrenees. The idea was hatched one evening in their local pub (the Mermaid) over a pint or two. The group will end their adventure at Billy’s Bar- a local bar in Luchon where people enjoy watching the Tour de France each year.

Lesley has trained hard by cycling to work along with a few gym sessions and a lot of encouragement from her colleagues and friends. She has chosen the Pilgrims Hospice as her charity and just hopes she can keep up with the other three! Kent Sport wishes her luck.

Lesley says of her chosen charity “I have personally seen the excellent care and support that the Canterbury Hospice provides for family members and friends. I recently took part in the annual cycle ride for the hospice which was supported by Kent Sport where I work. The vision for hospice care is that everyone in east Kent should have access to service so they can cope with life-limiting illness with dignity and free from pain. Pilgrims Hospices has been providing end of life care and support for patients and their families across east Kent for more than 30 years. It is for these reasons that I am determined to complete the journey”.

To support Lesley in her epic ride and fundraising efforts for Pilgrims Hospices you can visit her JustGiving page. To find out more about the team and their route visit their Facebook page for updates.

In w/c 21 August 2017 there will be several service disruptions across campus. Please see below for details.

Grounds Maintenance work

Works on the woodland area between the Security and Transport Centre and the Marlowe Building will start on Monday 21st August lasting for three days. Areas which will be affected will be the pathway adjacent to the Marlowe Building, the Jarman Plaza and the Eliot footpath.

Large construction vehicles will be operating in this area throughout the works. Banksmen will be in place to inform the public what work is being carried out, and to help guide other vehicles when they are moving in the area.

Cornwallis South – Annual Emergency Light Testing

On Tuesday 22nd August the annual emergency light test is due to take place in Cornwallis South from 08:30am – 11.30am.

The test will take approximately 3 hours and lighting levels will be reduced for the duration.

Darwin and Tyler Court- Portable Appliance Testing (P.A.T)

From Tuesday the 22nd of August 2017 until approximately Friday the 29th of September 2017, the portable appliance testing for Darwin College and Tyler Court is due to take place.

Please ensure all equipment is available for testing.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and we will endeavour to keep any disruption to a minimum. If there are any queries please call the Estates Helpdesk on ext. 3209.

The Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies is delighted to announce that Graham Landon has completed his PhD, with a project entitled ‘The Speeches in Herodotus and Thucydides: a Comparison’, under the supervision of Dr Csaba La’da.

Graham’s thesis asks why did the two great classical Greek historians use speeches in their narratives? Why did Thucydides, who appears so critical of his predecessor in other respects, follow Herodotus in employing this technique? What common sources may have influenced both authors in their inclusion of speeches? His thesis sets out to answer these critical questions as well as providing an original comparative statistical analysis of the speeches in both works.

Our congratulations to Dr Landon.

For more details of the PhD in Classical & Archaeological Studies, please see the website

Photo source FreeImages.com/Lucretious