The Centre for Professional Practice’s programmes offers the opportunity to attain academic recognition for skills and knowledge developed in the workplace.

You will also have the opportunity to focus on a specific area of practice relevant to your work and career progression.

This programme is suitable for a variety of professional settings including the private, public and third sector, for example:

• University Administration
• Health and Social Care
• Education
• Local Government
• Public Services

To find out more,  visit the CPP webpages or email: cppmedway@kent.ac.uk.

Dr Andy Velarde from the Student Services Department will present findings from his research into how universities support international disabled students at a national conference for student services organisations in Manchester this month (July).

Dr Velarde conducted his research alongside project assistant Philippa Moreton, who will also be presenting, and Head of Student Support and Wellbeing Graham Gorvett. The project sought to uncover how British universities manage issues such as funding, equipment and cultural differences for international disabled students, who are not subject to the same structures as UK and EU students in the HE sector. Around 40 British universities participated in the project.

‘I had the realisation that HE is one of the main exportable services that the UK has, and I thought it would be a good idea to look at the standard of service we are providing,’ said Dr Velarde, who is the department’s International and EU Student Adviser.

Dr Velarde and Ms Moreton will present their findings in a workshop at the Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education’s (AMOSSHE) ‘Brave New World’ conference from 16-18 July. It is the second project the pair have worked on following last year’s research into Inclusive Learning Plans, which was published by AMOSSHE in July 2013.

The project was funded by AMOSSHE, and selected from a university sector call for project proposals.

For further information, please contact: Philippa Moreton.

Kent is participating in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index and as part of this, employees at the University are invited to fill in the questionnaire giving feedback directly to Stonewall on your experiences working at Kent.

For the first time this year, the questionnaire is open to heterosexual as well as lesbian, gay and bisexual staff. Further information can be found on the EDI webpages.

Contact: equalityanddiversity@kent.ac.uk

This summer will see the implementation of a new research information system – KRIMSON (Kent Research & Innovation Management System On-line) to support the funding application process. The system will be used by Research Services, and Kent Innovation and Enterprise, as well as academics.

The KRIMSON system will provide an online approval process and will hold information on applications and awards across the University. Eventually, KRIMSON will integrate with the Kent Academic Repository and will also allow academics to produce ‘mini CVs’ – linking projects, publications and awards.

A pilot phase has been successfully running since April 2014 with the School of European Culture & Languages, Kent Law School and Engineering & Digital Arts entering their funding applications into KRIMSON.

The system will go live University-wide from August. Therefore, all new applications for funding from August onwards must be entered into KRIMSON. If you are going to be involved in an application for funding around this time, you will need to attend a training session to get to grips with the system. For more information on training availability and booking instructions, please visit the KRIMSON webpages.

For general enquiries, please email krimson@kent.ac.uk.

Join the PA Network for lunch in Darwin Rose Gardens on Wednesday 23 July from 12-2pm.

Bring your packed lunch with you and meet like-minded PA and administrative colleagues. Free tea and coffee will also be available.

What is the PA Network?

A new professional network for likeminded, skilled and enthusiastic professionals to meet, share good practice and foster new ideas. Opportunities include:

• Career advancement with the opportunity to diversify skills through targeted workshops supported by the Learning and Development Department
• Mentoring and shadowing scheme
• Job secondment, ‘job swap for a day’
• A forum to encourage confidence and empowerment through motivational workshops and training
• Building relationships with colleagues to promote the importance of the role which is pivotal to organisational life
• Career guidance and advice
• Advice for aspiring PAs
• A forum to discuss opportunities and challenges in the role

The Network will meet in a workshop format once a term with a conference at the end of the academic year.

In addition, members can access the PA Network Forum on SharePoint all year round.

Email PANetwork@kent.ac.uk for more information.

Contact: panetwork@kent.ac.uk