Monthly Archives: October 2014

Meet Royal Literary Fellow

The Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS) in UELT is very pleased to announce the arrival of Tim Walker, our Royal Literary Fellow, at the Canterbury campus.

We would like to invite you and/or a colleague to come and meet Tim on Monday 13 October, 12.30-2pm, in the UELT seminar room, Canterbury campus.

There will be a buffet provided for lunch so can you please confirm your availability by responding to learning@kent.ac.uk.

About Tim

Tim Walker originally trained as a designer. He was elected a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers in 1992, and his work has won gold at the International Advertising Festival of New York, the London International Advertising Awards, and the UK National Graphic Design Awards. He has also written and sub-edited copy for many of his business clients, and contributed articles on design to Creative Review, PR Week and Design Magazine.

In 2004 Tim left design to pursue a writing career, and he is the author of three children’s novels published by Faber & Faber: Shipley Manor (2007), described as ‘an impressively fluent debut’ by the Times Educational Supplement; The Flying Fizzler (2008) which is, according to Betty Bookmark, ‘filled with exquisite invention and bags of fun’ and; Rise of the Rattler (2009), which the Irish Times described as ‘a sharp and funny fantasy’. Since their publication he has worked as a visiting author in schools, colleges and universities around the UK, whilst embarking on a new series of adventure stories for young readers.

Tim will be based in SLAS in the UELT building on Mondays and Tuesdays where he will be happy to see students on a one to one basis to help them with their academic writing. To make an appointment, please email learning@kent.ac.uk or phone 01227 824016.

For those of you interested in learning more about the Royal Literary Fund, please visit the Royal Literary Fund website.

Lecture theatre

T.S. Eliot Lecture 2014

This year’s T.S. Eliot Lecture titled ‘O City city: T.S. Eliot and the Metropolitan’ is by Professor Mark Ford from University College London.

The lecture starts at 6.30pm on Tuesday 14 October in Grimond Lecture Theatre 1, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NZ.

Admission is by free ticket from Meredith Johnson, Room W4.8, Eliot College:

Student in lecture

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day takes place on Friday 10 October. We have a number of activities taking place on the Medway campus between 11am-2pm.

The Beautiful Minds Urban Blue Bus will be visiting the Medway campus. A number of volunteers, mental health professionals and agencies will be aboard the bus offering advice and an opportunity to talk. The bus will be parked in the Coopers car park between 12-2pm.

Come along to the Pilkington Atrium between 11am-2pm to meet with Wellbeing staff and find out more about the services available to students on campus.

We have the following sessions taking place for both students and staff to attend. Places are limited so please book quickly:

Learn a new language

There’s still time to join a Language Express course, but the places are limited so please hurry!

Courses start in week 3 and you can choose from Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. We also offer German at Medway.

For information on classes, times and fees and to sign up for a course, go to the Language Express webpages.

Students reading

Got a postgraduate event idea?

Apply for funding through the Graduate School’s Postgraduate Experience Awards and it could turn it into reality.

Funding of up to £1,500 is available for applications to run events or projects which have an interdisciplinary and/or external focus and which enhance the experience of postgraduate students at Kent.

All events or projects must take place at Kent and be held by the end of the 2014-15 academic year.

Examples of previous initiatives funded through the Postgraduate Experience Awards include:

  • Take the Floor! – an innovative workshop on improving presentation skills
  • Homelessness – an interdisciplinary conference
  • Short-story reading group
  • Shut up and Write – a project to encourage academic writing.

Applications for funding are invited from postgraduates (both taught and research) and postdoctoral researchers (up to two years).

The 2014-15 application deadline is Friday 28 November 2014.

How to apply

Download the application form.

Or, email graddean@kent.ac.uk for more information.

Student in lecture

Global Skills Award Programme

The Global Skills Award (GSA) Programme is unique to Kent and consists of a series of lectures and workshops for postgraduate taught master’s students; designed to enhance employability and increase awareness of global issues.

The lecture series will broaden your understanding of current affairs and issues of global significance while the skills training workshops provide career development opportunities and the skills needed to succeed in the work place, such as team-working, networking and leadership.

During the 2013-14 academic year over 200 students successfully completed the award.

Positive feedback and comments from those who completed the Award include: ‘Attending the GSA Programme was a priceless experience [that] I strongly recommend for all taught Master’s students, regardless of experience’ and ‘The GSA taught me how to lead others, but more importantly how to lead myself. The lectures were diverse, interesting and a pleasure to attend’.

Students who complete the award are presented with a certificate from the Dean of the Graduate School at an end of year ceremony where the students come together to share their experiences at a drinks reception.

For more information visit the Global Skills Award webpages.

students talking

KEW-NET: networking made simple!

KEW-NET is an online mentoring/networking tool for Kent students and graduates to meet, support one another and help each other get ahead.

From KEW-NET, you will be able to access a variety of mentors from a range of subjects and locations that could help you by reviewing your CV, talking about getting into certain industries, offering work experience or just advice.

In order to maximise your success on the system, follow these tips:

  • Be professional – these are potential employers, so be courteous and slightly formal
  • Be proactive – you will get nowhere being nervous or shy. Contact everyone that might be useful and ask questions
  • Be purposeful – have a reason for contacting the alumni, they are busy people that want to help you. Think about how they can do that

If you would like any help with setting up a profile, or with how to approach other users of the system, please email careerhelp@kent.ac.uk and we can arrange support.

Firework

Fireworks display, 5 Nov

Don’t miss Blean Village Londis Fireworks Extravaganza on Wednesday 5 November at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Old Dover Rd, Canterbury CT1 3NZ.

Gates open at 5.30pm with entertainment starting at 6pm on the stage. The fireworks display starts at 7.15pm.

Kent student and staff prices:

  • Adults £5
  • Children £2.50
  • Family ticket £12.50

These are pre-buy prices only.

Buy your tickets online and enter ‘UKC’ into the promo code box.

All the prices will automatically change. There’s no limit on the number you can purchase.

General public prices:

  • Adults pre-buy £6.00 (on the night £8.00)
  • Children (5 – 14 years) pre-buy £3.00 (on the night £4.00)
  • Family ticket – two adults, two children £15.00 (on the night £20)