Yearly Archives: 2015

KEIN meeting Monday 23 November 2015, Medway Campus

The third meeting of the Kent Enterprise and Impact Network (KEIN) will take place on Monday 23rd November, 12.00 – 13.45pm, at MEDWAY Campus, Gillingham Building, Room 2.04.

KEIN, a network jointly created by Kent Innovation & Enterprise (KIE) and Learning and Development (L&D), brings together academics, researchers, technicians and other members of staff interested in collaboration, innovation and enterprise activities, maximising the impact of their work, and tapping into alternative sources of funding.

For this third meeting, Professor Samuel Marcora  from the  School of Sport and Exercise Sciences and Dr Vladimir Gubala from the Medway School of Pharmacy will be sharing their experiences of engaging with external organisations from two very different perspectives. After a brief introduction, there will be two short presentations with Q+A, and then an informal discussion.  If you have any enterprise ideas or ideas prompted by the presentations, this is also an opportunity to share these and hear about how the University can provide support.

All University staff are welcome to attend. To reserve your place at the session, including a free light lunch, please email ldev@kent.ac.uk and specify any dietary or access requirements.

If you would like to come along for the presentations only, you are welcome to turn up on the day without booking a place and feel free to bring your lunch with you.

For more information about this event and the speakers, please see our web page. If you have any questions or queries, please email enterprise@kent.ac.uk or phone 01227 816032.

Some attendees to previous KEIN sessions have said:

‘Great and inspiring examples of successful enterprise work. I’m glad I attended the session.’

‘It was helpful and interesting…That is what you need to keep showcasing.’ 

‘The networking session at the beginning was really useful, I will follow up with some people I have met.’

Bitesize Talks Medway

All Medway staff are warmly invited to the final two bitesize talks in this series, ‘The challenge of supporting International and EU students with disabilities’ with Dr Andres Velarde (International and EU Disability Adviser, Student Services) on Wednesday 18 November from 13.10 to 14.00 in M1-16 (via video conference) and ‘The role of Kent Union Advice Centre and the student’ with Jill Plows (Kent Union Advice and Information Services Manager, Kent Union) on Monday 23 November from 13.10 to 14.00 in M1-16 (via video conference). Both talks will begin with a short presentation and the rest of the time will be left open for Q&A and discussion, so please bring along any questions you may have.

Pass it on!

Please also share this information with colleagues who may be interested in attending. We hope to reach as wider audience as possible with these talks.

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to contact Julia Hunt

 

BASCA presentation for musicians and songwriters on 18 November

The School of Music and Fine Art has joined the Academic Supporters Programme of the British Association of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA).

There will be a presentation by Cindy Truong, BASCA Member Events & Relations Co–ordinator, under the educational partner programme, on Wednesday 18 November at 11.30am, followed by a Q & A session, networking and pizza!

The venue is the atmospheric Chatham Historic Dockyard, Room CT102. FREE to attend, this is a fantastic opportunity for musicians and songwriters. Places are limited, so booking is essential. Please confirm your attendance with mfareception@kent.ac.uk

For further information, email: j.seaman@kent.ac.uk

Drinking safely

This Alcohol Awareness Week (16-20 Nov), we are encouraging students to think about their drinking habits and the impact it has on their wellbeing.

Today’s advice looks at how to enjoy alcohol safely and protect against drink spiking.

There’s no need to stop drinking altogether, all you need to do is follow the guidelines of 3-4 units for men per day and 2-3 units for women per day. To monitor your drinking why not download the free Drinkaware app.

Avoid binge drinking

Drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time will raise your blood alcohol concentration and could make you drunk very quickly. This could result in a higher risk of an accident or fall. In extreme cases you could die as an overdose of alcohol can stop you breathing, stop your heart or make you choke on your own vomit.

So why not:

  • start drinking later
  • try a smaller bottle of beer of glass of wine
  • go for a lower strength drink
  • add a mixer to make your drink last longer
  • take a break between drinking and have a soft drink or glass of water which will also help you stay hydrated

Be aware of spiking

Every year hundreds of people have drugs or alcohol added to their drinks without them knowing. This can be by someone they know and it is meant as a joke but the effects are far from funny. Drink-spiking is illegal and seriously dangerous.

How to avoid drink spiking:

  • never leave your drink unattended
  • keep an eye on your friends’ drinks
  • don’t accept a drink from someone you don’t know or trust
  • try sticking to bottled drinks and avoid punch bowls or jugs of cocktails
  • if you think your drink has been spiked, don’t drink it – tell a trusted friend or relative immediately.

How will I know if my drink has been spiked?

Most drugs take effect within 15-30 minutes and symptoms usually last for several hours. Symptoms will depend on which drug has been used, but most include some of the following:

  • blurred vision
  • confusion or disorientation
  • difficulty concentrating or speaking
  • feeling and being sick
  • hallucinations
  • loss of balance and finding it hard to move
  • lowered inhibitions
  • memory loss
  • paranoia
  • unconsciousness

What to do if your drink is spiked

First, tell someone you completely trust, such as a friend, a relative, a medical professional or the police

If you are alone, call someone you trust and get to a safe place. If you need urgent help, call 999. If you don’t have your phone, ask to use the bar’s/club’s phone. Don’t leave with someone you don’t know and be wary of accepting help from strangers.

If you feel unwell, get someone you trust to take you to A&E. Ask a friend or relative you trust to take you home and stay with you until the drugs have left your system.

Report it to the police as soon as you can. The police will need to take blood and urine samples. Most drugs leave the body within 72 hours so it’s important to be tested as soon as possible.

Read more on the NHS website.

If you have been affected by any of the above and want to talk to someone please contact the University’s Wellbeing Team.

Making the most of your winter break

The winter break is a great time to relax and reflect on your year. It’s also a chance to think about new challenges for the New Year. Being a Kent student, there are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills, enhance your employability and have new experiences.

The Employability webpages provide information on many of these opportunities, including:

  • Study abroad. This is a valuable experience which you’re likely to remember for the rest of your life. It’s not only a fun and exciting opportunity, but will put you in a better position when you graduate.
  • Learn a new language. A new year is the perfect opportunity to take on a new challenge. Here at Kent you can take a wide range of language courses, whether you’re a beginner or more advanced.
  • Work experience. In an increasingly competitive job market, relevant work experience has never been more valuable. It’s because of this placements are harder to come by. We offer a wide range of support to help you get that all-important work placement.
  • Why not volunteer? Volunteering is a brilliant way to add essential skills and experience to your CV, while making new friends and supporting a cause you believe in. Also, most the volunteering opportunities we offer go towards your Employability Points.
  • And the support doesn’t end there! Our experienced careers advisers can help you with essential skills development to make you more employable.  Including, creating a quality CV and how to have interview success.