Once you have registered make sure you get involved in all that Welcome Week (or as some people call it, ‘week 0’) has to offer.

This week is a helpful introduction to the University and its’ services, including the Library and your students’ union, getting you ready for when teaching starts.

Even if you’re not living in University accommodation you still need to attend Welcome Week.

Get the most from Welcome Week and make sure you…

• Go to the Welcome talk and lunch on Monday 21 September.
• Go to the Welcome Fair on Wednesday 23 September, 11.00-15.00, in Pilkington and Coopers. This is your opportunity to find out more about all the societies and sports teams you can join. You can also pick up a few freebies from local businesses.Attend your school’s induction events. School induction events are a great opportunity to meet fellow students studying similar courses to you, while discovering the wide range of support services provided by your school. Contact your school for more information.
• Take the Library tour. When studying at university the library will be a key resource, so it’s important you know how to use all the services and where to go for help.

International student?

As well as all the Welcome Week activities, there’s a special welcome programme for international students. Including the International Students’ Welcome Event on Friday 25 September.

Postgraduate student?

If you’re a postgraduate student there is a range of induction events designed specifically for you, as well as the general Welcome Week events everyone can attend.

Stagecoach have improved their discounts for University of Kent staff and students by discounting their Canterbury Megarider tickets on production of your KentOne card or Kent Union staff ID card on each journey.

From 20 September you will no longer be able to purchase a uniday or uniweek  ticket, it is recommended you purchase the Canterbury Megarider discounted tickets which give you unlimited travel not just to and from Canterbury but within the Canterbury megarider zone ^[4]  Alternatively, don’t forget staff can purchase 13, 36 and 52 week tickets and students can purchase academic year and termly tickets at greatly reduced prices

*All prices are correct as of 20 September 2015

Please refer to website for further information

Changes to the bus routes

• UNI2 – new route replaces the 26 bus service.

Operates from Hales Place, to all stops at the Campus, Canterbury West station, Sainsbury’s, the bus station.  From the bus station it uses the same route as the Unibus service

• Number 36 – new bus service

Operates from Whitstable, Keynes bus stop, Sainsburys, the bus station. From the bus station using the same route as Unibus service to Keynes bus stop and then onto Whitstable

• Triangle Service – change to timetable

Not all Triangle Services will operate into Keynes bus stop – please ensure check the timetable.  The triangle service can be identified by the red triangle.

Please refer to the website or route map for further details.

From trekking the Great Wall of China to jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet, Kent Union has raised a whopping £166,562.10 for charity over the past year.

The official fundraising body of Kent Union, Raise and Give (RaG), sees students and members fundraise and support charities locally, nationally and internationally throughout the academic year.

Chris Mattinson, Volunteering Team Leader at Kent Union, said: “We are all extremely proud of everybody connected to RaG as this year’s amount has beaten last year’s total by £47,214.10.

“A lot of hard work has gone into arranging and completing the different challenges but it’s completely worthwhile when you realise the difference the money will make.”

‘Help the Homeless Week’ was one event which saw Kent Union’s RaG raise money and awareness for charities helping homeless people in Canterbury.

Organised by the Canterbury Homeless Outreach Society in collaboration with Porchlight, Catching Lives and Canterbury Housing Advice Centre, members took part in a number of events including an overnight sleep-out. This resulted in £2,700 being raised for the three charities.

Jane Redman, Porchlight Director of Fundraising and Communications, said: “We really appreciate all the hard work Kent Union’s RaG put in to support our work with homeless people in Canterbury and across the whole of Kent.

“Raising money and awareness allows us to continue our life-changing services which help some of the most excluded and marginalised people in society move towards a better future.”

To find out more about Kent Union’s Raise and Give, visit: kentrag.org.uk

Have you been inspired by Bake Off? Are you a brilliant baker? If so, then please donate a cake or a raffle prize in support of KIE’s Macmillan Mini Fete and Coffee Morning.

As part of Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, Kent Innovation & Enterprise will be once again hosting a mini fete and coffee morning to help raise money for this very good cause.

Last year we raised over £500, so please help us raise even more this year. Cakes, sweet treats and drinks will be on sale with all proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Try your luck at the tombola and raffle too! The fete, which takes place on Friday 25 September, 11.00 to 14.30 on the Senate Lawn is a great opportunity to have fun at the Fresher’s Fayre and meet staff and students alike.

We couldn’t have raised so much money last year without kind donations from local businesses and University staff. We need your help once again to raise as much money as possible. Please help by:

• Donating bottles (not empty, please!) for the tombola
• Donating prizes for the raffle
• Baking a cake and drop it off at our stall on the Senate Lawn at 10am on the day
• Coming along and having fun.

There will be a prize for the best decorated cake so let’s see some showstoppers! For more information, please email enterprise@kent.ac.uk.

The award-winning CARGO bar and bistro, next to Liberty Quays accommodation, is set to celebrate their 1st Birthday on Tuesday 22 September, 19.00 – 23.00.

Students, staff and the public are all welcome to help celebrate and join in with a whole host of activities, competitions and of course birthday cake! Keep up to date on all the fun on CARGO’s Facebook page.

If you can’t make the birthday party or you haven’t yet visited CARGO, then pop down to try the modern bistro menu in a nautical and industrial-style setting.  The lounge area provides soft seating with eight big TV screens to watch music and sporting events, the bar also hosts local bands throughout the year. Visit the catering website for opening times and CARGO’s menu.

The Student Success (EDI) Project is a two year action research project involving nine pilot schools, looking at students’ experiences of university and supporting their performance whilst they’re here. We want every student to reach their potential and get the best degree they can. At the University of Kent, we’re committed to making that happen.

Our brand new Student Success website provides links to activities in the pilot schools and information about the academic research. It also puts you in touch with the Project Officers across the University and tells you how to get involved.

Find us at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/studentsuccess/index.html

If you would like to know more, or wish to organize an information session for staff or students, please contact Jan Moriarty, Project Manager, at j.moriarty@kent.ac.uk

Saturday 10 October, 11.00 to 17.00: Celebrate the 2015 Platform Graduate Awards at Turner Contemporary, Margate

Saturday October 10th will celebrate the opening of the Platform Graduate Award 2015 exhibition. The School of Music and Fine Art is delighted that three of our recently graduated BA (Hons) Fine Art students – Ben Crawford,Evdokia Georgiou and Nadia Perrotta – are shortlisted for this prestigious award, and their work is currently exhibited at Turner Contemporary, Margate. Now in it’s third year, the Platform Graduate Award aims to support graduate professional development and nurture emerging talent from universities and colleges in the South East region.

Also on October 10th is the opening celebration for Risk, Turner Contemporary’s autumn exhibition and much more! The day includes:

• Artist Ruth Proctor enacting her falling stunt from a 4m high scaffold in the gallery
• Thanet Parkour Academy leading workshops and creating guerrilla-style interventions in, on and around the building
• Saxophonist Evan Parker playing improvisation experiments
• Free workshops by the Platform artists
• Networking with fellow students from East Kent Universities

Students from the University for the Creative Arts, Canterbury Christ Church University and University of Kent students can travel FREE to Margate. To book your free place on one of the coaches leaving from each university go to Platform-travel.eventbrite.co.uk

For more info go to http://e-turnercontemporary.org/t/24UF-3NI6Y-B9ISH0TZB5/cr.aspx