There’s magic in the air on Wednesday, as the Music department presents a short, informal lunchtime event as part of ‘A Wonderful Week of Words.’

The University student Hogwarts Society is currently celebrating the written word with events and visiting writers, and on Wednesday, there will be a short musical event with music from ‘Harry Potter’ and related pieces from the Concert Band, Minerva Voices, Flute Choir and third-year flautist, Anne Engels.

Admission is free, with a retiring donation in aid of JK Rowling’s charity, Lumos.

More details about the musical event here: http://www.kent.ac.uk/music/whatson.html?tab=march

The University is very proud to be a Fairtrade-accredited University, and after completing all the work for our renewal submission, we received the good news in November that we have successfully maintained our Fairtrade Status for a further two years!

This year, Fairtrade Fortnight runs from 29 February – 13 March, and the theme is breakfast! To celebrate this and to raise awareness of the incredible work that the Fairtrade Foundation do, there are a number of things going on across campus.

There will be a Fairtrade Roadshow appearing in Keynes on Tuesday 1 March and Darwin on Wednesday 2 March, where people passing will be able to treat themselves to some Fairtrade goodies and speak to a representative about all things Fairtrade!

Alongside this, and to match the breakfast theme, departments across the University may have a helping hand to wake up in the morning with a Fairtrade breakfast hamper being delivered to their department at some point during the fortnight, with compliments from the Fairtrade Steering Group.

Friday 4 March, 2016, 18.00

Rutherford Lecture Theatre One

Canterbury before the Normans

Forty-odd years ago David Birmingham was appointed to the chair of Modern History at Kent. His ‘modern’ interests culminated in small books on Switzerland, Ghana, Portugal, the Atlantic, and most recently in A Short History of Modern Angola. Since retiring he has been a tutor for the University of the Third Age and a Canterbury City Guide. These two ventures have now come together as a colourful book on Canterbury before the Normans. Our early ancestors, who might – or might not – have spoken a ‘Celtic’ language like Gaulish or Welsh, learned how to work gold, copper and iron. They wove thick woollen kilts and trained horses to draw their war-chariots. The ‘Latin’ period of our history witnessed the development of villas, baths and temples eventually topped by a huge classical theatre and a prestigious city wall. When the Roman empire receded a ‘Jutish’ branch of the great Saxon world brought immigrants to Kent. They taught us locals ho w to make fine jewellery, build the first cathedral, and embroider a fabulous ‘tapestry’ for a conquering tribe of Normans from Bayeux.

Lecture free and open to all

Booking not required.

Are you looking for accommodation for visitors to campus? Did you know that we have 11 recently refurbished bedrooms within the Grade 2 listed building Beverley Farmhouse on campus available all year round?

The Conference Office is holding an open afternoon 12.00-14.00, Friday 4 March to showcase the facilities – everyone is welcome.

There are four single and seven double bedrooms with shared modern bathroom facilities and access to fully equipped self-catering kitchens. Free Wi-Fi and parking is also available. Rooms are competitively priced from just £37.50 per night.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday 4 March. Please note there is no need to make an appointment, just turn up at Beverley Farmhouse 12.00 – 14.00.

In the meantime, if you have any queries or you would like to make an appointment to see the rooms on an alternative date, please contact the Conference Office on extension 8000.

Update – deadline extended to 29 March 2016.

From 14 – 25 March 2016, if you’re a stage one or two student, you will need to choose the modules you will study in 2016-17.

You may choose your modules through SDS. You’ll be emailed with information about what you need to do!

Guidance is available at the Online Module Registration (OMR) webpage. Sciences students should check your programme information with your School.

You must choose your modules from 14 – 29 March as there will be no further opportunity to make selections until September 2016.

Why do I need to choose so early?

There are over 1500 modules available to students across three faculties which need to be allocated tutors, teaching rooms and timetables.

A few modules have to be restricted in number, especially if they need specialist equipment or to use a particular room/space. Where these modules are oversubscribed they are subject to random allocation to ensure you are given equal chance of taking the module. This takes place after you have chosen your modules so you have to be in it to be included.

Even if you’re not taking one of these restricted modules you still need to choose during the OMR process so that planning can go ahead. This gives us time to check that you’re meeting the requirements of your programme, allows schools to cancel modules which aren’t popular or draft in more teaching staff for over-subscribed modules and helps timetabling to prevent clashes between key modules.

If you picked modules last year you can use this opportunity to change your choices if you want to. You may find that your programme requirements look a bit different this year as we’ve tried to make things simpler and easier to understand. The module catalogue has also been improved. You can research module information at the module catalogue.

A new website theme for Kent is being developed, starting with the launch of a beta version of our News Centre: http://beta.kent.ac.uk/news/

The ‘beta’ site is a public space where we’re testing new designs, so that we can try different concepts out.

It isn’t complete and might not always work as intended. We welcome any and all feedback – there’s a feedback tab on the right-hand side of every page.

The new theme will be optimised to promote the distinctive Kent brand on many different screen sizes and web-connected devices.

Information Services have been working with colleagues across the University to develop this beta site. We’re regularly testing out new design ideas with students too.

Through our newsletter, we’ll be inviting all staff to try out and feed back on each new area as it becomes available.

We’ll be sending a redesigned version of the homepage soon – so stay tuned!

Information Services

You can now apply for our European Summer School Scholarships to spend two weeks at one of our specialist postgraduate centres in Brussels or Paris.

Scholarships are open to second and third year undergraduate students and will cover the cost of tuition, accommodation, lunches, travel around Paris or Brussels and a final dinner.

This is a fantastic opportunity to discover these wonderful cities while gaining skills and intercultural awareness which will be attractive to potential employers.

Find out more about the summer schools and how to apply on the Summer Schools webpages.

The KentOne card is your University ID and if you haven’t got one as yet you should see your Departmental Administrator or complete the online form.

You can use it as a cashless purchasing card for a quick, easy and safe way to buy food and drink from our award winning catering outlets on both the Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Every time you use it, we give you a 5% discount at the till.

For a list of places you can use your card, where you will receive your 5% discount, to top up online and frequently asked questions, visit KentOne card.

Why use your KentOne card:

• Saves you money every time you use it, we give you an exclusive 5% discount.
• Safe and secure – instead of carrying round cash, top up your card online and if you lose it, the balance will be transferred over to a replacement card.
• Saves you time – get through the tills quicker than by using debit or credit cards.

Where to use your KentOne card:

You can claim your 5% discount at 12 different University catering outlets across the Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Your KentOne card also provides services such as:

• accessing specific areas of the university;
• borrowing books from the Templeman library (Canterbury Campus);
• purchasing books and stationery items as Blackwell’s bookshop on the Canterbury campus.

How to use your KentOne card:

• First, visit KentOne card to login to your account, using your Kent email address and set up a password. Here you can top up your card, review your purchases and check your balance.
• You can also top up your card at any College Reception.
• Paying for items is quick and easy, just hand it over at the till.