Computing with a Year in Industry student David Meakin is planning to spend his summer vacation teaching tech skills in one of the world’s poorest countries. He will be spending a month in Uganda project managing a programme which uses hardware donated by UK-based charities to teach basic coding and digital skills.
David said: ‘Students will learn how to create static web sites, social media integration and how to get the most out of a site. I will also be teaching basic java and python that could be used by students to eventually develop their own applications. Technology is a great enabler; allowing those who are given the opportunity to capture their creativity and get themselves out of poverty. No matter what your background may be, if you’re a great coder, you’re a great coder and these students’ skills could be used to create the next billion dollar selling app.’

In Uganda extreme poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 1990 but it is still one of the world’s poorest countries where 1.2 million children are orphans and as few as 16% of children go to secondary school. I will be teaching at the Ruhanga Development School and for some children this school is their only chance to get educated, learning skills that enable them to raise themselves and their families above the poverty line.

Medway-based student David has been working for local government in Kent for his Year in Industry, using technology to transform local services and will return to University for the final year of his degree in September.

David’s JustGiving page has more information about his trip and can be used to contribute to The Ruhanga Development School. He will also be blogging about his experience.
For links go to https://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/news.html?view=896

The debate will take place on Friday 20 May in Darwin Lecture Theatre 1, 18:00 – 20:00.

Kent Debating Society is delighted to bring Kent students the first of many debates on the looming EU referendum. Our very own student groups, Vote Leave UKC and Kent: Students for Europe, will be providing speakers to argue their case.

We’ll be welcoming to campus Gordon Henderson MP, Member of Parliament for Sittingbourne and Sheppey to give his reasons why the UK should leave the European Union, and Professor of EU and Human Rights Law at the University of Essex, Steve Peers to make the case for Remain.

Alongside them we have Cesare Dunker and David Joseph Lakin for IN; Harry Sanderson and Emilio Kyprianou for OUT.

Pranav Sahni will be moderating.

Seven minute speeches from each participant will be followed by extensive time for an audience-led panel discussion with our guests. This event will be live streamed on Facebook on each respective student page. Snacks and beverages will also be provided on the door.

Find out more.

The Social Sciences Faculty Research and Innovation Committee invites applications from Academic and Research Staff for the allocation of financial support to promote and enhance activities that lead to high quality research.
The deadline for applications this term will be by 17.00 on Friday 24 June 2016. Completed application forms should be emailed to me (M.Duarte@kent.ac.uk).
Details on how the fund operates and an application form are available on the web at https://www.kent.ac.uk/socsci/faculty/funding/index.html

From Monday 23 May up to 27 May 2016, 20 MBA students from Hong Kong Baptist University will be attending a short-study programme on international business and intercultural communication at Kent Business School.

‘A warm relationship has developed between Kent Business School and Hong Kong Baptist over many years’, said Martin Meyer, the Director of Kent Business School. ‘Welcoming our partners and MBA students from Hong Kong offers a great opportunity to exchange business practices in a cultural context, and I look forward to this being the start of other future programmes of this kind.’

The short-study programme, which taps into growing trade links between China and the UK, will be complemented with field trips to several UK companies in Kent, a visit to the London Stock Exchange Market and a talk by Conservative MEP Richard Ashworth on UK’s international trade relations, specifically with Southeast Asia.

KBS’s international executive education programme is part of the School’s internationalisation strategy. Head of School, Martin Meyer is keen to further develop the executive education offer to Asian academic institutions. A very successful trip to Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore three weeks ago strengthened existing, and explored new contacts in this field.
For further information about our portfolio of executive education programmes for international MBA students, please contact External Services at KBS by email (KBSbusiness@kent.ac.uk) or tel: +44 (0) 1227 824068.
Resident MBA students who wish to hear Mr Ashworth’s lecture and meet our visitors from Hong Kong Baptist University, are warmly invited to attend on Monday 23 May from 17.00 onwards in KBS Symposium. As places are limited, please confirm your presence by sending an email to f.hoette@kent.ac.uk.

The Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic would like to invite you to the second informative running workshop on Saturday 9 July, which will be tailored towards preventing common hamstring and calf strain injuries and down-hill running techniques. The event is open to all and Kent Sport membership is not required. This workshop is tailored towards preventing those common hamstring and calf strains and up-hill and down-hill running technique.

Visit the www.kent.ac.uk/sports/physio/running-workshops for more details and to book a place on this workshop.

University staff recently competed in racket sports as the annual Vice-Chancellor’s Cup heats up. The matches started with a day of competitive badminton. A big congratulations to Kent Business School for taking the badminton title but also to Biosciences and EDA for finishing a close second and third respectively. The next sport was table tennis. Again, very close at the top with Estates taking third, Kent Business School second, and Biosciences winning their first top spot of the year!

Finally, we ended the racket sports with a three day tennis event. We saw some great tennis throughout the competition and a very big well done must go to History (a new entry into the Vice-Chancellor’s Cup this year) for their colossal victory – winning all their matches. The International Office finished in second, and Biosciences in third.

A big thanks must go to all the departments for taking part and making the event thoroughly enjoyable for all, and thanks to those at Kent Sport for putting on a great week of racket sports. You can view an album of photos from the racket sports games on our Facebook page.

Overall, Komplete BankerS are in the lead with 170 points, Nobody Does it bEDA second with 145 points, closely followed by Office Politics in third with 11 points.

The next event will be School Sports Day on 24 – 26 May from 13.00 – 14.00 at the Pavilion. Come along to watch the teams battle it out. The Pavilion Cafe Bar will be open to serve cold drinks and snacks during the event.

Please feel free to speak to Vicky about any injuries or potential problems. Alternatively email physio@kent.ac.uk.

To stay up to date with Kent Sport news and the Vice-Chancellor’s Cup, Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

The University Chaplaincy’s annual summer day trip to Cambridge, from the Canterbury campus, takes place on Saturday 28 May, departing at 9.00.

There are a few remaining places on the coach, at £15 each. Plenty of time in Cambridge for shopping, sightseeing and museums. Arrive back in Canterbury at approx 19.00.

Please contact the Anglican Chaplain, Revd Dr Stephen Laird, for ticket availability and details.

Image credits
Title: Clare College Bridge, Cambridge
Author: Kosala Bandara
Source: Flickr
License: CC BY 2.0
Link: https://flic.kr/p/bkkQMK