The University’s Tonbridge Centre has just launched its exciting short course programme for the coming spring and summer terms.

As well as courses in the humanities, it includes postgraduate-level taster courses: all are unaccredited, designed for exploration of a subject for interest among like-minded people. The courses range from one-off three hour workshops and study days to regular course meetings of up to eight weeks, on weekdays and some Saturdays.

New subjects in this programme are psychology, and a range of self-development courses. History has been introduced to the postgraduate-level taster courses.

The Tonbridge Centre is a small and friendly centre dedicated to part-time study, located just a few minutes’ walk from Tonbridge railway station and the town centre.

Full course information is available by visiting the Tonbridge Centre webpages.

Staff benefit from a 50% course fee reduction on some courses, subject to availability: please enquire by emailing the Tonbridge Centre or calling extension 4990 or 01732 352316.

On Monday 23 January,  Medway Activities are heading to Tiger Tiger, London for their popular student night.

Free transport will pick you up from Liberty Quays at 21.15.

Entry is free before 23.00 and £5.00 thereafter so to ensure free entry we ask you to make sure you arrive in time so the coach can depart swiftly.

For further information on this event: http://ow.ly/ygvx307Wc3S
If you have any queries about this trip please email medwayactivities@kent.ac.uk

The last update on Staff Connect in December explained that the launch date had shifted from January to February. Unfortunately, this too is no longer viable and we are currently tracking a March launch.

As explained in the previous update, the migration of data from the current to new system was not completely successful and required the supplier to undertake some additional work. This work is still ongoing as we have continued to find significant differences between the two systems, the majority of which relate to Pensions administration caused by the supplier’s failure to accurately migrate data.

Despite this setback, HR, Payroll and Pensions continue to make good progress as they operate both the current and new systems in parallel ahead of launch.

Please note that from February should you have any queries relating to Staff Connect please contact Katerina Flint-Nicol (Staff Connect Project Assistant) who will be taking over the communications and engagement work.

Su Westerman – Staff Connect Employee Communications & Engagement Manager

An event to help demystify and explain family court proceedings for members of the local community unable to afford legal representation will be hosted by Kent Law Clinic on Wednesday 25 January.

The event will be held in a replica court room (pictured) in the new Wigoder Law Building on Kent’s Canterbury campus and offers anyone expecting to be a litigant in person an opportunity to experience what it feels like to attend court. It will also help to explain what is likely to happen at a family hearing.

The Clinic’s Family Law Solicitor Philippa Bruce has enlisted the help of a team of local barristers, judges and representatives from the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) to offer general advice on how the court works. Although it won’t be possible to offer individual legal advice on specific cases, the event aims to address a broad spectrum of questions ranging from when to arrive at court and where to sit, to how to prepare, organise and present a case in the family court.

Philippa said: ‘Representing yourself in family court proceedings can be very stressful and the court itself can feel like an intimidating place if you are unsure what to expect. Our aim is to help people gain knowledge and confidence.’

Taking place from 17.00 to 18.30pm, the event is open to all.

People in the local community seeking advice on specific cases can book an appointment to attend a Monday evening Clinic Advice Session staffed by volunteer legal advisors. Please contact the Law Clinic on 01227 823311 to find out more or to book an appointment.

Student PCs and teaching PCs are being updated this month. You’ll notice a difference when you log in and log out – make sure you’re prepared.

Students

If you use student PCs on campus at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge or Brussels, please read on.

Student PCs are being updated this month, which means:

• The first time you log in, it’ll take 3-5 minutes. Login time should be quicker from then on.
• To log out when you’re done (really important to protect your account) – right-click on the Windows Start menu icon, and select ‘Sign out’. See the screenshot.
• If you see anything about ‘Powershell’ please ignore it, let it run.
• Some student PCs might be out of action for a couple of hours as the updates run. This is mostly happening overnight. All PCs will be done by the end of January.

Teaching staff

If you use lecture theatre and seminar room PCs at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge or Brussels, please read on.

All student PCs are being updated this month ready for the new term, which means:

• The first time you log in on a specific PC, it’ll take 3-5 minutes.
  So make time before your teaching session to log into the PC you’ll be teaching on. Login time on that PC should be quicker from then on.
• To log out when you’re done (really important to protect your account) – right-click on the Windows Start menu icon, and select ‘Sign out’. See the screenshot.
• If you see anything about ‘Powershell’ please ignore it, let it run.
• Teaching PCs in lecture theatres and seminar rooms are being were updated in the week 10-13 January. Updates to PCs in PC rooms and study hubs will run until the end of January. Most of the upgrade work is happening overnight.

Questions or feedback?

Contact the IT Helpdesk:

• helpdesk@kent.ac.uk
• Find our website: search for ‘IT services’ on the Kent website.
• Student help: (01227 82) 4999
• Staff help: (01227 82) 4888

Over 90% of the email received by Kent is spam, which we block so you never see it.

Do you know any students who might want to start their own business?

Do you have any students interested in increasing their employability by learning entrepreneurial skills?

You have just two weeks to let them know about the opportunity to join this year’s Business Start-Up Journey.

Open to all Schools and Faculties across Medway and Canterbury, the Business Start-Up Journey offers practical help and support for any student interested in starting a business.

The Business Start-Up Journey accelerates ideas with one-to-one support from an entrepreneur in residence as well as mentors from a wide variety of business backgrounds.

There are practical sessions in essential areas of business know-how from finance to branding, intellectual property to search engine optimisation.

The deadline for joining this year’s programme is 30 January. Find out more by emailing ASPIRE@kent.ac.uk or go to the Aspire webpages.