Dr Antonio Lázaro-Reboll, Senior Lecturer in Hispanic Studies in the Department of Modern Languages, has edited the latest issue of the journal Film Studies, a special issue devoted to ‘Eurohorror’.

This issue, Volume 15, Number 1, interrogates received notions of Eurohorror, a critical category primarily used by reviewers and fans, and assesses its theoretical currency for the study of European horror film in its distinctive manifestations from the late 1950s to the turn of the twenty-first century. Rather than re-rehearsing familiar narratives about Eurohorror erected around an established canon of films, directors and themes, or reclaiming a particular text or filmmaker from obscurity, this issue historicises the term, as it is more-often-than-not conflated with related cinematic categories such as ‘Euro Trash’ or ‘Euro Cult’. The issue examines the critical intersections and interactions between various fields of cultural production associated with Eurohorror to approach it from fresh perspectives, so as to chronicle stories that have not yet been told. The ultimate aim therefore is to map out a richer and more nuanced picture of the cultural hist ories of Eurohorror, and, by extension, European horror film.

As well as writing the editorial, Antonio has contributed an article to the issue, ‘Making Zines: Re-Reading European Trash Cinema (198898)’, discussing a key fanzine of the 1990s.

The issue is available online, with the table of contents viewable at:
www.ingentaconnect.com/content/manup/fs/2016/00000015/00000001;jsessionid=3999k0gsdmgc4.x-ic-live-03

Sea Eagles of Empire: The Classis Britannica and the Battles for Britain (The History Press, 2016) by Simon Elliott, a doctoral student in the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies, has been nominated for the Military History Monthly Book of the Year award.

Military History Monthly is a magazine for anyone fascinated by the history of conflict and brings Britain’s military history to life. The magazine was launched in 2010.

The magazine’s Book of the Year Award, which is awarded in gold, silver and bronze classes, goes to the title that readers feel have made the greatest all-round contribution to the study of military history.

Sea Eagles of Empire is one of 12 military history titles shortlisted for this year’s award and explores the history of the Classis Britannica (the Roman Fleet in Britain, and in fact Britain’s first ever navy), one of ten regional fleets deployed across the Roman Empire that was active from the middle of the 1st through to the 3rd century AD, and highlights the important role it played both in British waters and in military campaigns across Europe.

Voting is now open and will close on 12 June 2017, with the awards being presented at the Newark Military History Conference 2017. The full shortlist and details of how to vote are available at: www.military-history.org/articles/mhm-book-awards-2017.htm

For more details of Simon’s book, please see the publisher’s page here: www.thehistorypress.co.uk/publication/sea-eagles-of-empire/9780750966023/

Stephanie Astro, from Physical Sciences, is taking to the skies for a good cause.

Stephanie, Employability Officer & Employer Engagement Officer, is taking part in a sponsored sky dive, in aid of the National Autistic Society.

She says: ‘Autism is a condition that affects many people, but is still not really understood. In a university setting, it can make the everyday challenges of study much harder. So, it’s really important that we raise awareness of the difficulties some face because of autism.’

She adds: ‘I myself was diagnosed with autism two years ago so the work of the National Autistic Society is very close to my heart. I’m terrified of heights so this will be very scary for me but for autistic people everyday things like answering the telephone can be scary.  I think it’s really important to share this message and, if I can raise some money as well, so much the better!’

Stephanie’s sky dive will take place in Swindon on 19 March – just before Autism Awareness Week. She is hoping to raise at least £400 for the National Autistic Society. You can support her fundraising via her doitforcharity.com charity page.

To find out more about the National Autistic Society, see its webpages.

Advice on helping students with autism can be found on our Student Support webpages.

Information on the University of Kent’s Staff Disability Network is available on the HR Equality and Diversity webpages

Opportunities for training in Autism at the University can be found on the Tizard Centre webpages.

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Moving Memory Dance Theatre Company (associate to The School of Arts) has been awarded nearly £90,000 from Nominet Trust and The Baring Foundation. The funding is to develop Digital Doris – a portable digital kit which helps give older people the freedom to express themselves through movement.

The company developed Doris (with funding from Arts Council, Kent County Council and University of Kent) to help older people overcome physical limitations, like short-term memory loss and mobility problems, and find a new means of movement-based creative expression. Using projections and sound, Doris transforms everyday spaces and helps the workshop leader stimulate people’s imaginations, often drawing out their personal stories. The images used can be human-like – to teach people basic moves – or abstract, to inspire new ways of moving and improvising.

Moving Memory’s Creative Director and Senior Lecturer in Drama, Sian Stevenson said ‘We are absolutely delighted to receive this fantastic investment. It will help us introduce community dance teachers and non-specialist activity co-ordinators in social and care settings to our unique approach and mean that more older people can get involved in creative movement.’

The new investment will enable the development of training materials on how to use Doris. It
will also enable the company to explore more responsive technology in their own
performance work.

Vicki Hearn, Director of Nominet Trust, said: ‘Movement and dance workshops in care
homes and day care centres give older people the opportunity to express themselves, with
positive outcomes for health and wellbeing. Digital Doris uses digital technology in an
innovative and engaging way, transforming everyday places into creative dance spaces.
We’ll be following Doris’s development with interest, as this digital toolkit has the potential to
enhance people’s experiences of ageing.’

On Thursday 16 February 2017 (12.15-13.45) the E-Learning staff will be holding an E-Learning Forum (ELF) in the UELT Seminar Room at the Unit for Enhancement of Learning & Teaching.

In this ELF, we will explore the development and delivery of massive open online courses (MOOCs) at Kent. Find out about the courses we are developing, the FutureLearn partnership, and how you might get involved.

We first investigated MOOCs (massive open online courses) with a successful pilot in Erlang programming, as part of the K-MOOCs Beacon Project celebrating the University’s 50th anniversary.

One of the key recommendations from our pilot was to partner with FutureLearn, so that we can use their excellent and accessible specialized MOOC platform and achieve greater reach for our courses. The University of Kent is now a member of the FutureLearn partnership, which includes many leading UK and international universities and specialist organisations with a huge archive of cultural and educational materials.

We are now delighted to bring our Functional Programming in Erlang course to a wider audience and to develop further online courses to strengthen public engagement with scholarship and research at Kent. The course is open for enrolment and begins on 20 February.

In addition to our Erlang programming courses, we are also developing courses in Understanding Autism and in The Science of Endurance Sports Performance which learners will be able to enroll for soon.

To book a place please email cpdbookings@kent.ac.uk

The University’s Annual Review/Financial Statements 2016 is now available online, within our Finance webpages.

A limited number of hard copies is also available – email Corporate Communications if you would like one: communications@kent.ac.uk

A summary of the University’s finances showing where our income comes from and how we spend it, together with a link to the Annual Review – can also be found on our Student Experience webpages.

Are you considering postgraduate study either for career progression or personal interest?  If so, come to Kent’s postgraduate Open Event on Tuesday 7 March,  from 17.00-19.00, in Darwin to find out more.

We will have the latest information about the £10,280 loans for Master’s and you may also be eligible for a staff discount on your fees.

Most of Kent’s programmes are available part-time and there are also some taught online and at weekends, all Kent’s UK and EU locations will be represented.

Find out more on our Open Day webpages.

As University of Kent staff, you are eligible to buy an NUS Extra discount card.

The NUS Extra card brings you over 200 UK student discounts and comes with one year FREE ISIC unlocking over 42,000 international discounts.

Discounts include top brands such as:

• 10% off the Co-op
• 50% off Amazon Student membership
• Up to 40% off at PizzaExpress
• 25% off Odeon student prices tickets

Your ISIC card is accepted in over 130 countries, as well as at your favourite high street retailers, restaurants, attractions and more.

Choose from a one-year card for just £12, a two-year card for £22 or a three-year card for £32. Many discounts are online only so you can’t get them without your NUS extra card!

You can buy your card today in Kent Union reception, Mandela Building. You can also email Kent Union if have you any queries.