Booking is now open for the Athena SWAN Awareness Day, taking place from 10.00 to 15.30 on 21 June at Sibson, Canterbury Campus.

This event is for staff and students who are involved in, or interested in being involved in, the University’s work for creating an inclusive work environment for everyone.

The highlight is an external speaker we are privileged to have at our event; Professor Sara Mole from the UCL, who is going to share her department’s story from Bronze to Gold.

What is Athena SWAN?

“Recognising advancement of gender equality: representation, progression, and success for all.” ECU’s Athena SWAN Charter

The charter, which launched in June 2005, was first implemented to advance the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics (STEMM). In 2015, the charter was expanded to also include arts, humanities, social science, business and law (AHSSBL) disciplines as well as professional and support roles, and for trans staff and students. The charter now recognises work undertaken to address gender equality more broadly, and not just barriers to progression that affect women.

Find out more about Athena SWAN and the awareness day.

The University is always very proud to celebrate our alumni’s achievements and it is, therefore, with great pleasure that we are currently exhibiting Kent Alumnus Eric Kaiser’s work in Keynes Atrium. Eric studied for an MA in Management Science at the University from 1981 to 1983 and has since gone on to become a professional artist. The exhibition features paintings on the theme of Europe by Eric and by two of his fellow artists, Lysa Bertholom and Sophie Guinzbourg, and will be on display until Wednesday 5th July.

All works exhibited are for sale – please contact the Keynes Master’s Office if you would like to know more about the artists or wish to purchase a painting.

Researchers in the School of Psychology are,studying how social communication skills change across the lifespan, and how we might be able to enhance them. This is part of a large ERC-finded research project looking at people aged between 10 and 80+ years old. They’ve already had a great response from people aged over 60 so they’re now particularly looking for adults aged between 22 and 55 years old to take part in their study.

Please help them by signing up! They can be flexible fit the testing sessions around you, in lunch breaks, evenings or weekends, and can even come to your house/place of work in our mobile research laboratory!

The research involves a variety of questionnaires and computer tasks, and as a thank-you, you’ll receive £30 cash, a small gift, lunch (if completing the task in a single session), and reasonable travel expenses.

For further information or to sign up please send us an email at cogsocoage@kent.ac.uk or see the website.

Kent Staff can apply for funding to undertake two-five days training/teaching opportunities at our Erasmus partner universities or other relevant organisations within Europe. Learn new skills, share best practices, develop international networks and explore potential for further cooperation (eg research).

Activities can include:
• Training courses
• Job Shadowing/Observation
• Staff Training events
• Teaching at a partner university

Come to our information session on Wednesday 14 June, 12:30–13:30
Keynes Seminar Room 4, Canterbury campus

For further information phone 01227 82419, email erasmus@kent.ac.uk or visit www.kent.ac.uk/global/partnerships/kent-staff/staff-exchange.html

This week is Carers Week 2017 with a focus on building Carer Friendly Communities, which support carers to look after their loved ones well, while recognising that they are individuals with needs of their own.

Dr Alisoun Milne, Professor of Social Gerontology and Social Work at the University of Kent’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, researches family carers, social work with older people and their carers, mental health in later life and long term care. She is currently working on an NHS England funded project exploring effective support for older carers and is working with a local third sector carers agency helping to evaluate their role in support for carers.

Alisoun champions the rights of older carers to be recognised and supported. She points out that this is an issue of social justice in her Think Kent video. The Think Kent series are short videos which give an overview of Kent academics and their research and teaching expertise.

In her video, Alisoun highlights the fact that over a third of the UK’s 6.5 million carers are aged 65 years and over and that older carers disproportionately provide intensive levels of care and tend to care for longer hours over many years. Unwillingness to identify as a carer and ask for help from services also means older carers often care unaided. Despite increased policy emphasis on supporting family carers, few older carers come to the attention of local authorities. Even fewer see a social worker whose skill and knowledge set is often invaluable to older carers.

Tuesday 27 June 2017, 10.00 – 16.00

Darwin Conference Suites

On Tuesday 27 June 2017 the Learning and Organisational Development team are hosting a Leadership Forum event for leaders and managers across the University.

The theme of the event is change and resilience during change.

The event will feature;

• A keynote speech from Kenton Lewis on  Embracing change, encouraging buy-in. Kenton will  also be delivering a workshop on Resilience during change.
• Cindy Vallance from the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education will deliver a  workshop on Moving beyond the change curve.
• Contributions from University departments including the Centre for Higher and Degree  Apprenticeships, Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching, and Learning and  Organisational Development.
• Time throughout the day to network with colleagues.

The programme for the day and booking form are available at the Learning and Organisational Development website.

Booking deadline: Tuesday 20 June 2017.

Please contact Learning & Organisational Development ldev@kent.ac.uk if you have any queries.

The 1930s jazz orchestra, General Harding’s Tomfoolery, will give a farewell performance in the marquee on the Registry Lawn on Weds 14 June from 17.00 to 18.00. Directed by the Deputy Director of Music, the 12-piece band plays from original era band-parts, including classics such as ‘In The Mood’ and ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz,’ and will give an hour-long performance to bid farewell to the year.

The Gulbenkian will be serving Pimms, special fizz and ice-creams – come and enjoy some summer sunshine and vintage jazz at the end of the day.

More details: https://www.kent.ac.uk/music/whatson.html?tab=june

In July, we’re changing to a new system for LibrarySearch.

If you’re here in the summer or returning in the autumn, follow these steps to get ready for the change:
1. Tidy up your library account: return any books you don’t need, and pay off any fines you may have. Our vacation borrowing checklist has more details.
2. Export your Favourites from LibrarySearch: email them to yourself or import them into your preferred reference management software.
3. Keep an eye on your email: we’ll keep you posted about key dates and developments.

Why is LibrarySearch changing? The new system allows us to make big improvements to the way you borrow books in future. How LibrarySearch looks and works will stay quite similar, but with greater potential for future improvements.

If you’re on campus over the summer and would be interested in testing the new LibrarySearch, please email is-publishing@kent.ac.uk to register your interest.