The University’s second Researching the Rainbow Conference was held on Thursday 15 February as part of LGBT History Month and was warmly received by attendees and participants. The event, organised by the LGBT+ Staff Network in partnership with Kent Union, was run for the first time last year to celebrate 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in the UK. There were approximately 50 attendees this year and over 980 views of the live stream via Kent Union’s Facebook page.

The conference was designed to showcase the vast array of research being done at Kent on or related to LGBT+ people and issues, and to encourage multi-disciplinary collaboration and networking. The event was opened by University of Kent Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Karen Cox, who also acts at the Executive Group’s LGBT+ and Gender Champion. Professor Cox said:

“It was a pleasure to have attended the ‘Researching the Rainbow’ conference. A wonderful mix of inspirational speakers, a diverse agenda and an opportunity for students and academics alike to present their work as peers.

As the EG LGBT+ champion, I am wholeheartedly committed to the principles of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity. The LGBT+ Network are doing a really great job in turning the University’s commitments into a reality for individuals.”

The agenda was made up of predominantly Kent students and academics from a range of disciplines, discussing topics such as transgender identities in mental health care and the legal system and queer representation in the media. Renowned trans activists Fox and Owl also attended to speak about their project My Genderation, and joined fellow speakers for an open plenary hosted by Kent Union’s LGBT+ Trans Officer, Valiant Dorian.

Organiser Kasia Senyszyn, member of the LGBT+ Staff Network, said:

“It is a grassroots event – we started with just a few people who were interested in talking about their research with fellow aficionados and now we’re getting national activist superstars inspiring our students, staff and guests. I hope it continues to grow and we can get more and more people to participate. I have been so amazed by the calibre of talks over the last two years and can’t wait for next year!”

The conference also raised funds for LGBT charity Schools Out, founder of LGBT History Month. A video of the conference, which is being created by KTV, will shortly be available on the LGBT+ Staff Network blog.

The KentVision Programme would like to invite you to read the first issue of our newly launched Newsletter.

The Newsletter will be issued fortnightly to our subscribers, sharing updates on our progress, introducing some of the coming changes and letting you know when there’s upcoming events. All the details of how to get involved will be right there!

If you’re not already subscribed, we hope you will be soon. You can do so on Sympa, or by emailing SUBSCRIBE to KentVision@kent.ac.uk .

The KentVision Programme

The KentVision Programme is working to refine our student administration processes alongside implementation of a new student management system.

From September 2018 KentVision will be used for an array of administrative activities across the complete student lifecycle, including everything from student, programme or module looks ups to registering students, viewing module diets, entering and viewing marks, approving PGR supervisory meetings, processing scholarships and more.

And KentVision will also be there for students, whether enrolling, choosing modules, accessing timetables or viewing personal information, PGR progress reviews and marks. View the SharePoint site.

Currently undertaking a practice based PhD in Fine Art at SMFA on the cognitive conditions of pictorial attention (with the support of a University of Kent Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship), artist Moyra Derby is featured in a new exhibition which opens on Thursday 1 March at 18.30, running until 31 March.

‘Interval [ ] still : now’ is a collaboration between five artists –  Moyra Derby, Nicky Hamlyn, Conor Kelly, Joan Key, and Jost Münster. The exhibition reflects on the momentary encounter, caught within or cut by the limit of rectangular support, viewfinder, picture space, window space or film reel.

Their approach is unified by framing as a shared convention between film and painting. The interruptions that occur through cross cuts, edits, overlays and spacings between works becomes a defining consideration. The architectural and durational containment of work through exhibition is a further form of framing that the Interval project foregrounds.
Tintype opened in 2010 and currently represents twelve artists from the UK, Germany, Romania, Hong Kong and Canada. At Tintype, a large window frames the space from the street and provides a dual aspect for work – pictorialized from outside, offering an overview and invitation – fragmented and spatially shifting inside. The cut in time and structured spacing implied by the term interval highlights this change of view and perspective between the street and the gallery. Within Tintype, there is a third aspect – because the window is so large and the street outside so busy ­– it is hard not to be aware of the constantly changing streetscape.
Working collaboratively since 2016, the five artists developed ‘Interval [ ] Stop Gap’ in 2017 at the Herbert Read Gallery, UCA Canterbury, and ‘Interval [ ] in 2016’ as part of the Whitstable Biennale.

A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a Founding Trustee of Crate Studio & Project Space in Margate, Moyra studied at University of Ulster at Belfast and Cheltenham School of Art. She received an MA Painting from the Royal College of Art. 1996, where she received the Basil H Alkazzi Travel Scholarship to New York, La Cité Internationale des Arts Paris Studio Award and The British Institution Fund Painting Award.  She is Senior Lecturer in Painting on the BA Fine Art course at UCA Canterbury.

Venue details: Tintype, 107 Essex Road, London, N1 2SL,  Tel 0207 354 4360

Wed – Sat: 12.00 – 18.00

Image: Installation view, Interval [ ], Whitstable Biennale, 2016

Colyer-Fergusson Gallery is delighted to be hosting ‘Blue,’ a new exhibition by Canterbury artist Adam De Ville. A striking series of images exploring ideas of identity, belonging, loss and technology, the exhibition’s title-painting relates to the Chamber Choir’s rehearsal and performance of Pergolesi’s ‘Stabat Mater,’ a Baroque masterpiece setting the hymn to the suffering of the Virgin Mary during Christ’s crucifixion.

The exhibition is open during normal opening hours for Colyer-Fergusson; admission is free, and there is disabled access.

More information about the exhibition can be found here.

The Pride (‘Personal responsibility in delivering excellence’) Award recognises members of Kent Hospitality staff who go out of their way to deliver excellent customer service.

Any Kent Hospitality staff member (permanent or casual) may be nominated from Canterbury and Medway campuses. Each winner receives £100 of shopping vouchers, a certificate and a badge.

Nominations can be made by any member of University staff, students or visitors. Make your nomination online or alternatively you can pick up a paper form next to the red nomination boxes located in all Kent Hospitality’s catering outlets in Canterbury and Medway, as well College reception areas.

Please make your nominations detailed, providing as much information as possible why the nominee is being put forward for a Pride Award. The panel are looking for staff who achieve more than just what is expected in their role (ie hardworking, professional, positive and friendly attitude).

Congratulations to December’s Pride Award winners – Fay Allen, Student Accommodation Co-ordinator and Christine Nottage, Keynes Day Cleaner.

Nominate today!

The award-winning University of Kent Student Success Project is delighted to host international poet/writer, Poet Laureate of Canterbury and Chancellor of the University of Manchester, Lemn Sissay MBE as part of our Inspirational Speaker Series on Monday 26th February 2018 at 5.30pm.

Lemn Sissay MBE is the author of several books of poetry alongside articles, records, public art, and plays.

He was the official poet for the London Olympics and for the FA Cup in 2015. His Landmark Poems are installed throughout Manchester and London in venues such as The Royal Festival Hall and The Olympic Park.

Bishop Desmond Tutu unveiled his landmark poem Gilt of Cain and his appearance on Desert Island Discs was pick of the year for BBC Radio 4 in 2015.

Lemn was the first Black Writers Development Worker in the North of England. He created and established Cultureword (part of Commonword), where he developed, supported and published many new writers who’ve gone on to a life of creativity. Sissay received an MBE from The Queen for services to literature.

He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Huddersfield, which runs the Sissay Scholarship for care leavers: the first of its kind in the UK. Lemn has also instigated the launch of the Lemn Sissay Law Bursaries at the University of Manchester, an initiative aimed at facilitating the development of black lawyers.

Come and hear the fascinating story of how Lemn created ‘Gold from the Stone’.

This event is free and open to all with a valid ticket. Networking and free nibbles will follow the event. Tickets are available via EventBrite.

Did you know that you can broaden your experience and enhance your skills through a funded Erasmus+ training or teaching visit to one of our partner universities?

Visits provide fantastic opportunities to exchange ideas and good practice; gain insights into the HE/business culture in other countries; and acquire an increased understanding of the needs and experience of international students who come to study at Kent.

You can find out more on our Global webpages.

Some funding is still available for visits which take place before July 2018 so contact Erasmus@kent.ac.uk now to register your interest!

Many partners offer organised Staff Training Weeks focusing on particular areas of work, e.g. Finance or Careers, with a set programme. Go to http://staffmobility.eu/ for details of the events this spring and summer.

The next meeting of the Kent Enterprise and Impact Network (KEIN) will take place on Wednesday 28 February from 12:00 -14:00 in Keynes Seminar Room 14.

In this session, we will look at ‘Enterprising next steps: protecting and commercialising your research’. You will hear from Dr Chris Solomon, a Reader in SPS and Director of spin-out company VisionMetric Ltd, which is the UK’s leading developer and supplier of facial composite software to the police. Also presenting on the day are Technology Transfer Manager Dr Marcus Goodall on protecting and commercialising your research and Enterprise Relationship Manager Marcus Wright, who will provide information on the Hub for Innovation and Enterprise’s dedicated support for start-up development for staff and graduates.

After a networking lunch, there will be short presentations with Q+A, and an informal discussion.  If you have any enterprise ideas already or have ideas prompted by the presentations, this is also an opportunity to share these and hear about how the University can provide support.

All University staff are welcome to attend. To reserve your place at the session, including a free light lunch, please email entadmin@kent.ac.uk and specify any dietary or access requirements.

If you would like to come along for the presentations only, you are welcome to turn up on the day without booking. Feel free to bring your lunch with you.

KEIN, a network jointly created by Kent Innovation & Enterprise and Learning and Organisational Development, brings together staff interested in collaboration. Academics, researchers, technicians and other members of staff can explore innovation and enterprise activities to maximise the impact of their work and find out about alternative sources of funding in an informal setting.