Monthly Archives: September 2019

TEF and Student Engagement Conference

Colleagues are invited to attend The TEF and Student Engagement Conference scheduled for Friday 8 November 2019 in the Woolf Lecture Theatre. The conference aims to promote, share and explore practices to enhance education, student experience and student engagement. Our keynote speakers are Professor Becky Huxley-Binns from the University of Hull, Tom Lowe from the University of Winchester and Dr Jenny Marie from University College London.

These talks will be complemented by a set of workshops covering a number of our potential TEF case studies to stimulate discussion and further innovation, alongside networking opportunities designed to facilitate wider conversations about the TEF and how we can best prepare for our next submission/s.

As part of our University-wide community approach to TEF, this all day event is open to all staff at the University. The conference is free to attend but you must book your place before 31 October 2019 by completing the online booking form.

Support at Medway campus

Now the Welcome Week madness is over, it’s probably a good time to start exploring Kent and the support services we have to offer. Watch our support, health and wellbeing video.

Support with your studies

Studying for a degree is very different to studying at school. You have a lot more control over your learning and greater independence.

You will also be asked to do things you’ve never had to do before (eg referencing in a certain way, dissertations, vivas…) this is where the Student Learning and Advisory Service (SLAS for short) steps in.

SLAS can help you with everything from perfecting your essay writing to learning how to reference properly. You can learn in your own time using our online guides or attend one of SLAS’ many workshops.

Don’t forget your school is also there to help you with your studies and offer a range of study support.

Have you checked in with Student Support and Wellbeing?

If you have a disability you should contact Student Support. They can provide not only academic support but can help with applications for funding.

If you’re going through a difficult time or just don’t feel happy – staff in our Wellbeing Team are always available to listen.

Advice Centre

From money worries to getting on with your housemates, GK Unions Student Advice Centre are available to help. All advice is free – so make the most of it!

Medical advice

You are advised to register with a practice near to your accommodation. The two closest The two closest medical practices to campus and Liberty Quays are the Sunlight Surgery and St Mary’s Island Surgery.

Master’s Office

When you arrived at Kent you automatically joined a college. Your Master’s Office is there to give advice and can be used as a first port of call for any questions you may have.

You can also get advice and support from your Student College Community Life Officers and Assistants who work in the colleges and the community. This could include offering assistance if you are concerned about a flatmate, being disturbed by noise or there are problems with untidiness in your shared accommodation.

Chaplaincy

University Chaplains run a wide range of religious and social events (including a very festive carol service in St George’s Centre on campus). They are also a good contact for advice and support.

Support at Canterbury campus

Now the Welcome Week madness is over, it’s probably a good time to start exploring Kent and the support services on offer. Watch our support, health and wellbeing video to learn more.

Support with your studies

Studying for a degree is very different to studying at school. You have a lot more control over your learning and greater independence.

Don’t forget your school is also there to help you with your studies and offer a range of study support.

Have you checked in with Student Support and Wellbeing?

If you have a disability you should contact Student Support. They can provide not only academic support but can help with funding applications.

If you’re going through a difficult time or just don’t feel happy – staff in our Wellbeing Team are always available to listen.

They also run a series of well-being workshops to help you get the best out of University life.

Advice Centre

From money worries to getting on with your housemates, Kent Union’s Advice Centre is available to help. All advice is free to Kent students – so make the most of it!

Medical advice

Kent has its own NHS general practice on campus. There’s also an independent pharmacy next door, so you don’t have to go far when you’re feeling under the weather.

If you need any medical advice, treatment of a minor illness/injury or contraceptive advice, you can visit the ‘drop-in’ Nursing Services on central campus next to Campus Security.

Your College

When you arrived at Kent you automatically joined a college. Your Master’s Office is there to give advice and can be used as a first port of call for any questions you may have.

Chaplaincy

University Chaplains run a wide range of religious and social events (including a very festive carol service in the Cathedral). They are also a good contact for advice and support.

International students

As well as all the other support services available to students, international students can visit International Team in the Registry Building. They can help with any international related queries and run a series of cultural events.

Kent Union

The Vice-President (Welfare and Community) officer at Kent Union campaigns on well-being related matters so if students have any queries or issues they would like to discuss they can contact Omolade directly: O.Adedapo@kent.ac.uk

Collections Review volunteer opportunity at The Beaney

As part of the national Happy Museums initiative, The Beaney House of Art and Knowledge is recruiting student volunteers affected by anxiety for an ongoing project.

Paul Russell of Canterbury Museums and Galleries explains:

‘The project is primarily a review of our stored art collection, which includes work by Henry Moore, David Hockney and a wide selection of Old Masters. The aim is to give us a greater understanding of this amazing resource and explore ways to make it more relevant and accessible to our audience whilst benefiting and developing the skills and experience of our volunteers. Working with museum staff and art experts, volunteers will follow our established system to record and photograph each artwork in the museum’s art collection.

Canterbury Museums and Galleries is a National Portfolio Organisation recognised for our health and well-being work. As part of the national Happy Museums initiative we are exploring its benefits in every part of our work and embedding health and well-being across our activities. We currently use our collection for therapeutic purposes to support and deliver health and well-being outcomes for our local community, and in the past our volunteers have reported that working with museum objects has helped their confidence. Wider evidence also shows that volunteering has a positive effect for people who suffer from anxiety. This project aims to build on this success so we are particularly interested in working with volunteers who are affected by anxiety in the hope that it will have a positive impact on their well-being and employability. We would like to gather evidence for this by asking volunteers to participate in an evaluation exercise as the project progresses.’

The Beaney is keen to engage with students from the University of Kent, so please contact paul.russell@canterbury.gov.uk to join the project.

Dice Talks – Palm Oil – friend or foe?

This month’s talk by DICE (Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology) focuses on their ground-breaking work on the impacts of palm oil on conservation and local people’s livelihoods in Indonesia and Malaysia. The talk will be given by Drs Matt Struebig and Jake Bicknell from DICE.

The event will take place on Thursday 26 September from 18.00 to 19.00 in Grimond Lecture Theatre 1. For more details please visit the Event’s Facebook page. Please also share this message with anyone you think might be interested and encourage them to sign up to our mailing list.

The DICE talks are a monthly set of free and public events that showcase the work of DICE members, students and alumni. They take place between 18:00 and 19:00 on a Thursday each month and everyone is welcome to attend.

To find out about future DICE talks then please sign up to our mailing list.

To watch previous DICE talks then subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Nostalgia podcast with Victoria Mullen

In the latest episode of the Nostalgia podcast series, Chris Deacy, Head of the Department of Religious Studies, interviews Victoria Mullen, a University of Kent Religious Studies alumnus.

Victoria talks about her journey from managing a Canterbury restaurant to doing a degree in Religious Studies and now working as a school lay chaplain in Nottingham. We learn about her early years in Galway, perceptions of sexism and ageing, going swimming every day as a child, Robson & Jerome, seeing Bucks Fizz on stage, Catholic education, why teaching is a vocation, the relationship between forgiveness and sin, and what Victoria’s younger self would think about what she is doing now.

Religion in the German-Speaking World

Dr Ian Cooper, Lecturer in German for the Department of Modern Languages, has recently co-edited a publication titled Literature and Religion in the German-Speaking World (Cambridge University Press, 2019).

Ian says: “More than any other literature in Europe, and for deep-seated historical reasons, the German literary tradition has from its beginnings been in constant dialogue with religious ideas – whether expressing them or challenging them. This is the first book to address the meaning of that relationship across 800 years of literature in German, and shows how German-speaking culture from the medieval period to our own time has been profoundly concerned with the interconnections between the religious and the secular.”

Audition for J B Priestley’s Dangerous Corner

The University of Kent Players are pleased to announce that auditions for the University of Kent Players February production of Dangerous Corner, by J B Priestley will take place on:

• Wednesday 2nd October 12 – 13.30

• Thursday 3rd October 17.30 – 19.30 (arrive from 17.00 for a 19.30 start)

Both rehearsals will be in Cornwallis East 329 (third floor).

Dangerous Corner overview: Robert Caplan and his wife are entertaining her brother and sister-in-law, Olwen Peel and Charles Stanton – all of whom are associated with Robert in a publishing business. Because Robert insists on uncovering the truth about his brother Martin’s “suicide”, many unpalatable revelations ensue.

As always, it would be great if you’re able to attend both audition dates, but this is not essential. The audition process itself is fairly informal, with a chance to meet everyone and ask questions before the audition begins.

The production dates are 27-29 February 2020 and all cast/crew will be expected to be available for the full show week starting 24 February.

In terms of rehearsals, these are likely to start from mid-late October and to take place around lunchtimes and late afternoons (e.g. 16.00-18.00) depending on cast availability up until Christmas. Post-work rehearsals will begin from January.

If you like any further details about the above or the script ahead of auditions, please do not hesitate to contact the players: players@kent.ac.uk

Fancy starting your own business while at University?

The Business Start-Up Journey is an inspirational programme which brings student business start-up ideas to life.

This 15-week co-curricular programme will provide you with a step-by-step guide to starting a business, teaching you the skills that are required to be a successful entrepreneur.

The programme welcomes all students at the University of Kent. The Journey will be based in the ASPIRE space (Accelerator Space for Innovation and Enterprise) in the Sibson building, Canterbury and at the Medway campus.

The programme’s focus on innovation will enhance your employability. You will learn how to assess risk, how to turn challenges into opportunity and develop leadership, communication, presentation

The majority of the Business Start-Up Journey will be delivered on Wednesday afternoons in Canterbury and Thursday afternoons in Medway, making it easy for you to fit in around your study.

After the Business Start-Up Journey Launch, the times and locations of all events will be supplied to all students wishing to continue on the Journey.

Find out more about the Business Start-Up Journey which is run through Study Plus.

Become a Sustainable Development Goals Ambassador

The University of Kent Sustainability Team are offering an opportunity for students to gain skills in sustainability culture change, communications, and leadership by volunteering as a Goals Ambassador, as part of an exciting project based around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Students will receive training and a minimum of 30 Employability Points as well as being able to influence the sustainability of their University. Closing date is the 18 October.

For more information please have a look at the full role description for Canterbury students and the full role description for Medway students.

Please email sustainability@kent.ac.uk if you have any questions.