Updated web pages have been published for staff with information and resources relating to industrial action. The staff web pages have been updated ahead of strike action scheduled to

take place by members of the University and College Union (UCU) between 24 February and 17 March.

The 14 days of planned action are:
24 February – 26 February
2 March – 5 March
9 March – 13 March
16 March – 17 March

The web pages include links to the industrial action pay policy, FAQs, information about the background to the action and what Kent is doing. They also include instructions for staff to report their participation in the action.

Dedicated web pages for students about industrial action have also been updated, providing up-to-date information about the planned strike action and answers to frequently asked questions.

The new strike dates in February follow a previous period of strike action which began on 25 November 2019 and lasted eight continual days, ending on 4 December 2019.  At Kent, the industrial action relates to the continued dispute regarding the national pay award. Some other institutions are also taking action over changes to the USS pension scheme.

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) and UCU have been in negotiations in an attempt to find a resolution to these national disputes. As part of those discussions, UCEA have made a series of proposals that seek to resolve the pay and conditions dispute following consultation with members including Kent. More information about the proposal can be found in the recent UCEA leaflet.

Are you involved with or been inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Teach-In? Interested in finding out more about the SDGs or how Kent is planning to meet Sustainability challenges? Join us for our Sustainable Development Goals Lunch to talk to operational and academic staff from across the University and beyond about sustainability over a fantastic bespoke Sustainable lunch.

There will also be opportunities to tell us what you think the University’s Sustainability priorities for the next 5 years should be as we develop our first University-wide Sustainability Strategy.

When: Tuesday 25 February, 12.00 – 14.00

Where: Keynes Teaching Foyer

The University’s finest chefs have planned a fantastic buffet including a delicious Butternut Squash and Sweet potato curry with all the trimmings and places are limited so please email sustainability@kent.ac.uk to let us know you will be coming.

As well as to raise awareness of Sustainability at Kent, this event has been planned to celebrate those who take part in the SDG Teach-In during the preceding week (17 – 21 February).

The Teach-In is an NUS-coordinated campaign where universities across the UK aim to make links to the SDGs within their taught courses during the week of the 17 – 21 February 2020. For more information about the SDG teach-In please visit our Sustainability Education web pages

An open event is being hosted by the Canterbury Society on Wednesday 19 February at 19.30 in St Thomas’ Church hall to explore the roles of government, community and individuals in tackling the climate and ecological emergency.

As part of delivering the University’s civic mission, we work closely with communities and organisations across Kent to ensure collaboration in tackling the issues of climate, ecological breakdown and social inequality within our region.

Representatives from the University participate in the local Sustainable Development Goals Forum, a collective of civil society groups aiming to raise awareness and plan activity around the SDGs and to inform local decision making on these issues. More recently, in response to Canterbury City Council’s declaration of Climate Emergency, the Canterbury Climate Action Partnership (CCAP) was formed to address the climate emergency.

CCAP are organising the event with the Canterbury Society for Wednesday 19 February to explore the possible responses to the climate and ecological emergency.  University students and staff will participate in two panels: The first, Strategic choices to reach zero carbon, will explore the relationship between local government and the community in making decisions about the future of the city and district.  The second panel, Taking direct responsibility for zero carbon, will explore how each of us can participate in movement of change within our communities, businesses and institutions.

The event will introduced by Professor Richard Scase, Emeritus Professor in the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research and one of the world’s leading business forecasters and chaired be Dr Carl Wright, Trustee of the United Nations Association UK and of Canterbury Climate Action Partnership.

For more information about the event please visit the Canterbury Society website.

The SDG fortnight is being organised by the Sustainability Team. For more information or to view the full programme please visit our webpages or email sustainability@kent.ac.uk. 

Since the summer of 2019,  those who made Expressions of Interest for Signature Research Themes have been developing their ideas and expanding their scope by talking to researchers across the University and beyond. We now need your help on Wednesday 25 March to help select our first Themes.

The eight shortlisted themes will be presenting their vision to all interested colleagues from across the university at  morning event in the Darwin Conference Suite. Following the presentations and questions from the floor, a decision-making panel of internal and external, national and international, experts chaired by Professor Karen Cox will convene and make a decision on the Themes the University will take forward.

The morning starts at 9.00 with coffee, with presentations starting at 9.40 and finishing at 13.00. Each presentation is 10 minutes with 10 minutes for questions. The shortlisted themes presenting on the day are:

• On Time: Heritage, technologies and futures
• Food Systems, Natural Resources and the Environment
• Migration and Movement
• Artificial Intelligence in the Public Interest
• Conflict, Security, Rights and Violence
• DIVERSITY and (Dis)advantages
• Digital Culture
• Future Human

Having been through an energetic and exciting process internally over the past year, we are delighted that we have excellent proposals at this stage, and hope you are able to attend on the 25 March and contribute your thoughts on the proposed themes and be involved in their future research.

Tim Hopthrow, Catherine Richardson, Dan Mulvihill and Sarah Slowe

If you haven’t already booked your place now is the perfect time to register to attend the Commercial Services Showcase on Friday 6 March 2020. 

As well as having our teams from Conferences and Events, Accommodation, Catering, Gulbenkian, Kent Sport and KentOne Card for you to talk to, our generous catering teams will be providing some of their popular dishes from across campus for you to try, as well as some new additions to our delivered catering menu.

You can also find out more about our tailored event management service and group facilities, look around campus using our virtual reality headsets, or enter our prize draw to win one of these fantastic prizes:

• Gulbenkian cinema tickets

• One month Premium Plus Kent Sport membership

• 30 minute massage at the Kent Sport Physiotherapy clinic

• One night B&B stay at the University of Kent

• Afternoon tea for six delivered to you on campus

• KentOne Card credit

• Kent Hospitality Catering vouchers

So drop in between 12.00 and 18.00 to enjoy all this, find out how you can take advantage of our services and facilities and how our teams can help you.

It’s free to attend, all we ask is that you register before Tuesday 3 March 2020 to give us an idea of how much food to cook up and goody bags to pack! Book now on the Kent Hospitality website.

Further information on the Commercial Services Showcase is available on the conference webpage or contact the Conference Office at conferences@kent.ac.uk or ext. 8000 for more information.

We look forward to seeing you there!

As part of our fortnight of activity based around the Sustainable Development Goals, William Rowlandson, lecturer in SECL is hosting 2 outdoor events to help staff and students reconnect with nature on campus:

18 February, 12.00 – Nuts about trees (William Rowlandson)

Join us in planting a Kentish cobnut in the nut orchard at the Kent Community Oasis Garden. A cobnut is a cultivated variety of hazelnut, developed in the early 19^th Century. Hardy and bountiful, cobnuts are ideal trees to supplement our precarious food security. The nuts contain a range of vitamins and are an excellent source of fibre and protein. Meet outside the School of Arts at 12 to walk to the Garden (10 mins)

21 February, 12.00 – Wild Walk with William (William Rowlandson)

The Kent Tree Ogham is a landscape art project, launched in 2017, mapping 13 autochthonous trees across the University campus in a walking route. Each tree is marked by its associated symbol in the ancient Celtic Ogham script, an alphabet somewhat similar to Nordic runes.

From meeting outside the School of Arts at 12.00 we will walk the Southern half of the route, spending time Rowan, Birch, Willow, Oak, Ash and Holly.

At the heart of the Kent Tree Ogham is the will to honour and protect the trees, mindful that the trees honour and protect us.

Bring a sandwich and thermos and stout boots.

The SDG fortnight is being organised by the Sustainability Team. For more information or to view the full programme please visit our webpages  or email sustainability@kent.ac.uk