Monthly Archives: November 2020

Global Officers on a Zoom chat

Meet your Global Officers 2020/21

Representing a range of culture, academic discipline, and personal interests, we are delighted to showcase this year’s cohort of Global Officers who are taking part in the Global Officers Leadership Development (GOLD) Programme.

Here’s the Global Officers Profiles 

The programme is a co-curricular venture, designed to fit around your academic studies.  It provides a framework of activities for globally-minded undergraduate students at Kent to develop their leadership skills, global citizenship and cultural awareness.

So far this year, our Global Officers have explored their own Cultural Intelligence and how they can develop this further; engaged in various virtual exchange projects with students from across the world; participated in inspirational talks offered by our partner universities in addition to playing a key role in future culturally themed WebHangouts.

The Programme provides a forum to learn more about the university, work with the Dean for Internationalisation and other colleagues around the university to share your own journey and experiences, and influence and have an impact on international experiences at Kent in a well-supported space.

“The Programme so far has been excellent, and I’ve been given so many opportunities to develop.  I’m looking forward to managing and organising events myself and engaging with the diverse student body” 

Jordan Pali, first year student, Finance and Investment with a Year in Industry.

Look out for events and initiatives being led by our Global Officers and how you can get involved, follow #KentGlobalOfficers.

If you are inspired by this story, did you know that you can include the GOLD Programme within your degree programme by taking it as a wild module, GOLD500? If you are not able to sign up for the module, you can take this as an extra-curricular activity, applications for 2021/22 will open in the summer.

For more information about the Programme, please email deaninternational@kent.ac.uk

Global Officers on a Zoom chat

Meet your Global Officers 2020/21

Representing a range of culture, academic discipline, and personal interests, we are delighted to showcase this year’s cohort of Global Officers who are taking part in the Global Officers Leadership Development (GOLD) Programme.

Here are the Global Officers Profiles.

The programme is a co-curricular venture, designed to fit around your academic studies.  It provides a framework of activities for globally-minded undergraduate students at Kent to develop their leadership skills, global citizenship and cultural awareness.

So far this year, our Global Officers have explored their own Cultural Intelligence and how they can develop this further; engaged in various virtual exchange projects with students from across the world; participated in inspirational talks offered by our partner universities in addition to playing a key role in future culturally themed WebHangouts.

In addition to their core activity under the programme, Global Officers are available to partner with Kent staff for any divisional, school or departmental projects, events or activities on campus.  Some students are already engaged with International Recruitment on an International Experiences at Kent project as well as working with International Partnerships on supporting its activities relating to the Year Abroad.

“The Programme so far has been excellent, and I’ve been given so many opportunities to develop.  I’m looking forward to managing and organising events myself and engaging with the diverse student body” 

Jordan Pali, first year student, Finance and Investment with a Year in Industry.

If you have an activity that you would like to engage our Global Officers, please get in touch.

Did you know that you can also incorporate the GOLD Programme within your degree programmes by listing it as a wild module option, GOLD500? If your programmes do not allow for this, then students can still take this as an extra-curricular activity; applications for 2021/22 will open in the summer.

For more information about the Programme, please email deaninternational@kent.ac.uk

A cheesburger, fries and drink

Catering outlets open during lockdown

Despite tighter safety measures in place, the majority of catering outlets at Canterbury remain open for breakfast time treats, delicious lunches, barista coffees, and everything in between.

With the exception of K-Bar, The Street Kitchen and Create, all other units remain open for business, operating a takeaway only service.

Please remember to follow current safety and social distancing procedures when visiting an outlet, to keep yourself and those around you safe. If you would like more detailed information regarding Coronavirus and the University’s catering operations, a full list of FAQs can be found on the catering website.

Below is a list of campus outlets currently open during the national lockdown:

Origins (Darwin College)

  • Monday – Friday, 12:00 – 21:00
  • Saturday – Sunday, 15:00 – 21:00

Gulbenkian Café Bar (Gulbenkian)

  • Monday – Friday, 10:00 – 15:00

Mungo’s (Eliot College)

  • Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 14:00, 15:00 – 21:00

Dolche Vita (Keynes College)

  • Monday – Friday, 08:30 – 17:00

Sibson Café (Sibson Building)

  • Monday – Friday, 08:45 – 15:00

Hut 8 (Turing College)

  • Monday – Friday, 12:00 – 22:00
  • Saturday – Sunday, 17:00 – 22:00

Bag It (Rutherford College)

  • Monday – Friday, 09:30 – 16:00

Rutherford Dining Hall (Rutherford College)

  • Monday – Friday
  • Lunch 12:00 – 14:00
  • Dinner 17:00 – 20:00
  • Wok Bar 12:00 – 20:00
  • Saturday – Sunday
  • Brunch 08:30 – 14:00
  • Dinner 17:00 – 20:00

No.1 and The Galvanising Cafe at Medway are currently closed until the new year.

Please note, eat-in arrangements have been made for students on Bed and Bistro or Bed and Flex contracts.

Kent logo

Student travel window update

From Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience 

As outlined in my previous email on 13 November 2020, the Department for Education has set out guidance regarding a ‘Student Travel Window’ between 3-9 December 2020. This has been designed to enable you to travel home in time for Christmas, should you choose to do so, whilst enabling you and your loved ones to be as safe as possible.

We are holding a student WebChat about travel and vacation arrangements on 20 November 11.30-12.30 so do please join us if you have any questions.

The University will be stopping all face-to-face teaching by 4 December 2020 and will continue to provide teaching online until the end of the Autumn term (18 December 2020).

Your School will be able to provide further information concerning when your face-to-face teaching will stop. This information will also be available on your timetable on SDS.

  • If you do not have face-to-face teaching on 3-4 December 2020, please try to travel home between 3-6 December 2020.
  • If your face-to-face teaching continues until 4 December 2020, please try to travel home between 5-9 December 2020.

Where possible, please do try to travel home in your recommended departure window. This will make it easier for you to depart campus or the city centre, and should make your onward journey run more smoothly. Moreover, you are likely to find travel more straightforward if you are able to avoid the weekend (5-6 December) We do appreciate however that some of you may already have made other plans or may be intending to remain with us for longer, which you are of course very welcome to do so.

 

Please bear in mind that transport routes and travel providers may be very busy during this time. Some may also be running a reduced service. Please plan your journey in plenty of time and ensure you pre-book tickets should you need them.

We are working with travel providers and transport companies to find out their planned services. We will provide you with information on this as soon as available.

Please do refer to our Christmas travel and vacation arrangements FAQs for the latest information.

With my best wishes,

Richard

Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience

 

Kent Logo

Student travel window and vacation update

From Professor Richard Reece, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education & Student Experience:

Following my previous email to you on 11 November 2020, I would like to provide you with further information regarding the end of the Autumn Term and to let you know that we have published a new set of FAQs helping to explain the arrangements for travel home, the end of term and the winter vacation period. We are also running a  WebChat on 20 November 2020 to discuss any questions you may have.

The Department for Education has set out guidance outlining plans to bring students safely home for Christmas. This allocates a ‘Student Travel Window’ between 3-9 December 2020 and the Government is requesting that all students travel from their term-time address to their permanent home during this time.

We are currently developing plans to support all students that wish to travel home during the Student Travel Window to do so safely.

Although the Government have specified 3-9 December 2020 as the Student Travel Window, we appreciate that some of you may have alternative travel arrangements or may not be able to travel then for other reasons. Some of you may also intend to remain at University after 9 December 2020 or over the winter vacation period. I want to reassure you that we will support you whatever your plans and personal circumstances. The University and our accommodation will remain open for any students who wish to stay with us.

The Government have requested that we co-ordinate staggered travel dates for you in conjunction with local transport companies and other universities in the region. To enable this, we intend to stop all face-to-face teaching by 4 December 2020 and all teaching will continue online until the end of this term (18 December 2020). 

All students will be provided with a recommended travel period between 3-9 December 2020 and if you do wish to travel home, we ask that you please do so during this period if possible. By staggering the departure dates for students leaving on-campus accommodation, we can ensure similar numbers leave each day of the Student Travel Window. This will make it easier for you to adhere to social distancing guidelines and should make your travel plans run more smoothly. For those of you living off-campus, please also try to travel within your recommended travel period if you can do so.

I would like to remind you that if you do wish to return to your home for Christmas but choose to remain at University after 9 December 2020, you may have to self-isolate for up to 14 days if you contract coronavirus or if you are identified as coming into close contact with someone who has tested positive. This may impact on your plans and could prevent you from travelling home for the winter vacation at a later stage. Please do consider this when deciding when to return to your permanent home and when making your personal travel arrangements.

As well as our new Student FAQs concerning end of term travel arrangements, more information can be found in our dedicated webpages.

If you need any support, please email CovidSupport@kent.ac.uk or call 01227 823158 (Canterbury) or 01634 888969 (Medway).

With my best wishes,

Richard

Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience

Campus shuttle bus

Delays on the Campus Shuttle Service

There are severe delays to the Campus Shuttle Service today due to the M2 being closed because of a vehicle on fire, and part of the A2 being closed due to a gas leak. Therefore, the Campus Shuttle are now using the M20. This has impacted the journey time and has meant that the shuttle will be operating at different times today.

The services operating will be:

10:30
12:30
14:30

This will be the time of the service from Canterbury to Medway, and from Medway to Canterbury.

The situation is being monitored and any changes will be updated as soon as possible.

Kent logo

Covid-19 update – 12 November 2020

The Government has now released its plans to bring students safely home for Christmas.

The plan allocates a ‘Student Travel Window ’between 3-9 December 2020 during which all students are being asked to return to their permanent home. This Travel Window immediately follows the national lockdown that’s currently in place until in place 2 December 2020.

During the lockdown, students have been encouraged to adhere to the national guidelines and limit their contact with others. The prevalence of Covid-19 infections therefore should be lower within the student population, meaning there is less chance of them spreading the virus to family members when they return to their permanent home.

Since the Government’s announcement, staff from across the University have been developing plans to support our students’ safe departure from Kent. Although teaching will continue until the end of term on 18 December, it is our intention to move all teaching online by earlier than this.

Students will be allocated a period during the Student Travel Window (3-9 December) within which they should aim to travel back to their permanent home. We are working with local providers and travel companies to support students to get home safely adhering to social distancing guidelines.

We are aware that some students will have alternative travel plans or it may not be possible for them to travel during the 3-9 December Travel Window. Some students will also wish to stay on campus after 9 December. We will support all students regardless of their personal circumstances and are currently working with Kent Union to develop plans to support those students who will be spending Christmas with us.

We have published a new set of Student FAQs outlining the Government’s Student Travel Window plans, how the staggered departure times will be managed and what students should do if they intend to stay at Kent past 9 December. We will be emailing students with further information on this tomorrow.

There will be a WebChat available to students on Friday 20 November to discuss any further questions they may have regarding the end of term and vacation period.

Vice-Chancellor’s update – 12 November 2020

Colleagues across the University continue to work to respond to the government’s plans to enable students to travel home safely before Christmas and to provide clarity for our students about how this will impact on them.

We are working to ensure those students who wish to travel during the ‘travel window’ of 3-9 December are able to do so. However, we are also very aware that this may not work for everyone, some will have travel arrangements already in place and others will have been planning to remain in their accommodation over the Christmas break. We need to make sure our students are able to decide what works and is the safest option for them and their families.

We have ‘expressed an interest’ in taking part in the national scheme for asymptomatic testing of our students and wait to hear back from the government. We are aware this scheme will be prioritised to those areas with a high incidence of coronavirus cases. We continue to work closely with our local public health team in terms of decisions we are making and on advice to staff and students at this time.

Against this backdrop of Covid-related activity, it is fantastic to hear about great work that continues to take place across the University in support of our core activity of education, research and engagement. I would like to congratulate three colleagues in the Department of Philosophy and School of Arts (Division of Arts and Humanities) who have been shortlisted across three categories in the 2020 Medical Humanities Awards.

Dr Jon Williamson, Professor of Reasoning, Inference and Scientific Method, has been shortlisted in the Best Research category for ‘Evaluating Evidence in Medicine’, an Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project that aims to broaden the range of evidence considered by evidence-based medicine. Dr Michael Wilde, Lecturer in Philosophy, has been shortlisted in the Best Early Career Research category for ‘Improving evidence evaluation in medicine’. Michael’s research develops a theory of evidence to enhance the understanding of how causal claims are established in medicine. Dr Nicola Shaughnessy, Professor of Performance, has been shortlisted for the Leadership Award. Nicola has been at the forefront of new fields of research around creativity and neurodiversity, in particular, the projects ‘Imagining Autism’ and ‘Playing A/Part’. She has also demonstrated exceptional leadership of PhD students and early career researchers in the field.

The Medical Humanities Awards are a highly renowned collaboration between the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Wellcome Trust and it testifies to Kent’s strength in the Medical Humanities that ours is the only institution to be shortlisted across three categories in this year’s awards.

My very best wishes to you and your families,

Karen

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President

Diwali candles

Diwali celebration web hangout, 16 November

All students are welcome to join this fun and informal, Diwali themed, Web Hangout.

This Web Hangout will take place on Monday 16 November, from 12.00-13.00.

We will be joined by Professor Nitin Arora, Happiness Proctor at Amnity University who will be giving a talk during our event.

Meet new students, take part in fun activities and share stories and experiences.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Sign up for the Diwali Web Hangout now.

Be kind written in coloured chalk on a chalkboard

Top 10 ways to be kind to yourself and others

Being kind to yourself and others is something we should all practise and a message that’s even more important during the current pandemic and lockdown.

World Kindness Day is celebrated annually on 13 November and is marked by good deeds and pledging acts of kindness to make the world a better place. In the UK, Kindness Day UK was launched in 2010 and is organised by Kindness UK, a not-for-profit organisation.

Here are some suggestions on how you can show kindness during lockdown (and remember being kind is not just for the day, but always):

1.Organise a virtual get-together for someone who’s going through a rough time.

2.Follow some positive accounts on social media, for example @kindness.news, @wholesome_planet and @the_happy_broadcast on Instagram. If a post brightens your day, share it with others.

3.Drop a note to an elderly neighbour to ask them if they need anything. Help someone feel less isolated.

4.Allow yourself breaks from study and work. A screen break can also be beneficial.

5.Take time to check in with a friend you haven’t spoken to for a while.

6,Clear out your old clothes ready to take to a charity shop. If you don’t need it, give it!

7.Invite your friends list to ‘like’ the page of a local business to help it grow.

8.Offer to make your housemate a cup of tea or a meal.

9.Always say thank you. You could take the time to thank a teacher or lecturer who has helped you.

10.Take some time for yourself! Be sure to set some time aside in the week to do something you enjoy.