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

A warm welcome back to all of you who have returned to work this week – I hope you all had a chance to unwind over the Winter Break, and that your plans were largely able to go ahead as intended. My thanks also to all of those who remained working on campus over the break to support the 500 or so students who remained with us. 

Following yesterday afternoon’s Government announcements on the ongoing Covid-19 guidance, I wanted to send a quick reminder to everyone of where things are as we head into the next term. There has been lots of attention on the rise in case numbers nationally, which I know will be concerning for many – I want to reassure you that the safety and wellbeing of our entire community has always been, and will continue to be, our key concern. We will also be holding a Staff Webchat to discuss all of this in more detail on Friday 14 January at 2pm ahead of the start of term – you can sign up for this online. 

Working from home 

The current guidance remains that everyone not involved in the delivery and support of teaching and direct student services or research should continue to work from home until 26 January where possible. Non-essential on-campus meetings or gatherings should also be avoided. 

Teaching in the Spring Term 

As you know, in the Autumn term, we held face-to-face teaching sessions for seminars, tutorials, lab classes, etc but retained the majority of our lectures in an online form. We have committed to provide students with face-to-face lectures in the Spring term, and the Government continues to stress the importance of this in their sector-specific guidance. While the situation is far from straightforward, this is still our intention – we are also taking the associated safety aspects very seriously, including undertaking risk assessments to ensure each area is safe, and reducing lecture theatre capacity in a number of cases to ensure appropriate ventilation.  

Together with the expectation for all staff and students to test regularly and to wear face masks in our buildings, and particularly during teaching sessions, I am confident that returning to in-person lectures is the right thing to do at this stage. We will, of course, continue to closely monitor case numbers locally. 

Face coverings 

Everyone on campus is still expected to wear face coverings in places where social distancing can’t be maintained such as in teaching spaces and communal areas, unless they have a medical exemption. In most cases, those teaching classes will not need to wear face coverings as they will have room to be socially distanced at the front of the class. 

Elsewhere, face coverings should also be worn in shared offices and other indoor spaces where it is not possible to maintain social distancing. 

Together with the expectation for all staff and students to test regularly and to wear face masks in our buildings, including students during teaching sessions, I am confident that returning to in-person lectures is the right thing to do at this stage. We will, of course, continue to closely monitor case numbers locally. 

Testing  

Those coming onto campus should continue to test regularly and report your results to the NHS online. Take-home lateral flow tests are currently available for those on campus from either Campus Security or Templeman Library Deliveries entrance on Library Road – they will shortly be available more widely, with a further update to follow on other locations. If you do test positive for Covid, please inform us by emailing CovidSupport@kent.ac.uk and also let your manager know as soon as possible while you isolate. 

Ongoing support 

Both the national picture and the continued uncertainty as a result is difficult for all of us and it is really important you can access support when you need it. If you are worried or need further support, please do speak with your line manager or email CovidSupport@kent.ac.uk. You can also get free, confidential advice at any time via our Employee Assistance Programme. 

Thank you once again to all of you for the huge efforts I know all are making to keep things going while keeping everyone safe. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and I will provide a further update later in the month ahead of the current restrictions ending. 

Richard 

Professor Richard Reece | DVC Education & Student Experience

As part of our statutory requirements to the Prevent Duty, Higher Education institutions are required to provide staff with Prevent awareness training.

Prevent is an aspect of the University’s Safeguarding and Duty of Care Policy, and we encourage all staff to complete this e-learning module, which can be found on Moodle. This new e-learning module will give staff an introduction to Prevent, our local risk context in Kent and Medway, and advice on what to do with a Prevent related concern. If you have any problems accessing this module, please contact ldev@kent.ac.uk .

Alongside this module, the University continues to provide Prevent Safeguarding Awareness training for student facing staff facilitated by the Centre for Child Protection using the simulation Behind Closed Doors. For more information on these training sessions, please contact Emma Soutar e.soutar@kent.ac.uk .

The Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries Fellowship Programme provides funding for individuals who want to extend the use of their research within the cultural and creative industries.

The fellowship will last for one year and the total funding available is up to £3,000 to spend over the course of the fellowship.  This funding can be used for any activities that:

• Meet the goal of the fellow and follow our four key thematic areas of research:

– Health & Wellbeing

– Creative & Cultural Education

– Creative Heritage

– Human-Machine Creativity

• Foster novel ways of working with our Associate Artists and Kent staff; for instance, around technology transfer, impact, grant applications, network building.

Examples of possible activities include travel, hosting of online workshops, running training events, spending towards prototype development, nurturing or contributing to communities of practice, collaborative activity with other Fellows or Associate Artists.

Full details can be found the Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (iCCi) webpages, but if you have any questions please contact icci@kent.ac.uk

How to apply

Applications for the Fellowship Programme 2022 are now open.

Please submit your CV and covering letter to explain your plan for the fellowship and how it will help you and the Institute to achieve goals together.

Email application to: icci@kent.ac.uk

Key dates: Applications close at midnight on April 4, 2022

Online interview: during the week commencing April 11, 2022.

The Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) and Talent and Organisational Development (T&OD) are delighted to announce the launch of the new Central Researcher Induction module.

Designed for all staff who research, especially those who are new to the University, but also colleagues already working here, the module contextualises Kent’s research and innovation activities, signposts available support and resources, and encourages you to plan your career and engage with our researcher community.

It takes approximately 30 minutes to complete the module and you can return to it for reference at any time. There is also an accompanying ‘Useful links’ document available on SharePoint (Kent staff login required), which contains links to information sources of use and relevance to you as a member of our academic and research staff.

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate and Researcher College, said: “The Central Researcher Induction module is one of a series of resources being developed to support staff who research at Kent, as outlined in the University’s Concordat and HRER Award Action Plans. I urge all my academic and research colleagues to complete this excellent short course, which should enhance your appreciation of the research environment at Kent, including the support and resources available to you as a researcher. It is half an hour well spent.”

The module is one of a suite of new eLearning modules available to Kent staff via Staff training Moodle, the learning platform that houses all of the University’s internal eLearning. Information about available modules can be found in this Digital Communication Guide.

The content will be updated going forward so please on completion give us your honest feedback so that it can be improved for subsequent participants. For any queries regarding this module or researcher development at Kent, please email acresdev@kent.ac.uk.

Would you, or anyone you know, be interested in taking part in this study, which is being run through Canterbury and surrounding areas?

The IsoFIT-BP study is investigating whether static, or ‘isometric’ exercise, such as a wall squat (held in a fixed position) reduces blood pressure.  It is led by a group of researchers from the Centre for Health Services Studies at the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University and East Kent Hospitals.

Dr Jim Wiles, Principal Lecturer from the School of Psychology and Life Sciences at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: ‘So far our research has shown that as little as 24 minutes of isometric exercise per week can successfully reduce most people’s blood pressure by a clinically significant amount. This in turn dramatically reduces the risk of associated diseases such as cardiovascular disease.’

Doctors already advise patients with high blood pressure to make lifestyle changes like stopping smoking and drinking less alcohol. People are also recommended to lose weight, change their diet, and exercise every day, along with taking medication. However, more than half of patients find their blood pressure remains high because they find it hard to stick to these changes and don’t take their medication.  The study is investigating whether prescribing a quick and simple wall squat isometric exercise is easier to stick to and benefits patients.

Consultant Nephrologist (Kidney Specialist) and Hypertension Specialist Dr Tim Doulton, from East Kent Hospitals, said people could potentially see improvements after only a few minutes exercise, three days a week.

If you are interested in finding out more, please see the image below

You can also email isofit-bp@canterbury.ac.uk with any queries. If you take part in the study, you might be required to travel into Canterbury on one occasion. You can register your interest in taking part by following this link to our registration survey.