Since my last update our political landscape has shifted once again with yet another Secretary of State for Education in Gillian Keegan – our fifth in just over a year. She is joined by another new lead, with Grant Shapps now heading up Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Like many we hope for a bit more stability in both areas, and look forward to seeing what this means for universities and the Levelling Up agenda in particular. 

Student numbers and Academic Freedom 

At our more local level, Senate met this week where, along with regular updates from the key Boards and Committees that run across the University, there were focussed discussions on the NSS, Teaching Excellence Framework and Admissions. We also had updates on new entrants and continuation, which is looking challenging for the University as it seems that this year we have more students not progressing between years.  

Colleagues are actively following up with students to reduce this gap by ensuring everyone registers that can,  but it is looking like there will be consequences for budgets. We will look to manage this through contingency, holding back on capital and non-essential spend, re-prioritising any strategic investment and controls around staff recruitment. We will keep colleagues updated. 

Elsewhere, Senate considered an important paper on an updated policy on Academic Freedom, which is the result of diligent work from across our community and goes right to the heart of our purpose as a University – more updates on this will follow. 

Executive Group priorities 

At Executive Group, we are receiving regular updates on the external and internal work to resolve the performance issues with KentVision that were observed during the Boards of Examiners meetings in June and again at Clearing in August. Our own review has identified what seems to be the root cause of these issues and fixes have been applied. Georgina Randsley de Moura is also sponsoring a Timetabling Task Team to review and improve our approach to timetabling after recent issues for both students and staff – this will be supported by colleagues across central and divisional teams and will draw on a number of other related projects. 

At national level, many will have seen that the University and College Union has a renewed mandate for industrial action across all universities over pay, pensions and working conditions. We are not the only sector faced with these issues, with cost of living pressures felt across the country. While we await the outcome of UCU discussions this week for confirmation of plans, we will do all we can to support national negotiations in the interest of a settlement that works for all. We are also drawing up plans to mitigate the impact of any action on students as far as we can if it comes to it. 

Update on Arts and Humanities 

I also wanted to update you further on the work to review our Arts and Humanities offer. I don’t underestimate how worrying a time it is for colleagues whenever there is talk of reviews or changes. This is why I’m really pleased that by working together on a redundancy avoidance agreement, we’ve been able to make a commitment in this case that there will be no compulsory redundancies for colleagues affected by the current review in Arts and Humanities. This is an approach we want to embed whenever we consider major changes in the future, ensuring people can know there is a job for them here if they want to stay.  

Staff Recognition Awards 

While it is a difficult environment for the sector, the way our community comes together to welcome students each new academic year is always special. Next week sees our annual Staff Recognition Awards where we will hear inspirational stories from across the University.

Kent Sport’s Vice-Chancellor’s Cup also gets underway shortly for a bit of fun and healthy competition across teams, while our staff webchat series returns later this month with a session on the Cost of Living. Do try to catch up on these activities outside of day-to-day work where you can, and thank you to all you for everything you do for our students, staff and the wider community. 

Building on this year’s Staff Conference in September, our staff webchat programme returns this month with regular sessions planned throughout the year. This is a chance for everyone to come together and hear updates on key areas of activity across the University, while also giving you the change to ask questions and have your say on our wider plans

This year’s first session is on Thursday 17 November at 12.30 – 13.30, which will be focused on the Cost of Living. Senior representatives from HR, Estates & Commercial Services and Finance will talk through work going on to support students and staff with rising costs, plus what this means for us as a University more widely.

Save the date for this session and watch out for the sign up form next week.

Future sessions will follow in December on our new brand, with a full programme to follow throughout 2023.

If you’ve got an idea for a Community Catch Up theme then get in drop us an email at communcations@kent.ac.uk

Catch up on our Staff Conference

If you missed any of our Staff Conference back in September you can catch up on recordings from the main sessions by visiting our Staff Conference pages.

You can also watch recordings from the breakout sessions, including Outreach and widening participation and Making content and learning accessible via this link.

Come join us for a special lunchtime concert on Weds 9 November at 13.10 at the Colyer-Fergusson Hall.

Before they head down to the Marlowe to perform as part of the Glyndebourne Touring Opera production that evening, players from the Touring Orchestra Pit Perfect scheme will present a Lunchtime Concert featuring music by Puccini, Torelli and Schubert.

After the performance, members of the touring orchestra will lead a workshop with students in the University String Sinfonia, which people are also welcome to watch.

For more details please visit the website.

Admission is free, with a suggested donation of £3. The Music Department’s Lunchtime Concert series is generously sponsored by Furley Page Solicitors.

The Office for Students (OfS) is currently consulting on the future of Access and Participation Plans (APPs), which outline the commitments a HE provider is making to support the equality of opportunity for students to access, succeed in and progress from university. 

At Kent we have long recognised the transformational power of an outstanding university experience, and the value that a diverse student body brings to our institution. We also recognise that there are large groups of students who are currently underrepresented within Higher Education (both within Kent, and nationally), due to educational inequalities and structural barriers. It is imperative that we build upon our existing success in widening participation, and continue to provide a higher education experience that is inclusive, supportive and allows students to excel throughout their student journey and beyond. 

Whilst this work is led by the Outreach & Widening Participation team, Student Success and Careers and Employability, it is an institutional-wide commitment with collaboration across all academic divisions and numerous professional service departments. In terms of supporting access, by working in partnership with local schools and colleges, local authorities and other HE providers in Kent and Medway, we are able to support students in a sustained and progressive way to better understand their future options and to make informed choices.  

Our work in this area is wide ranging, innovative and robustly evaluated to ensure we are making demonstrable impact. We regularly contribute to national evaluation evidence, such as a recent research project with TASO (Transforming Outcomes and Student Success) where we welcomed over 130 young people to stay on our campus for the Year 10 and Year 12 Summer Schools. The Outreach work delivered is designed to support the attainment and HE aspirations of learners, ranging from the sponsorship of the University of Kent Academies Trust (UKAT), delivering academic mentoring programmes in local schools, our work with the Care Leaver Progression Partnership, collaborating on the Generation Genome project, innovative divisional outreach activities such as Crime Scene Investigation with LSSJ, to supporting CPD for teachers and advisors.  

Student Ambassadors are vital to all that we do, not only in terms of delivery and to act as inspirational role models to learners who have experienced similar educational journeys, but also in the co-creation of projects, such as the LGBTQ+ mentoring and university insights programme designed for delivered in schools in the local area.  

Anton, a current Student Ambassador who is working on a placement year at UKAT, came to the University from a local partner school. ‘In Sixth Form, my realisation that university was an option for me was in large part a direct result of the fantastic work delivered by Kent at my partner school. The ambassadors inspired me to meet my full potential and equipped me with the tools and information to make it happen. When I joined Kent, I knew instantly that I wanted to get involved in this work and give future generations the same support and opportunities that I was lucky enough to receive’. 

The OfS will be publishing guidance for a new 4-year plan in February 2023, with the commitments to commence in 24/25, and we will be consulting widely with staff and students in due course.  

If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch.