Monthly Archives: March 2023

Take your ambition further. Discover how at our Postgraduate Open Event.

Postgraduate Open Event, 1 April

Join us out our Postgraduate Open Event on Saturday 1 April, meet our staff and current students across our UK and European campuses. 

What to expect at the Open Event:

  • Find out more about postgraduate study at Kent in Canterbury, Medway, Paris and Brussels.
  • Discover our multimillion-pound scholarship fund and other funding opportunities.
  • Learn more about our career focused programmes and work-placement options. As well as our conversion courses in psychology, business, economics, computer science, journalism, law, social and healthcare for those looking for a change of direction.
  • Meet and chat to our incredible academic and support staff as well as our current students.

Book your place today.

Group of students celebrating Holi

Events roundup 6-12 March

This week is jam-packed full of activities and events. It’s WorldFest, our student-led celebration of cultural diversity which includes the International Food Fair in the plaza at Canterbury campus, plus fun events like Holi, quizzes and film nights. See all WorldFest events.

Interested in a creative career? Whether you’re studying a creative subject or not, you’re welcome to join our Creative Careers Week events this week.

Monday: Global Hangout World Quiz, Pets as Therapy (Medway) and Alumna Talk

How much do you really know about the world? Come and test your knowledge at our World Quiz Global Hangout in the Gulbenkian.

Join us for Pets as Therapy at the Hub on Monday lunchtime to meet some cute pups!

Join this In Conversation with Beth Matthews event, a Kent alumna who has trained to be an Access Coordinator for High-End TV, a role that advocates for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent talent within the screen industry. Hear from Beth about her experiences and her advice for your next career steps. Read more about Beth and other Kent grads who are involved in Creative Careers Week.

Tuesday: Worldfest Fair (Medway), Canterbury Graduation Launch, Solidary with Kherson State University

On Tuesday we have the WorldFest Fair at the Hub, where you can try lots of cultural activities including African Drumming, Indian Painting as well as chat to different societies.

All final year students at Canterbury are invited to join our graduation launch on Tuesday. Come along to find out when you’ll be graduating and what to expect on the day, plus some fun activities and chance to win prizes.

In light of the anniversary of the war in Ukraine, on Tuesday afternoon you’re invited to join our online solidarity event with Kherson State University (KSU). Hear from Kherson colleagues about their book ‘Chronicles of a Displaced University’. Colleagues from Kent will then show their support and relay plans to collaborate further with KSU in the coming months.

Wednesday: Lead Kent voting (day 1), Diamond Orchard planting, Medway graduation launch, International Women’s Day and Exam Chambers

Book your place to help us plant 300 trees in our new Diamond Orchard at Canterbury campus. We need student volunteers to help us plant the trees, which will grow with our new undergraduates who will graduate in 2025 when we’re celebrating our Diamond Anniversary! Be part of this legacy.

Wednesday is day 1 of voting in the Kent Union student leadership elections. It’s time to decide who you want to represent you for the next academic year. You can also view all candidate information and place your vote online via the Kent Union website.

All final year students at Medway are invited to join our Medway graduation launch event on Tuesday. Find out when you’ll be graduating and what to expect on the day, plus some fun activities and giveaways.

Wednesday is also International Women’s Day. CEMS, NATS and the UKC Women’s Network have joined forces this year to celebrate International Women’s Day with a panel discussion on ‘Women in STEM: How far have we come? What obstacles still need to be overcome?’

Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS) are offering Exam Chambers – simulated exam sessions to help ease any anxieties you may feel about sitting in-person exams. There are sessions at both Canterbury and Medway.

Thursday: Lead Kent voting day 2 and Digital Creatives Panel

Thursday is day 2 of voting in the Kent Union student leadership elections. It’s time to decide who you want to represent you for the next academic year. Head to the polling station at The Venue to cast your vote or ask any questions. You can also view all candidate information and place your vote online via the Kent Union website.

Join us for this Digital Creatives Panel to hear from a range of creative professionals including a digital marketeer, commercial photographer, web designer and professional podcaster! This event is both in-person (Keynes) and online.

Friday: Lead Kent Results Night and creative careers events

On Friday it’s the Lead Kent Results Night. Come to Venue to find out who your elected officers will be for next academic year and join the celebrations.

Want a career in a creative industry? Find out how to make an impact with your CV for creative roles. And if you’re graduating this year, you can also attend this online workshop to make your own graduation action plan.

Saturday: Holi

On Saturday you can join our Holi celebrations at Canterbury campus. Pull on a white t-shirt and come and join in the colour-throwing fun as Kent celebrates the Hindu spring festival!

See more student events.

Opportunities

See more student opportunities.

Creative event in Nexus

Making the most of your final year

So, it’s 4 months until you graduate… how can you make the best of the rest of your time and choose from what Kent has to offer before starting the next chapter of your life?

Community and social activities

Get involved in student activities to make friends and learn new things while it’s free

The College and Community Life (CCL) team organise regular weekly events for all students.

From painting and mindfulness to competitions and film screenings, there’s something for everyone to get involved in for free. Take advantage of them while you are still a student – going along to activities like this usually costs money outside of a university setting.

These events are a also great way to connect with like minded peers and check in on your own wellbeing during the intense run up to exam season and graduation in the summer.

Follow @UniKent_CCL on Instagram for a weekly What’s On at the start of each week, or check out the CCL online events calendar to see what suits your schedule.

Don’t miss out on Kent Union’s ‘Give It A Go’

Try something new with Give It A Go. You can try all sorts from sports to crafts to trips off campus and meet new people!

See what’s on and sign up to Kent Union’s events newsletter.

It’s not too late to join a society!

You can still get involved with one of the hundreds of societies Kent Union offers, such as:

  • Academic – Whether you study the subject and want to be able to connect with fellow students and study together, or are just interested in finding out more on a topic.
  • Campaign, Charity, Community Action – From volunteering to protests, these groups raise awareness, advocate, fundraise and teach new skills such as BSL.
  • Culture, Faith and Belief – These groups celebrate the cultures of international countries, as well as practicing and celebrating their faiths together on campus.
  • Identity – Celebrating identities within our community at Kent, from LGBTQ+ to Mature students.
  • Interests and Media – A varied range of groups with a love of hobbies or music, as well as those interested in various media forms and publishing!
  • Performance, Arts and Sport – From dance and theatre to comedy and painting, there’s a society for loads of creative arts, as well as almost 60 different sports societies!
  • Politics – Following and campaigning for different political groups and there is a society that organises a model United Nations.
  • Wellbeing – Practicing mindfulness and providing support when students are finding times tough.

Advice, support and careers

Kent Union’s Advice Service and Jobshop

Kent Union offer a free, impartial and confidential advice service that can help you get in contact with advisors that can support you with a vast array of topics.

They also run the Jobshop, a service that lists employment opportunities, sends regular newsletters of local job offers, and has employment advisors you can talk to.

Get a head start with employability support from the Careers and Employability Service

The Careers and Employability Service (CES) team offer a range of support to help you secure a job, from helping you write the best CV and doing mock-interviews to regular skills workshops and online skills courses.

They also regularly update lists of local and national jobs, volunteer opportunities and apprenticeships, and even after you graduate, you can still access support from CES for up to three years!

Check out what’s on next on the Careers and Employability Service Events Calendar.

Get support from the Student Support and Wellbeing Team

During these last few months of your degree, there are a lot of emotions as you prepare to let go of your university experience and step into the next chapter – it’s very normal for your mental health can be impacted.

The Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) team offer free and confidential one to one support for Kent students, signpost other helpful external services to fit individual needs, and also run regular peer support groups and events to help you take a wellbeing break from your studies.

All Kent students also have access to phone or text support from Spectrum Life or online from Togetherall, both accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Study support

Are you using SLAS Resources and Study Plus?

The Student Learning and Advisory Service (SLAS) offer study skills, writing, maths, assignment and revision support to all students through workshops, 1:1 appointments and academic peer mentoring.

These sessions can be very helpful with strengthening your essay and pitch-writing skills in the run up to assessments.

The University also offer a range of Study Plus workshops: single or short-course sessions that can help with both your studying skills as well as strengthening your CV and employability.  You can find out more about these sessions on the online booking system under ‘Events’.

Talk to the Library staff…

The Library’s Academic Liaison team offer support for students from specific divisions, advising on literature for referencing and using digital library resources.

They provide training and also create library resources guides for you to use, which is vital when writing dissertations and research projects.

Not sure who your School’s academic liaison is? Find your subject librarian online.

… Or check out e-resources

The LibrarySearch and LibrarySearch Digital services allow you to quickly scan through thousands of books and resources available across the Templeman and Drill Hall libraries, the Special Collections and Archives, the Kent Academic Repository and the libraries of Canterbury and Rochester Cathedrals.

It also shows all E-books and E-Journals that the University has access to, including some Open Access publications from academics and researchers. These tools are might be really helpful for researching and revising in your final months and for exam and assessment season.

#StayOn #StandOut

Considering postgraduate study?

There are weekly events in the Nexus area of Templeman Library for students considering a postgraduate, with a different school focused on each week.

Here you can hear about the exciting Master degrees and work placement opportunities, exclusive scholarships and funding and have a chat to current postgrad students and staff.

You can also find out more about scholarships, funding, postgraduate success stories and watch informative webinars at the #StayOn #StandOut Website.

There’s so much to benefit from – get notified on your mobile!

Follow the Student Services teams on social media to keep track of upcoming events and opportunities:

Written by Emilie Mayne, 3rd year student, 27.02.23

Ukraine flag

Solidarity event with Kherson State University, 7 March

In light of the anniversary of the war in Ukraine, we invite you to join the University of Kent and Kherson State University (KSU) for a solidarity event on Tuesday 7 March at 16:00 UK time and 18.00 EET, via Teams.

In light of the anniversary of the war in Ukraine, the University of Kent will be holding a solidarity event in collaboration with Kherson State University.

During the event, KSU colleagues will show a presentation on their book, Chronicles of a Displaced University where they have gathered their thoughts and memories about a world in occupation and their new lives in Ivano-Frankivsk.

Colleagues from across the University of Kent will then show their support through a series of messages of support and relaying of plans to collaborate with KSU in the upcoming months. Kent is proud to support our twinning programme partner, Kherson State University as a wider UK effort to aid Ukrainian institutions affected by the war.

Please register to attend.

Volunteering at Graduations events: 7 & 8 March

Have you ever wanted to volunteer at the Graduations but not sure what it would be like?

If you are interested in volunteering at our students’ special day in July, then please come to the Graduation Launches to find out more about the volunteering roles, how graduations work and meet the team.

Canterbury Launch 7 March in Darwin Conference Suite from 12.00 -13.00 and Medway Launch 8 March in the Oasis Lounge from 10.00 -11.00.

Introducing Salary Finance

We have now launched Salary Finance to help support you through the cost-of-living crisis.

Salary Finance is our new financial wellbeing benefit provider that offers:

  • Simple savings: Savings account with Yorkshire Building Society where contributions are transferred directly from salary to an instant access savings account, with 2.75% gross Annual Equivalent Rate (AER). You choose how much you want to save and there are no fees or hidden costs.
  • Help to Save: With this government-backed scheme, anyone receiving Working Tax Credit, Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit could earn bonus payments on their savings. You could earn up to £1,200 in tax-free bonuses from the Government over four years. That works out at an extra 50p for every £1 you save.
  • Money insights: Visit the Learn platform and access simple and accessible educational resources to help you navigate and understand your finances. There’s support for all employees including webinars, videos, guides and tools to help make money simple.
  • Loans repaid through salary: Salary Finance also offers loans at affordable rates with a higher acceptance than banks. A lower-rate loan could help to pay off more expensive debt or pay less interest if you need to borrow money for a car, home improvement or unexpected expense. Representative Rate 9.9% APR (fixed). For loans under £5,000, Salary Finance offers a price promise – if you get a better rate they’ll match it.

To find out more about Salary Finance, visit the FAQs page and head to the Salary Finance webpage see the options available.

Don’t forget about our cost of living support webpage and the Emergency Support Fund, where you can get up to £500 from the University to help with a short-term, emergency cash flow problem.

 

Important: This is an option, not a recommendation. University of Kent does not benefit from offering this service and all your communications will be with Salary Finance. Loan applications will be assessed to ensure the loan is appropriate and affordable for you. “Learn” content is for guidance and educational purposes only and is generic in nature. Salary Finance does not offer regulated financial advice. Please seek independent financial advice.

Kent Global Roundtable

Calling all Kent staff! Join us for this follow up to the Kent Global Showcase.

Next week (6-12 March) is WorldFest, the University of Kent’s annual celebration of our diverse student and staff community. The week is packed with a full programme of internationally-focused events.

As a part of the festivities, we are inviting all staff to join us for the Kent Global Roundtable!

The event follows on from the Kent Global Showcase that took place on 22 February 2023 and focused on developing the vision, values and objectives of the University’s Global Engagement Strategy.

The Kent Global Roundtable takes place on 8 March from 10am-11.30am in Sibson SR2 and is hosted by Dr Anthony Manning, Dean & Director of Global and Lifelong Learning. The event offers Kent staff the opportunity to dive deeper into the main objectives of the Global Engagement Strategy, looking in depth at how it relates to their individual contexts.

You’ll learn innovative ways to build upon your current work activities and implement the Strategy, ensuring your work is more globally engaged. And you’ll be invited to identify potential areas of guidance and support that would benefit you in achieving your global engagement goals.

Plus, you’ll get to hear about the various internationalised student experiences taking place across the University.

The Kent Global Roundtable is open to all staff. Sign up to attend here.

Don’t miss other WorldFest events!

WorldFest is a unique opportunity to get involved with the wider University community and appreciate the cultural diversity of our staff and students.

Don’t miss the programme of WorldFest events taking place throughout the week!

WorldFest Letters

For instance, sample an array of global cuisines at the International Food Fayre in the Central Plaza on the Canterbury campus throughout the week. Food stands and trucks will include Greek, Spanish, Korean, Moroccan and South African food options, including meat free choices.

Liven up your work day and destress with the University Community Choir on 8 March from 1pm-2pm in Colyer-Fergusson, who will be singing international songs as a part of their weekly performance.

Support Women in STEM on International Women’s Day on 8 March between 12.45pm and 2pm in The Gulbenkian Cinema at the Women in STEM Panel Discussion titled ‘How far have we come? What obstacles still need to be overcome?’.

And don’t miss the International Showcase on Saturday 11th March from 7pm to 10pm – a chance for Kent Union’s cultural student groups to showcase cultural performances, singing and dancing.

Be a part of the WorldFest celebrations and join us in celebrating our culturally diverse community! For details of the whole WorldFest programme, check out the WorldFest homepage.

A cluster of vegetables from Sven Brandsma

Kent Giving Week 2023: The Thrifty Cook

As part of Kent Giving Week, we are creating a cookbook jam-packed with recipes, all for under £5 per serving. We have had some fantastic contributions from the likes of Joe Wicks, local chefs, staff and students.

Priced at £5, pre-orders for The Thrifty Cook are starting soon, you will also be available to buy during Kent Giving Week. There’s also the option to donate one to our students. All proceeds will help to provide nutritious meals to students facing financial hardship at this time.

To get a taster for what’s to come, check out Philip Pothen’s Easy Cauliflower and Spinach Dal with Coconut recipe:

Number of Servings: 4
Cost per serving: £3.50

Ingredients

250g red lentils
2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2cms ginger, grated
2-3 green chillies, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
250ml coconut milk
1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
200g baby spinach leaves
Coriander leaves, chopped (optional)

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for ten minutes or so until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies stirring for two minutes.
  2. Add the cumin, coriander, tumeric and a teaspoon of salt, stirring continuously for one minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, and then add the red lentils stirring until all lentils have been coated in the spiced mixture.
  3. Add 500ml of water and the coconut milk and bring to the boil. When boiling, turn down the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until the lentils begin to become a soft mush. This should take about 25 minutes. Season with salt, to taste.
  4. Add the cauliflower florets and stir occasionally.
  5. After eight minutes or so, add the spinach leaves. After two more minutes, take the saucepan off the heat. if using coriander leaves, add them and stir.
  6. Serve with a portion of rice or naan bread.

International Women’s Day: Women in STEM Panel Discussion

CEMS, NATS and the UKC Women’s Network have joined forces this year to celebrate International Women’s Day with a panel discussion on ‘Women in STEM: How far have we come? What obstacles still need to be overcome?’

CEMS, NATS and the UKC Women’s Network have joined forces this year to celebrate International Women’s Day with a panel discussion on ‘Women in STEM: How far have we come? What obstacles still need to be overcome?’

Panellists will represent different career stages and ages and will include academic and professional services staff. The discussion will be followed by a Q&A. There will be refreshments and networking opportunities after the event. All staff and students welcome.

To book your free tickets visit our What’s On page.