Monthly Archives: May 2023

LIt up tent with students before open air cinema starts

Events roundup: 15-21 May

As exams continue, don’t forget to take time for yourself to relax and unwind.

The Enduring Library: As part of SHIFT Festival, there will be a series of events and activities in Templeman Library this week including a whispered spoken word competition and spot the difference across the library!

Monday 15 May: Wellbeing Café

The Wellbeing Café is a space to connect with other students in a relaxed environment with a focus on promoting your wellbeing and mental health through activity.

Tuesday 16 May: PG Coffee Morning and relaxation sessions (Medway)

Postgraduate students are invited to the Postgraduate Coffee Morning jointly organised by the PG Network and the Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) Team. It’s a chance to chat with other postgrad students, meet the GRC Team and Mark Bass from the Careers team will also be joining for this catch up.

Take a break from revision with either a 15 minute massage or a gel nail manicure at the Hub!

Wednesday 17 May: Digital drop-in sessions and mindfulness

Do you want to improve your digital skills? Our free weekly digital drop-in sessions are an opportunity to get tips and tricks to make the most out of the digital tools available to you, with a particular focus on Microsoft 365.

Try out mindfulness alongside a group of friendly Kent students in a weekly guided session. These events are jointly run by Student Support and Wellbeing and the Mindfulness Society, and you can choose from online and in-person mindfulness sessions.  

Thursday 18 May: Dog therapy and open-air cinema

De-stress from exams with super cute Coco the therapy dog in Nexus. Plus, there will also be mindful colouring on offer.

Watch the coming-of-age comedy ‘Licorice Pizza’ as part of the Gulbenkian’s Open Air Film Festival on Thursday evening. A selection of food and drink will be available to purchase during the event.

Friday 19 May: MedFest (Medway), Global Hangout and Mario Kart Madness

Get your free ticket for MedFest, a day and evening of entertainment, music, food and fun at the Medway campus! Make memories that will last a lifetime at MedFest. The first 100 ticket holders will be entered into a prize draw.

Go on an adventure with our Global Hangout Urban Explorer Challenge! Use your smartphone to complete challenges and unlock GPS hotspots around the city of Canterbury. Sign up as a team or as an individual (you’ll be assigned a team). Open to all students.

Do you think you’re the best at Mario Kart? On Friday evening it’s Mario Kart Madness, where you can play Mario Kart Wii or Mario Kart 8 games. Either play casually or compete on the scoreboard for the fastest time.

Saturday 20 May: Kent BioBlitz

On Saturday, get involved with Kent BioBlitz on the Canterbury campus – it’s an interactive drop-in event to record as many living species as possible. There are activities you can join throughout the day such as nature walks and surveys. The BioBlitz is run by the School of Anthropology and Conservation Sustainability Working Group.

Opportunities

blue lockers

Store your bag safely during exams

If you have in-person exams, please only bring with you the essentials. You can find a list of what you can and can’t bring into the exam hall on our website.

If you have to bring a bag or any other unauthorised items, please allow plenty of time ahead of your exam to store your bag safely in one of the lockers on campus.

You can find out more about exams and support available on our exams webpages.

Best of luck with your exams!

#YouGotThis

Photo by Michelle Myers on Unsplash

Students sitting outside Kennedy

GRC Annual Postgraduate Conference, 7 June

The GRC Annual Postgraduate Conference 2023 takes place on 7 June in the Sibson Building on our Canterbury campus. Registration is now open.

What is the GRC Annual Postgraduate Conference all about?

This conference provides a platform for postgraduate researchers across various disciplines to showcase their research, share ideas, and network with fellow researchers. We have guest speaker Dave Thomas talking about EDI, all three Kent Research Institutes presenting a panel, a hot topic discussion about AI by a postgraduate panel and numerous ways to get involved and present your own research to the wider PG community. See the full conference programme. 

Share your research at the conference

If you can sum up your research in one photographic image, why not enter our photo competition? Or display your work in poster form? If you’re looking for an engaged interdisciplinary audience for your work, why not apply for our research talks. And if you can cram your research into just 3 minutes, enter the national competition that does just that.  

Who can join?

This event is for all postgraduate students at Kent and undergraduates interested in postgraduate research are welcome to attend as audience members. Sign up is open now, register to attend.  

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Free Mental Health Summit on 13 May

Want to improve your wellbeing and know more about how to support others? Sign up for free on Eventbrite.

Join the School of Psychology for the University of Kent’s first Mental Health Summit, a free event open to all on Saturday 13 May. Hear from clinical psychologists, charities, and influencers on mental health issues and solutions for young people, and learn how to support your own mental health or provide support for your friends, family and colleagues.

The day will include presentations and discussions on a range of topics, including anxiety, stress, depression, low mood, eating disorders, psychosis, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. You’ll also have the chance to network and exchange good practices during the lunchtime Mental Health Fair, where you can chat with staff representing a range of services and local companies and charities.

Keynote speakers include Richard Burnett from the Mindfulness In Schools Project (check out his TED talk on Mindfulness in Schools), Michael James Wong, the founder of Just Breathe Project, and body positivity influencer Charlotte Price. Plus, mental health advocate Leigh Johnstone (aka ‘The Beardy Gardener’) will share his belief in the positive influence of plants – check out his website The Giving Garden.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and thrive. The Summit runs 09:30 -17:00 but you can dip in and out and engage with as many sessions as you like to take away what you need to support your own learning or mental health, or to better support those around you both personally and professionally. Sign up now on Eventbrite.

We look forward to sharing expertise with our whole community and empowering people to understand and improve their mental health.

Looking for mental health support for University of Kent students? Check out the Student Support and Wellbeing website. Kent’s expert staff offer free support to all enrolled students for mental health, neurodiversity, chronic conditions and disabilities. You can access online, in person and telephone support from the mental health team, a free counselling service, 24/7 support from partner organisations, and events and resources throughout the year to help you enhance your wellbeing and thrive at university.

Written by Natalia Crisanti and Joshua Stevens, 5.5.23

train station

Train strikes

If you usually travel to campus by train, please be aware of planned train strikes. See Southeastern’s website for when these will take place as well as helpful information.

If you need to travel to campus on a train strike day, we recommend you find alternative modes of travel where possible and check our Campus Travel updates webpage.  

If you have an in-person exam on a train strike day, please make every effort to make alternative travel arrangements as these cannot be rescheduled.

Travel disruption in itself is not a reason for mitigation (see Credit Framework for details). However, if your circumstances mean that alternative arrangements to get to campus on a train strike day are not possible, please let your Division know you will be absent, or contact your Student Support Team. You will also need to apply for an end of year mitigation if your absence results in you missing an assessment.

If you miss teaching due to train strikes, please check your Moodle module page for any resources made available or alternatively arrange to see your seminar/class leader during office/student consultation hours or speak to your academic adviser.

Teaching will continue as planned, and our campuses and services will remain open during the disruption.

Students sat by labyrinth on Canterbury campus

PGR Wellbeing Webinar Series

The importance of prioritising wellbeing in academia cannot be overstated. Recognising this, the Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) has launched a Postgraduate Research Wellbeing Webinar Series to help support the wellbeing of our research community.

The series is open to PGR students and those who are considering postgraduate study.

The series is designed to provide students with practical tools and strategies to help them manage stress, increase resilience, and improve their overall wellbeing. This can also include learning to recognise the signs of burnout, setting boundaries, and seeking help when needed. The webinars cover a range of topics, including mindfulness, self-care, stress management, and more, all led by experts in the field.

The benefits of these webinars go beyond just academic success. They also help students develop a better understanding of their own mental health and wellbeing, and provide them with tools to take care of themselves not only during their postgraduate studies, but throughout their lives.

The PGR Wellbeing Webinar Series are accessible and flexible. The webinars are delivered online, making it easy for participants to attend from anywhere. Additionally, the sessions are recorded and made available for later viewing, allowing participants to access the content at a time that is convenient for them.

Join our experts Gareth Hughes and Dominique Thompson in the upcoming live sessions,

Good Wellbeing and Good Research: Myths, Challenges and Evidence Webinar with Gareth Hughes, Wednesday 31 May,  13:00

Staying Well in Difficult Times- Top Tips for PGRs with Dominique Thompson, Wednesday 14 June, 14:00

The Wellbeing Webinar Series is an excellent resource for individuals who are looking to enhance their mental health and wellbeing. By providing tools, strategies, and a supportive community, the series empowers individuals to prioritize their wellbeing and succeed in their academic careers.

Students with therapy dog

Events roundup: 9-14 May

We hope you had a great bank holiday weekend. Welcome to the Summer Term and best of luck with any exams. You’ve got this!

Tuesday 9 May: Special collaborative reading

Each year Stirling and Kent host an Indian creative writer to work alongside students and staff. Come along to a special collaborative reading with Charles Wallace Fellows, Shreyasi Sharma and Nikita Parik on Tuesday evening at 18:00.

Wednesday 10 May: Spring animals (Medway), revision techniques and making a career action plan

Meet a range of cute spring animals at the Hub on Wednesday!

Now that exams have begun, here’s another chance to brush up on your revision techniques with this SLAS online bitesize session. See all exam events.

Preparing for graduation? Use this workshop to make your own career action plan for after you graduate. This event will also be livestreamed.

Thursday 11 May: Therapy dog, book swap and open-air cinema

De-stress from exam prep with Coco the Therapy Dog in Nexus, Templeman Library. Plus there will be other wellbeing activities on offer such as mindful colouring and a book swap.

Gulbenkian’s Open Air Cinema series starts on Thursday evening. The first film is Encanto (sing along). There will be hay bales to sit on but feel free to bring chairs or picnic blankets. A selection of food and drink will be available to purchase during the event.

Friday 12 May: Free exam supplies (Medway)

Head to the Hub on Friday where they will be handing out a range of supplies to get you through the exam season.

Saturday 13 May: Mental Health Summit

The School of Psychology are hosting a Mental Health Summit in Sibson on Saturday. The event is open to all from Kent and the local community. It’s a chance to hear from specialists, charities and influencers on mental health.

Sunday 14 May: Global Hangout boat trip (for international students)

International students are invited to the Global Hangout boat trip in Canterbury (£10 per person). Experience Canterbury’s unique history from a different angle on one of our guided river tours run by our Global Officers.

Opportunities

Reminder: UCU’s national marking and assessment boycott began on 20 April. Not all staff are UCU members and not all UCU members take part in industrial action. We have specific measures in pace to ensure you can progress or finish your studies on time. You should continue to submit all assessments and attend any exams. Find out more on our industrial action webpages.

 

Two students talking over a desk

Become more employable – add a Year In, deadline 12 May

Gain new skills to stand out when you graduate.

The need for well-rounded graduates from employers is increasing; in 2023 the demand for workers who can bring a range of skills to the table is larger than ever before. The opportunity is here for you to become that graduate as applications for Kent’s Year-In courses have opened.

The Year In courses give undergraduates students in Years 2 and 3 the opportunity to take an extra year in another course subject. This can be between your 2nd and 3rd year, or after your 3rd year is complete.  Courses on offer for the 2023/24 academic year include:

If you take a Year-In, it will appear on your degree certificate, letting employers know what you are capable of.

What does a Year In give you?

A Year-In will help combine your existing knowledge and experience with practical skills and experiences valued by employers. The graduate labour market is competitive, and the Year-In could be the very thing that makes you the obvious choice for an employer. You’ll spend a year immersing yourself in a new subject, with courses designed for beginners, that will deliver engaging, high level learning opportunities.

Get an insight into each Year In subject

Watch the videos to find out more about each Year In involves:

When do I need to apply?

The deadline for Year In applications is Friday 12 May 2023 for final year students.

Got questions? Contact careerhelp@kent.ac.uk for guidance

 

University Community Choir singing

Join the University Community Choir

Try something new and feel connection, create community and lift your spirits… We are delighted to invite you to join the University Community Choir, meeting weekly on Canterbury campus.

Singing in a Choir has many benefits, it’s informal, social, and helps you focus on something different as part of a group. Most importantly it’s fun!

It’s free to join, and there are no auditions, and you don’t need to be able to read music. Come along to meet others, or bring a friend.

Upcoming dates for Summer Term

  • 10 May 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)
  • 17 May 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)
  • 24 May 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)
  • (No choir on 31 May)
  • 7 June 2023 13.00-14.00 (Grimond LT3)
  • 14 June 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)

Spread the word to anyone else (staff or student) who might enjoy this opportunity. If you have any questions, please email Mita Mondal, Email: mm595@kent.ac.uk

Family at graduation

Graduation accommodation for July

Did you know we’re offering graduation accommodation to our July graduates and their family and friends? So whether you have a long drive ahead of you or you’d just like to relax after the event, you can stay locally and book affordable accommodation with us. Better yet, relive your uni days and book some nostalgic campus accommodation with your graduating friends and celebrate together! Whoever you choose to celebrate with, we have campus accommodation to suit you.

Accommodation on our Canterbury campus is currently available to book from 15 – 23 July 2023. We have en-suite bed and breakfast rooms from £80 per night, alongside self-catered options, available to book from £30 per person per night. All rooms are 4-5* VisitEngland rated and include free parking and Wi-Fi for the duration of your stay.

Find out more and book online.