Monthly Archives: April 2024

Proud partner of Internship Experience UK, the UK's number 1 virtual internship

The Internship Experience 2024 – embrace your potential

What is Internship Experience UK (IEUK)?

Internship Experience UK or IEUK is a four-day virtual internship programme (17 – 20 June) which takes place every summer with a new programme each year. Designed to have the most value for university students, IEUK is an immersive programme packed with valuable insights and opportunities to help you navigate your career path. Whether you’re unsure what sector to pursue, curious about specific industries, or seeking practical skills to stand out to employers, IEUK empowers you to explore diverse career possibilities and gain a competitive edge post-graduation.

So far, over 150,000+ students and graduates have taken part and reaped the rewards of spending a few days of their summer with the world’s top employers. Over 10,000 of them have even secured roles with the firms they met on the experience.

Applications are open – apply to your chosen sector stream now!

Campus shuttle Zeelo

Campus Shuttle: new booking system

We are pleased to announce that the Campus Shuttle booking system in now live.

It is essential that you Book a Seat prior to travelling from the first day of Summer Term, 6 May.

Visit zeelo.co or download the Zeelo app for iOS or android and search for your University of Kent Campus Shuttle. Purchase a free University of Kent Travel pass and then book your journeys. We recommend you use the Zeelo app so you can be notified of any disruption to your booked journeys. This will replace updates to the @CampusShuttle account on X (formerly twitter).

All passes are valid for any of the serviced stops (Keynes stop, Piers Quay, Historic Dockyard or Pembroke) between Canterbury and Medway campuses. If you are using the Piers Quay or Historic Dockyard stops, make sure to check the pick-up/drop-off times on the timetable. This will differ slightly from the time shown in your app and on your booking (from Canterbury or Medway).

For steps on how to book or cancel a seat, please watch the booking video or read the booking guide.

 

Summer at Kent

Summer at Kent: what’s on

As well as relaxing in the sunshine, summer is a great time to meet new people, develop your skills and explore!

Starting in May, Summer at Kent is a series of events aimed at students who are staying on campus, whether that’s for a few weeks or the whole summer.

There are lots of opportunities to get outside by volunteering at Kent Community Oasis Garden, going on nature walks and working together to create a ResLife garden in Keynes College Courtyard. There’s also the annual BioBlitz event with workshops and activities to record as many living species as possible at our Canterbury campus.

You can learn new skills and get creative with a Sign Language Class for Beginners, painting on the lawn and mindfulness colouring.

Plus events to help you to de-stress such as the Chill Zone where you can play Nintendo Switch and boardgames, Pause for Paws and try out a virtual reality session.

If you are a postgraduate student, look out for events to help you focus on your studies or career with ‘Shut up and write’ and a yoga and writing retreat for postgraduate researchers and PG Careers Week events in June.

More events will be added throughout the summer, so make sure to check back on the Summer at Kent website.

Take the NSS today

Time is running out to have your say

Time is running out for final year undergraduates to complete the National Student Survey (NSS) and have your say on what you liked or didn’t like about studying at Kent.

Fill in the NSS now

The NSS: what you need to know
Kent Union President Zaid shares why you should fill in the NSS and why we want your feedback. Watch the video now.

🎓 NSS is mainly open to final year undergraduates.

📣The University and Kent Union value your feedback and the NSS is one of the most powerful ways to have your say.

🔒The survey is completely anonymous and confidential. It is run by Ipsos, an independent research agency.

📧Ipsos will continue to email, text and call you until you complete it. 

🕕The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete. However, please take the time to consider your answers and reflect on your whole experience at Kent.

Photo of group of 30 men walking through the bluebell woods on University of Kent campus

Exploring Higher Education and Looking Towards the Future: Asylum Seekers Warmly Welcomed at Kent

I was delighted to welcome 38 residents and friends from the Napier Barracks in Folkestone to our Canterbury campus this week, to provide information on opportunities for continued education if and when they are granted leave to remain. The group of young men came from over 10 different countries and spoke a mixture of languages, interpreting amongst themselves for those with less English fluency, with some additional translation provided by Kent staff. Having interrupted higher education studies and specialised jobs when they fled their home countries to seek asylum in the UK, they were keen to see first hand what an educational experience here might be like and how they could access it.

[Photo above shows Admissions talk on getting a place at University]

Encouragement and practical guidance

Their visit began in the Templeman Library, and included a welcome from two of our first year Sanctuary Scholarship students, themselves refugees, who are now thriving at the University of Kent. They encouraged others to hold fast through the demoralising uncertainty and continue to reach for their ambitions of completing or beginning studies in the UK. Colleagues from our Admissions and Visa Compliance teams were able to provide guidance on entry requirements, personal statements, application processes and English courses. They were also able to give time to addressing individual queries on next steps to re-enter education or validate their qualifications to seek employment here.

[Photo above shows individual consultations on qualifications and next steps]

Enjoying the campus together

The atmosphere was joyful as we shared a hot meal in the Rutherford Dining Hall, some played pool and others chatted, enjoying the impromptu piano playing of a student and the views of the vast open space that surrounds our campus. We then walked around campus, through the bluebell woods and to the Kent Community Oasis Garden, where language barriers fell away when everyone was invited to get their hands in the soil and plant bulbs and seeds. A participant told me what a stark and beautiful contrast it was to be surrounded by so much countryside, and experience novelty and a sense of freedom and agency, after 9 weeks in limbo in the barracks.

As we discussed the patience required to make things grow and our volatile UK climate, we were reminded of the precarity of life in detention as an asylum seeker, of how much is out of their control. And yet, if we plant seeds, if we look with hope towards the future and nurture what is in our power to sustain, we might one day see growth and new life.

[Photo above shows planting activity in Kent Community Oasis Garden]

Making a lasting difference

The gratitude and positivity from the group was effusive, they were really happy to have spent a day being considered as individuals with a past involving expertise and academic interest, and a future of possibility and hope.

“Thank you so much for a beautiful welcome, we are so glad to be here.”

“Everyone has been so kind and so helpful. I have ideas about what I could do, I really want to study and learn.”

[Photo above participants enjoying lunch at Rutherford Dining Hall]

Help us give more hope

Huge thanks to YMS Travel who generously offered free return transportation for this group from Folkestone to Canterbury, as a supporter of the University Sanctuary Fund.

We’re working to expand our programme of Exploring Higher Education days for asylum seekers in the region, to share our university knowledge, expertise and facilities in a way that can inspire and inform people with an uncertain future and help them to realise their dreams in the UK.

Would you like to be part of this initiative in some way? Email us at engagement@kent.ac.uk to talk about sponsoring or supporting, or volunteering to contribute to organisation, interpretation and activities at the University of Kent, so together we can really show our compassion in action and declare whole-heartedly: refugees welcome.

 

YolanDa Brown wearing ceremonial robes.

Meet our new Chancellor YolanDa Brown

We are delighted to announce that double-MOBO winning musician and broadcaster YolanDa Brown OBE DL has been appointed to the role of Chancellor, succeeding Gavin Esler who has retired from the position after almost 10 years.

Having graduated with a first-class undergraduate masters degree in European Management Science with Spanish from Kent Business School, before going on to achieve her second masters degree and undertake a PhD, YolanDa will be installed as Chancellor during one of the University’s graduation ceremonies in July.

“My time at the University was character building, life affirming, and a bucket full of emotions. Every single time I am on campus a new memory returns, so you can imagine my joy accepting this role as Chancellor. The University has always been at the forefront of fostering a diverse, inclusive, and vibrant community…I am excited to work alongside the talented staff and students to build on this foundation as the University strives towards new heights of achievement.”

YolanDa’s commitment to music and education has been synonymous throughout her career. As well as releasing critically acclaimed albums and touring with the likes of The Temptations, Jools Holland, Billy Ocean, Dave Stewart and more, YolanDa was Chair of Youth Music for six years and is currently a sitting member of the Arts Council, Chair of the BPI - the representative voice for record labels in the UK – and an ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, among other positions. She was also recently appointed a member of the Arts and Media Honours Committee by Prime Minster Rishi Sunak.

In her role as Chancellor, YolanDa’s duties will include conferring degrees, chairing the University’s Court and representing the University on special occasions. She takes up the role at a time when the University is preparing to celebrate its 60th Anniversary.

Find out more about YolanDa.

YoLanda Brown smiling in ceremonial robes.

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Are you a Masters student? Have your say

The Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is an opportunity for Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students to provide feedback on their academic experiences at Kent.

What is it?

PTES is a national survey coordinated by Advance HE, the national body for improving teaching and learning in universities.

It is an opportunity for Masters students to let us know about their experiences so far. PTES is the only national survey of Masters-level students, so it helps build an understanding of experiences across the country too.

When is it?

PTES 2024 will open from Monday 4 March 2024, and you will have until Tuesday 30 April 2024 to complete the survey.

Please check your University of Kent email for your own survey link.

The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete. However, we do recommend you take the time to consider your answers and reflect on your whole experience at Kent.

Why should I take part?

This is your chance to tell us your thoughts about your course and experience. The results from the PTES will help us make changes that will improve what we do in the future and to keep doing the things that are important to taught students. It will also help us compare how we are doing against other institutions and what themes are trending nationally.

Top tips to help you complete your survey 

  • Check your Kent email for your own survey link
  • Allow yourself plenty of time to complete the survey
  • You can save your survey and return to it at a later time. Make sure you complete the survey before 23:59 on Tuesday 30 April
  • If you are unsure about the meaning of a specific question, save your questionnaire and seek help
  • If a question does not apply to you, then please leave blank or mark as ‘Not applicable’
  • Where the term “course” or “programme” is used in the questionnaire, this refers to your whole programme of study at Kent
  • All answers are anonymous, therefore please do not identify yourself or other individuals (including staff)

 

More information about the PTES is available on the Advance HE website.

Student working in Catering

Summer jobs on campus in catering

Are you looking to earn some money this summer?

Kent’s Catering team are currently seeking warm, positive people with bags of energy to help out over the busy summer season.

Ideal candidates must be reliable, punctual, and possess excellent communication skills. They should have a friendly and approachable personality, with the ability to work well in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.

If you’re looking to start a career in hospitality, or just want to learn new skills while you study, this could be the perfect job for you!

Responsibilities will include:

  • Greeting customers and taking orders
  • Serving food and drinks in a timely and efficient manner
  • Ensuring a clean and organized dining/kitchen area
  • Handling payments

Candidates must be available to work flexible hours (possibly including evenings and weekends), throughout the summer season. Prior experience is not necessary, but it is desirable.

How to apply?

If you’re interested in applying for this role (Food & Beverage Assistant), please send your CV, along with a potential start date, to catering@kent.ac.uk

Application deadline: Friday 14 June 2024

Student chilling in a hammock

Looking after your wellbeing during exams

Exams can be stressful and in stressful times we can forget to look after our own wellbeing as we focus solely on the upcoming event. Here are some tips from Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) on looking after your wellbeing during exam season.

Study spaces

It’s important to create a study space that is comfortable and away from any distractions. As tempting as it is to study in bed, creating a separation between work and rest will allow you to focus better when you are working, and switch off quicker when you rest. This will help to decrease your stress levels. Whether it’s the library, your favourite cosy café, or the kitchen table, experiment with different spaces to find what works best for you. We have amazing green spaces in the campus that are perfect in nicer weather to study in, like the Keynes duck pond or the green area by Templeman library. Our wellbeing map shows all good wellbeing locations you can use.

Breaks 

Recognising when to take a break is difficult, but something you will learn with time. We often become less productive when we don’t give ourselves time to rest. Whether it’s short, but frequent, study breaks or taking a day off. Dedicate blocks of time to rest from your studies, for example you can break the day in morning afternoon and evenings. It’s okay to take a day off to look after your mental health, just as you would if you were feeling ill. Make time for things that you enjoy and allow you to relax. If you need help putting together an exam study timetable you can speak to Student Learning Advisory Service (SLAS) for advice on revision planning and strategies.

Social activities 

We all tend to isolate ourselves from others for the sake of studying. However, this can often have adverse effects on how you look after your wellbeing. Dedicating time to meeting with friends not only allows you to take healthy breaks from work, but also gives you an opportunity to seek support in others. Look at what events and activities are on offer at Kent Union if you want to look for social activities and events.

Having something to look forward to is important

Lack of motivation is usually something we all have to deal with at some point in our lives, especially towards the end of exam season. Having something planned for the end of exams can give you something to look forward to and work towards. This could be a concert, going out for a meal, or getting together with friends. Your big goal could be the Summer Ball. You can use countdowns to help motivate you. You can also use smaller things to look forward to day to day, for example if I do three hours of revision in a day, in the evening I can watch Netflix etc.

Being in nature

Studying all day can get you feeling pretty cooped up. Getting outside, being in nature is good for your mental wellbeing. It can help to keep you active and provide a space to think about other things than the exam or content you are working on. Perhaps go for a walk, a run or arrange to meet a friend as a break for you both.

Sleep 

You should never sacrifice sleep for study time. If you haven’t slept enough, no matter how much study you are doing, it will not go in. Sleep problems can often be an indication of other issues so you should always speak to your doctor if you are having long term issues with sleep. Routine is important to establish good day and evening structures. Get up at a regular time each day and try to keep a consistent bedtime. It is important to also have some downtime after study for an hour where you can decompress and empty your mind before you go to bed. Get off social media, that activates your brain. You can use various sleep mindfulness programmes. There are sleep support routines and guided support on the Spectrum Life app and you have free access to this.

Focusing on you 

It’s so easy to compare the amount of work we’ve done to our classmates. But it’s important to remember that everyone works differently and at their own pace. Have confidence in your own abilities and don’t lose faith just because you think someone has done more than you. They may not be telling the truth. We all learn differently and that is important to remember.

Setting realistic goals 

Telling yourself that you will study for an unrealistic number of hours each day is setting yourself up to fail. It takes a bit of practice and experience, but you will get to know what kind of goals are realistic for you. Setting achievable goals for each day will give you a sense of achievement and help to relieve any stress. You should spend no more than 8 hours in any day revising. After that you neglect other things like social time, relaxation time, going into nature etc. use the 8 x 8 x 8 wellbeing principle of 8 hours of work, 8 hours of relaxation, social, personal time and 8 hours of sleep.

Talking to people if you are struggling 

If you are struggling with your mental health during this time please speak to someone. You can contact SSW or contact the out of hours support provided by Spectrum. You can also speak to friends or family if you are struggling with things. The important thing is to let someone know if you feel things are unmanageable.

Having perspective 

We want you to the bets you can do in your exams but we understand that sometimes things can be difficult. All you can ever do is your best, and sometimes we make mistakes or things can get on top of us and we have a bad day. Not getting a perfect grade is not the end of the world, in the long run whilst this seems so important now it is just one small part of your life.- have that perspective. If you don’t do as well as you would have hoped there are resits, mitigation and lots of support available to you.

Two women fist bumping at the gyn

Get active this summer with Kent Sport!

If you’re looking to get active this summer, Kent Sport have a number of affordable options to suit any budget.

Monthly payments

Students can pay for their Kent Sport membership in smaller, more wallet-friendly amounts by signing up for a monthly payment plan*. The prices for the monthly payment plans are:

Premium Plus – £18.99 per month

Our all-inclusive membership option includes all the Plus member benefits, as well as access to the gym, classes, and free access to our ALL Active social sports programme, as well as 7-day advanced booking.

Plus – £13.99 per month

Our sport-only option provides recreational sport bookings, free access to our ALL Active social sports programme and 7-day advanced booking.

Purchase your membership online

*All student memberships automatically expire on 31 August 2024, including monthly payment plans.

Summer membership offer

If you just want a one-month membership over the summer, then watch out for details of our summer membership offer coming soon! The offer will be available throughout June to August 2024.

Pay to Play membership

If you only want to trial sports and fitness facilities on campus or you’re only here for a short time, our flexible Pay to Play membership might suit you better. There’s no joining fee, and you only pay for the sessions you want to book. For students, that’s just £5 per session and gives you access to all the Kent Sport facilities on campus.

Or, join an ALL Active session for only £2 per session! These non-competitive, turn-up-and-play recreational sessions are ideal for students and staff who want to try new activities, meet new people and maintain a healthy lifestyle regardless of ability or age.

Create your free Pay to Play membership online