You are invited to our next Drill Hall Dialogue event.

Dr.Richard Webb from Canterbury Christ Church University will be joining us for this discussion.

Richard will be discussing the following:

Vitamin D has been well documented along with Parathyroid hormone in the homeostatic control of calcium levels within the body. Reduction in Vitamin D has been shown to result in Ricketts and long bone malformation/defects. Current Differentiation cocktails continue to exclude vitamin D in favour for growth factors or a base differentiation media.

In this study we have replaced growth factor with vitamin D and early results indicate 100 fold increase in calcium deposition when vitamin D is used as a component of differentiation media when compared to standard base differentiation media where dexamethasone, ascorbate-2-phosphate and beta glycerophosphate are utilised.

All welcome, however, please RSVP to Jackie Wright for numbers attending.

The National Technician Development Centre (NTDC) ran its first technicians photo competition this year, as part of its work to promote the delivery of high quality and sustainable technical services across all sectors.

There was a huge response from across the country with applicants submitting high quality images of technicians undertaking a variety of roles across a wide range of disciplines. The judges were overwhelmed with the quality of submissions and faced a tough decision to select their winner and eleven runner up photos.

The School of Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA) very own Technician Ayman El-Kharrat was successfully chosen as one of the 9 runners up with his photo showing a specialist electronics technician fabricating printed circuit boards. Aymans photo will be featured in the NTDC competition winners’ calendar and used to promote technicians throughout the country.

Paul Sinnock, Director of IT and Technical Services and a member of the Kent technician commitment working group commented, “It is fantastic to see Ayman recognised for the quality of his work which highlights the essential role of technicians within the University. We have such talented technical staff who, often behind the scenes, deliver vital support to all aspects of our operations. I am so pleased the University of Kent has joined other institutions in recognising technicians by signing the technician commitment which aims to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education”.

The University has for some time been thinking about its brand and we have now started a project to clearly define the University’s brand purpose.

As part of that project, we would like your views on which areas of the University’s strategy are most important and your thoughts about the future of the University.

This project will lead to a review of the University’s brand identity and tone of voice, ensuring that the way we present ourselves visually and how we sound is aligned with our purpose and values.

Please do take the time to have your say as this will shape our thoughts and thinking.

Many thanks

David Nightingale, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Engagement and Civic Mission

Sunday 8 March is International Women’s Day.

This year’s theme is #EachforEqual and a number of events are taking place across campus to mark the day:

Within the Templeman Library, there will be a display throughout March from our women’s history reading list in the library café.  There will also be a display of women in STEM books from 6 March that will be accompanied by slides of winners of a competition celebrating women in Physics.

Gulbenkian has a number of events planned around ‘This Girl Can Family day’ on 7 March. Kent Sport This Girl Can..lift is also happening on the day, which is part of our Lets Play suite of events/activities.

Kent Union has a number of events, including:

• Quiz in Woody’s on 8 March themed around women’s history and iconic women.
• Kent Uniboob has confirmed a photoshoot for body positivity with the money going towards the National charity. 29 Feb – 1 March. The shoot is £10 per person.
• Movie night on 12 March.

The Athena SWAN team will be hosting a special meeting of the Women’s Network on Thursday 5 March in honour of International Women’s Day, on the theme of inspirational women. We will be holding an informal discussion about the amazing women who have inspired us in work and life.

The event will take place from 12.00–14.00 in the UELT Seminar Room. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the conversation, or just listen and get inspired. Lunch will be provided. Book your place via Eventbrite.

Engineering and Digital Arts have a an event titled Flexible Working in Project Management: How to make it work, and how not to on Wednesday 11 March, 12.30-13.30 in the upper area of Jay’s Tea bar, Jennison Building. Book your place via Eventbrite. 

The Joint Staff Negotiating and Consultation Committee (JSNCC) is the main forum for consideration and negotiation between the University and its staff. Its membership includes Management, Union, and Staff representatives who meet each term.

The second meeting of the academic year is due to take place on Thursday 5 March 2020. The Committee website contains links to all of the previous meeting minutes and forthcoming meeting papers, which can be accessed  on the JSNCC webpages.

If you would like to comment on any of the Agenda items (shown under the ‘Papers’ tab – March 2020), please contact your Representatives.

We are half way through our bookable offer of Crucial Conversations sessions this year. The objective of the course is to support leaders at Kent to achieve results through bold, courageous dialogue, with their teams and each other. To enable leaders to create a climate of mutual trust and respect and to provide tools, techniques and materials for participants to take away and apply to real-life leadership situations.

The next course is in Medway and takes place on Thursday 14 May and Thursday 28 May – you must be able to attend both days. We have workshops in Canterbury and Medway and as always, all staff are welcome to attend at either site.

This two-day programme is for academic and professional service leaders. The target audience is primarily Grades 9 &10. However, if you are operating in a Leadership role outside these grades and you feel it would be of benefit to you, please contact us before booking, by emailing LDev@kent.ac.uk

See Staff Connect for more information and to book.

Also, see our previous blog to read more about the session from a Trainers viewpoint.

Wednesday 26th February is Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday  marks the beginning of the season of Lent, which is observed by Christians across the world as a period of austerity and spiritual refreshment.

On Ash Wednesday traditional church services will be held in Eliot College Chapel at the following times: 12.30 (Church of England); and 13.30 (Catholic).

Each will last approx 30 minutes, and staff and students are welcome to attend

Our Employee Assistance Programme is live. To get support from them, counselling or advice, ring 0808 168 2143 or go to their website and enter the following details:

USERNAME: uokent |PASSWORD: university

If you would like to learn more about the Employee Assistance Programme or have specific questions, then please come along to one of the Awareness Sessions taking place on 26 February 2020. Times as follows:

10.30 until 11.00 with 15 minutes for questions
11.15 until 11.45 with 15 minutes for questions
12.00 until 12.30 with 15 minutes for questions
13.15 until 13.45 with 15 minutes for questions

All the sessions will be taking place in Darwin Conference Suite Three. They are just 30 minutes in duration so won’t take much time out of your day.

If you would like to attend one of the above sessions, please book a place via Staff Connect.