The Department of Religious Studies is delighted to announce the launch of its new degree programme BA (Hons) in Global Philosophies, to begin in September 2018.

Global Philosophies provides an exciting, innovative opportunity to engage with intellectual thought from around the world. The programme offers a global approach to philosophical study with modules drawing not only on European or Western thought, but also on traditions originating in Asia, Africa and the Middle East from antiquity to the present day.

Professor Richard King, Head of the Department of Religious Studies, said of the programme: ‘The University of Kent is one of the few places in the country where students can study the wide variety of philosophical traditions that make up our global cultural heritage. This new degree provides an international focus for the study of intellectual thought around the world, both ancient and contemporary.’

For more details about the programme, please see the webpage.

Following the recent warm weather, we want to warn students not to swim in unauthorised areas, including basins in Chatham Historic Dockyard. Please take note of the following water safety advice:

Check out Medway Council’s sports page for leisure centres with swimming pools in the local area.

University of Kent Arts & Culture are supporting City Sound Project 2018, and have 5 pairs of wristbands to this brilliant day of live music to give away to staff.

City Sound Project takes place on 16 stages across Canterbury city centre on Sunday 27 May, and your wristband will get you access to all venues.

To win a pair of wristbands, worth £35 each, simply email d.yard@kent.ac.uk with the subject line “Arts&Culture”. The first 5 to respond will win the wristbands.

Next week Kent Innovation and Enterprise (KIE) are hosting a free event focusing on innovative approaches to improving health through exercise and enhancing capability through collaboration.

At this event, you will enjoy talks from:

Innovative sport technology company Smartlife about the benefits brought by a Knowledge Transfer Partnership.

Medway Community Healthcare Trust about its successful student placement scheme.

The University’s Respiratory Clinic about its world-class research with elite and professional athletes on exercise-induced asthma.

This event is free and open to all and is an opportunity to network with academics and businesses to explore development opportunities. You will also be able to hear about relevant funding available to support collaborations.

This is part of KIE’s Midweek @ Medway Series.

Event Details:

• Wed 23 May 2018
• 15:00 – 18:00
• Rochester Building, University of Kent Medway Campus, Chatham ME4 4AG

To book or for more information please email enterprise@kent.ac.uk

First launched in February 2015, these informal lunchtime talks are given by specialists across Student Services and provide staff with the opportunity to improve their knowledge and understanding on a variety of student related topics, and share experiences and best practice.

The talks will start at 1.10pm and will finish by 2.00pm. Staff can bring their lunch if they wish. There will be a question and answer session at the end of each talk.

Monday 21 May 2018, Sibson Building, Seminar Room 3

Self-care in supporting students

Suzanne Balabil is a Senior Counsellor in Student Support and will present a talk that addresses how we balance caring for others with caring for ourselves. The talk will explore what sustains and what depletes our professional and personal self, especially in times of severe stress.

Tuesday 22 May 2018, Sibson Building, Seminar Room 3

Autism Spectrum Conditions

Tom Sharp, Disability Team Manager will present a talk outlining the specific challenges that students with autism spectrum conditions face and the kind of support they require, including how staff members can better understand the needs of these students.

Thursday 24 May 2018, Sibson Building, Seminar Room 4

Understanding Mental Health Difficulties

Kate Pitchforth, Senior Wellbeing Advisor will present a talk on the mental health issues that students present with and outline the support offered by the Wellbeing Advisors.  The talk will include advice as to how to spot the possible indicators of ill health in students and what staff members can do to offer help and support.

The Billhook Nook outdoor theatre space, opposite the new KBS building on Parkwood Road, will play host to a performance of Dvořák’s ‘American’ quartet, as the ensemble heads out into the summer sunshine (or so we hope, anyway…) on Thursday 31 May at 13.10.

Comprising third-year Law student and Music Scholar, Lydia Cheng, second-year Asian Studies & Classical and Archaeological Studies student, Alice Nixon, second-year Music Scholar reading Mathematics, Molly Richetta on viola, and final-year Law student, cellist Alex Deacon-Viney, the ensemble plans to take Dvořák’s popular work out of the concert-hall and into somewhere you wouldn’t expect to hear it.

Assuming the weather is as good (or even better) than it is at the moment, people are encouraged to bring a picnic and enjoy some fine weather and even finer music on Thursday 31 May at 13.10. During what is always a busy term, with students (and staff) working under the pressure of examinations, the chance to hear music in an informal and relaxed environment will hopefully offer a welcome respite from the term’s busy commitments.

The event is free to attend: more details online. The Billhook Nook space is part of the Creative Campus initiative.

Please note that the event is entirely weather-dependent! Please keep an eye on Twitter @unikent_music for updates on the day in the event of uncertain weather conditions.

Colleagues are invited to attend the Learning and Teaching Network session taking place on Monday 21 May 2018, 13.15-14.30 in the UELT Seminar Room, Canterbury.

The two digital classrooms (TS5 and TS6) in the Templeman Library are seminar rooms devised with special furniture and technology to support group work and active learning.

These rooms were piloted in the academic year 2017-18 by 16 academics across a number of Schools and disciplines.

In preparation for the upcoming academic year, the session aims to raise awareness of the rooms and to share best practice through the experiences of some of the academics who taught there: Zita Stone (KBS), Victoria Mason (SPS) and Caleb Turner (School of Arts).  We will also present the preliminary findings of a UELT research project aiming to capture how students and staff perceived and used the rooms and their suitability for different learning and teaching styles.

There will be time for questions and discussion. The session will include a visit to the rooms.

The session is open to all staff, particularly those interested in teaching in the digital classrooms in the academic year 2018-2019.

To book a place please email cpdbookings@kent.ac.uk