Colleagues are invited to attend the next session of the ‘New Approaches to Teaching for Experienced Staff at Kent’ taking place on Tuesday 7 November, 12.55-14.00 in the UELT Seminar Room.

Presented by Chloe Street Tarbatt, School of Architecture and winner of the Humanities Faculty Teaching Prize 2017.

This session will focus on the use of Live Projects in our undergraduate architecture curriculum, and the educational benefits and challenges engendered in this approach.

Connecting the briefs for our design modules to Live Projects (to real clients pursuing an architectural agenda) has enormous benefits for both the communities served, and for the students educational experience.

The process forges and enhances links between academia and society, supporting both the RIBA’s and the more recent TEF’s objectives. However, it is apparent from the feedback received through module evaluations and focus group meetings, that the students often find the complexities of this real-world situation very challenging.

On this basis, new strategies are being developed to enhance our student’s understanding of the educational opportunities afforded by this approach by raising awareness of the important dialogic learning that can take place through immersion in communities of practice, and through embedding reflective practice into our teaching and assessment processes.

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

Last year the Medway Strategy Group challenged students from Kent School of Architecture (KSA) to suggest ways of improving connections between Pembroke (the Universities at Medway campus) and Chatham Historic Dockyard and creating a stronger sense of place at Medway.

Under the supervision of KSA colleagues Chloe Street-Tarbatt and Jef Smith, the students worked in groups over three days at the end of May 2017. It was a very interesting design challenge and the results were hugely impressive.

The students’ ideas were captured on 11 vertical freestanding banners which are on display in the Drill Hall Library until the end of term.

We would like as many Medway students and staff as possible to visit the exhibition and reflect on the students’ ideas.

We would also encourage feedback – comments can be left in the book provided.

Dr Simon Elliott, who completed his PhD in the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies, will be delivering a talk entitled ‘Everyday Life in Roman London’ at the Guildhall Library in London on 2 November 2017.

In this talk, Simon will narrate a day in the life of a wide variety of Roman Londoners in the mid 2nd century AD when the city was at its height during the Roman occupation. He will lift the lid on every aspect of day-to-day living in the city during the Roman period, from every perspective in society, showing how some things were very similar to our experiences today, but some things very different.

Simon’s PhD project, considered industry in Roman Kent and the role of Roman Military therein, was entitled ‘Late Roman Kent’ and supervised by Dr Steve Willis. Last year, Simon published his first historical book, Sea Eagles of Empire: The Classis Britannica and the Battles for Britain (The History Press, 2016).

The event is part of the Londinium season, a series of events to tell the city’s Roman story. Tickets cost £5 (plus booking fee), which includes wine reception.

To book, please see the webpage.

If you would like to follow Simon’s research, please go to his website at SimonElliott.net where you can sign up for his newsletter, or follow him on twitter at @SimonElliott20.

As part of the Employability Festival 2017, the Careers and Employability Service will be hosting the Language Fair in the Keynes Atrium between 12.00-15.00 on Friday 3 November 2017.

The Language Fair is an opportunity for students to meet employers and recruitment agencies interested in recruiting language graduates, and to discover the range of jobs and careers using languages that are available.

The Language Fair is free to attend. Kent students gain 5 Employability Points for attending, upon presentation of their Kent One cards.

The 2017 exhibitors include:

• Canterbury Christ Church University
• Centre for English and World Languages
• Chel-C UK Education Ltd
• Chartered Institute of Linguists
• Civil Service Fast Stream
• CRCC Asia

Intelligence Corps Engagement Team (British Army) Teach First Institute of Translation & Interpreting

For further information, please see the SECL webpages.

The world, and specifically the workplace, revolves around people. This short course in Organisational Psychology is for anyone with an interest in how people work, coupled with a desire to improve organisations and the working lives of the employees who inhabit them.

The ‘Applying Psychology in the 21st Century Workplace and Beyond’ course is being offered on either four Friday mornings (3, 10, 17 and 24 November) or over two Saturdays (4 and 18 November).

Course fee: £175 or £87.50 for Kent staff

The four sessions cover:

• Group decision-making;
• Selection and Assessment;
• Employee Health and Well-being; Equality and Diversity.

Each two-hour session, led by tutor Dawn H Nicholson from the School of Psychology, will include a lecture providing the critical organisational and psychological background; a group or individual exercise; and a facilitated Q&A session.

The focus will be on providing practical insights, tools and tips you can apply in the workplace or in everyday life.

Full details can be found at the Tonbridge Centre webpages under the psychology heading.

For more information or to book a place please contact 01227 82(4990) or email tonbridgeadmin@kent.ac.uk

Global Hangouts is a series of free global networking events arranged throughout the academic year. With a fun and relaxed atmosphere, the hangouts include interactive activities, refreshments and live music and performances.

Book your tickets now!

If you are a first or second year student you have an exciting opportunity to participate in a national research project that aims to track and assess the growth of students’ knowledge, skills and work-readiness as they progress through higher education.

The outcomes of this longitudinal research will help inform improvements to learning and teaching across the higher education sector.

Take part by completing an online questionnaire.

Participants will be entered into a prize draw; you could win £500 or one of five £100 prizes.

Read the briefing note (pdf) for more information.

Kent County Cricket Club is offering University staff and students discounted tickets for its Fireworks Night on Sunday 5 November.

The event is held at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, CT1 3NZ, with entertainment starting from 15.00 including a funfair, live music from Old Town Souls, competitions and more (hosted by KMFM’s Laura Nevitt).

Gates open at 15.00, fireworks display at 18.00, with live entertainment until 19.00.

Discounted ticket prices available in advance are:

• Adults £6
• Junior (2-14) £3
• Family (2 adults, 2 juniors) £15.

Book online using promo code TEAMKENT (e-ticket only, discounted rates don’t apply to telephone bookings or purchasing at the gate).

Visit the website for further information.

For anyone looking to attend a Medway fireworks display, there is a free event held at the Great Lines Heritage Park in Gillingham on Saturday 4 November.