Author Archives: Allie Burnett

WorldFest 4-15 March

Join this year’s WorldFest celebrations taking place from 4 – 15 March 2024.

WorldFest aims to showcase the cultural diversity, talents and knowledge of our students and staff and builds on from Cultural Celebration Week in the Autumn term.

There are a range of events, activities and classes across the university for you to get involved with, including:

Go along to Rutherford Dining Hall to try a different WorldFest dish each day, chosen by our student Global Officers.
Sign up for a cooking class to make pizzas or katsu curry. Places are limited.
Join a cultural food talk from our World Language Tutors to find out more about the traditions, history and relationship of Katsu, Noodles and Falafels to Japanese, Chinese and Arabic cultures.
Come along to our free language taster sessions in Japanese, Arabic, German, Spanish, Italian and French. At the sessions you can also learn about adding a Year in Languages to your degree next year and other options available to you to develop your language skills.
Step into Ukrainian culture at our English Speaking Club with our Ukrainian twin, Kherson State University. These run online every Tuesday throughout term time.
Get your passport and travel around the world exploring various cultures at our Global Hangout on Monday 11 March, 14:00-17:00. Join in with various games and activities to earn ‘stamps’ in your passport for prizes.
Get a team together and join in with our World Quiz night which aims to be a fun evening to test your worldly knowledge.
ResLife are putting on some creative craft events including Origami and Chinese Scroll Painting.
If you are looking to find out how you could spend your summer break abroad, either through summer schools, internships or volunteering opportunities, come along to our Go Abroad Bitesize talk on Thursday 14 March to find out how you can apply for funding to support you.

If all the above has inspired you to put on your own event to share your culture or celebrate a multi-cultural event, then you can apply to our WorldFest Bitesize Fund.

As part of our WorldFest celebrations, we also asked Kent staff and students to share with us their recommended reads, either from their favourite international author, or a book which teaches us something about other cultures.

Share your photos from WorldFest and follow us #WorldFest24

2nd anniversary of Russian war on Ukraine

Canterbury for Ukraine (C4U) and Ukrainian Society of Kent (UsoK) are running events on Saturday 24 February to commemorate the second anniversary of the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

As the current conflict continues, the commemoration takes on special importance as Ukraine continues to defy Russian aggression and affirm its commitment to peace and freedom.

Events include:

Information stand on Canterbury Highstreet (near the Beaney Library) from 12:00-16:30
Walk through Canterbury with displaced Ukrainians and supporters to remember and honour those affected by the war. Meeting place is the Beaney Library at 16:15 and will finish at 17:00 by the Marlowe Theatre.
Public talk ‘War on Ukraine: Unbreakable People’ at The Friends Meeting House at 17:15. The talk will feature distinguished speakers, including:
- Yevhen Hlibovytsky, a public figure and director of Frontier Institute, a strategic think tank for Ukraine
- Baroness Alison Suttie, a Member of the House of Lords since October 2013, the Patron of Canterbury for Ukraine
- Maryna Poltavska, an officer of Canterbury City Council and a beneficiary of the Home for Ukraine scheme.
  The discussion will be moderated by Sir Julian Brazier, a former Member of Parliament for Canterbury. The panel discussion will be followed by the Q&A and light refreshments.

For further information see the Canterbury for Ukraine website.

New at Medway: Poolside Coffee

After weeks of renovations at The Deep End, the new coffee bar at Medway, Poolside Coffee, is now open for you to enjoy hot drinks and breakfast from 9:00 on weekdays.

View the Poolside Coffee menu (pdf)

Kent 2030: Student Open Forum on 21 February

Want to hear more about Kent 2030 and ask your questions? Join our Student Open Forum from 15:30 – 16:30 on Wednesday 21 February online via Teams. Register for the forum and submit your questions.

From changes to Kent’s future course offering, to changes to the shape of the academic year, we want to hear from students on your views to help shape our plans.

Richard Reece (DVC Education and Student Experience) and Mica Rose (Head of Student Experience) will be joined with Zaid Mahmood (Kent Union President) to hear your views and answer any questions you might have about Kent 2030.

Can’t make it? The open forum will be recorded and available for you to watch after.

One Year of Right to Food: Free Breakfast Celebration on 26 Feb

Join us for a special FREE breakfast at the Gulbenkian Cafe, from 8:00-10:00, on Mon 26 Feb to celebrate our one-year anniversary as a Right to Food University.

Booking is now closed for the anniversary breakfast.

Why is this Breakfast Special? This breakfast isn’t just about enjoying a tasty meal; it’s a celebration of the community coming together to make a difference. Thanks to the incredible support from our staff, students, alumni, and donors during last year’s Kent Giving Week, we have been able to provide over 10,900 meals, including this free breakfast session, supporting more than 650 students facing financial challenges.

Your Meal, Their Support: The generosity of our donors during Kent Giving Week of last year has made this breakfast possible. It’s a testament to the power of giving and the impact it can have on our community. As you indulge in the complimentary breakfast, we encourage you to consider how you, too, can pay it forward in the spirit of giving.

Right to Food: Our Commitment, Your Nourishment: As we celebrate our one-year commitment to becoming a Right to Food University, this breakfast symbolises our ongoing dedication to tackling food insecurity. We believe that access to nutritious and sustainable food is a fundamental right. Through various initiatives, we are actively working to ensure that no student on our campus faces the challenge of going hungry.

Do you have the latest version of the Uni Kent Student App?

Over the last few weeks we have been making improvements to notifications in our Uni Kent Student App.

If you are using the app, please make sure it is updated to version 6.0.36 on iOS and 6.0.34 on Android. You will need to open the app for the update to fully complete.

When will you send me notifications?

If you opt in to notifications, we will only send you notifications once a week to highlight important reminders, events, opportunities and deadlines for that week. This is in the form of our weekly round-up. In some cases, we may send an additional notification in a week for a really important message that is for all students.

If you would like to receive notifications, please make sure you have turned these on in the app.

Find out more about the app and how to give feedback.

Prize Draw Alert: Win 1 of 10 MacBook Air Laptops

We know that acing your studies is helped by having top quality tools at your disposal, so what better way to do this than with a new MacBook Air?

Back by popular demand, our partner Santander Universities, are once again giving away 10 MacBook Air laptops in their latest student prize draw.

Entering the prize draw is quick and easy. Just follow these steps:

Register for Santander Open Academy – a free online learning platform (if you’re not already signed up)
Follow the verification link in your confirmation email
Log into the Open Academy platform and select ‘Get Started’ to complete your entry into the Santander Universities MacBook Air Prize Draw!

All university students can enter. Including undergraduates, postgraduates, part-time and full-time students. You also don’t need to bank with Santander to get involved. So be sure to share with your friends, coursemates and anyone else who could benefit from this opportunity.

Enter by 11pm on 29 February 2024 for your chance to win!

Enter Now

Join Kent’s New Mentoring Scheme: Celebrating Mentoring Month

January marks Mentoring Month, and there’s no better time to invest in your personal and professional growth. If you’re a student looking to make strides in your academic and career goals, sign up for the Career Mentoring Scheme, which partners students with alumni who work in their chosen industry or sector.

By participating in the mentoring scheme, you’ll gain a unique perspective on your chosen profession, develop key skills and knowledge, and prepare for life after graduation.

You can take part in the programme for one or two terms, depending on your needs and availability. The programme is available to all undergraduate and postgraduate students, with applications accepted throughout the year.

The Career Mentoring Scheme is an excellent opportunity to build your professional network, connect with alumni in your field, and receive valuable advice and guidance. Take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your career journey and apply today!

Apply now for i-teams

i-teams is an innovative programme that allows Kent students to work in interdisciplinary teams, solving real-world problems and gaining valuable experience in a variety of fields.

Whether your passion lies in sustainability, healthcare, or technology, i-teams has a project for you. Work alongside mentors from industry and academia to develop your skills and knowledge in your chosen area. Not only will you gain valuable experience, but you will also have the opportunity to make a difference in the world.

But don’t just take our word for it. Previous i-teams participants have gone on to launch their own successful startups, work for top companies, and even pursue further education in their chosen field. The skills and experience gained through i-teams have proven invaluable in their future careers.

So what are you waiting for? Join the i-teams programme and start making an impact today! Visit the our careers webpages to learn more and apply by 29 January 2024.

In your final year? Here’s why you should fill in the NSS

The National Student Survey (NSS) is now open at Kent and final year undergraduate students are invited to complete it.

The NSS is your chance to have your say on what you liked or didn’t like about studying at Kent. Take the NSS now.

The NSS: what you need to know

📣The University and Kent Union value your feedback and the NSS is one of the most powerful ways to have your say. See the Your Uni Your Say webpages for ways we have acted on your feedback.

📧If you are eligible, Ipsos will email you on Thursday 25 January and will continue to email, text and call you until you complete it (so we recommend you do it early).

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

🎓 NSS is mainly open to final year undergraduates.

🕕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.