The KentVision system will be unavailable for all users a the follow times due to planned maintenance:
If you need to view your timetable during these times, you can integrate your timetable with a personal calendar (e.g Outlook or Google calendar) on a mobile or computer through iCal. Please go to the my study webpage and click the cog in the top right-hand corner to see the subscribe to calendar options.
This week (Wednesday 22 March) marked the last day of the latest period of strike action at UK universities.
I know this has had a real impact on many of you, and so I want to apologise again for the continued disruption to your studies. I fully appreciate that this national action is over issues affecting staff at Kent, but this is not your dispute – your patience throughout has been greatly appreciated.
On our Industrial Action website, you will find:
At the moment, no further strike days are planned, but the University and College Union (UCU) are in the process of balloting their members on further strikes and action short of a strike (ASOS) so, unfortunately, further disruption is possible.
There have been some positive signals from the national negotiations aimed at resolving the issues and these talks are continuing – we will update you as soon as we know more.
If you have any questions regarding industrial action, you can email IndustrialAction@kent.ac.uk
Are you graduating in July? We’d love to welcome you back!
Whether you have a long drive ahead of you or you’d just like to relax after your graduation ceremony, you can stay locally and book affordable accommodation with us for you and your family. Better yet, relive your uni days and book some nostalgic campus accommodation with your graduating friends and celebrate together! Whoever you choose to celebrate with, we have campus accommodation to suit you, available from 15 – 23 July 2023.
We currently have en-suite bed and breakfast rooms from £80 per night, alongside self-catered options, available to book from £30 per person per night.
Book accommodation before 1 May 2023 and save 10% by quoting LAUNCH23.
To find out more read our blog or visit the Graduation accommodation webpage.
When we challenged artist Richard Layzell for his take on the University and the people who work here, his response was SHIFT! A festival that asks big questions, uncovers amazing stories and, by inventing the ‘Flecture’, questions the very essence of our lecture system.
All the events below are free for you to attend and everyone is welcome.
A brand new unique opportunity for you to discover new sounds and take over very special concert venue, with open doors. Bring along your phone with music to share, or just come along to listen to what’s playing, and discover new music together. Come on your own to meet others, or bring your friends. No booking needed, join in at any time during the hour.
Free and no need to book.
Can mountains, rivers and creatures have a voice and be legally protected? What is Ecocide? Can a plant from the campus become the plaintiff in a court of law? Join the discussion with academics and artists in Kent’s atmospheric Moot Court (Widoger Building).
Free but booking required.
This unique, travelling collection of artwork is currently resident at University of Kent, and you can book on to a tour of the collection with Curator Helen Knowles.
Free but booking required.
This event exploring the land that the university sits on, its history, and wider issues of land ownership and stewardship. Are some of the fields and hedges still visible from when this was farmland? Are the rooks in Brotherhood Wood and the stinging nettles around Beverley Farmhouse in contact with their ancestors? Is this our land as temporary or semi-permanent residents? Can we feel personally connected to it and responsible for it?
Free and no need to book.
In this Flecture*, Emma Leach will talk about her experience of leading two nightwalks to secret locations in the woods on the University’s campus, one in autumn and one in spring. These nightwalks were created for people identifying as female or non-binary, and were an opportunity to explore collectively the feelings of fear, liberation, calm and transgression that come with being in the landscape after dark.
Free but booking required.
And there is more SHIFT to come in May! Details to follow.
Get your 5-a-side team registered for the SoccerZone Cup tournament taking place on Thursday 30 March 2023.
It’s just £10 to register a team, existing SoccerZone teams can enter for free. The tournament is open to all staff, students and alumni.
Register before 26 March 2023, to secure your team’s place!
League competition
Event date and time: Thursday 30 March, 17:00 – 20:00
Location: The Pavilion 3G
Entry fee: £10 per new team
Visit the SoccerZone webpage for more information and to sign up your team!
Young people are increasingly the major victims of fraud. Victims don’t only lose their money – they can lose their family savings, their businesses, their trust in other people, their mental health and plenty more.
One of the most important enablers of fraud are money mules – this is where you let someone else use your bank account to send money into.
Around six in ten money mules are under the age of 30 and most are recruited between the ages of 17 and 24. Many criminals target their recruitment of money mules at universities or colleges – either online, in person or via friends and family.
By using money mules, criminals try to ensure that the consequences hit the mule instead of them.
Money mules usually get recruited because they get a cut of the stolen money. This means they are involved in money laundering. This is a serious criminal offence, with a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
How can I protect myself?
What should I do?
If you or someone you know has been approached, break off all contact, don’t receive or move any money, and ask for advice from someone you trust. Criminals operate in silence – by talking about it, you are protecting others.
Report it by calling local Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
Contact the HMRC Fraud Hotline quoting ref: IFMM23. You do not have to give your name or contact details unless you want to.
Contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers 100% anonymously online or by calling 0800 555 111. Please quote ref: IFMM23.
If you see it online, click the button to report it to the social media companies to get it taken down.
If you think someone you know is already involved, go to the NCA website for advice.
If criminals have already got your personal information report it to Action Fraud National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre on 0300 123 2040.
Additional information
Photo by Daria Nepriakhina 🇺🇦 on Unsplash
Here’s a round-up of what you can get involved in this week at Kent, including fun fundraising events as part of Kent Giving Week and getting ready for the job market with regional employers sharing their top tips as part of Working in Kent and Medway Week.
Show your support for Team Kent at Varsity this week!
As we get closer to exams season, take time to read our exam webpages which include loads of support and events to help you get ready, such as a session on how to prepare for online exams.
On Monday you can also try Kent Union’s Booiaka dance class which is a cardio workout to music – as much dancing fun as a night out with friends!
Kent Union’s Jobs Fair is happening from 11:00-14:00 in Eliot Hall. This is a great opportunity if you are looking for part-time, temporary or seasonal work.
Not sure where to start with your exams revision? Go along to SLAS’s free revision workshop on Tuesday.
Grab one of 100 free tickets to see Kent Giving Week’s ‘In The Kitchen Cooking Show’! Local chefs will share how you can recreate their signature dishes on a budget and you can then eat what they cook for lunch!
Are you graduating this July? Head over to Nexus on Wednesday between 10:00-14:00 to write a message to your friends and/or family and we will share them at your graduation ceremony.
Help us plant the 300 trees for our Diamond Orchard celebrating the University’s 60th anniversary!
At The Hub, you can choose between a 15 minute back massage or a gel manicure on Wednesday to help you relax.
Talk to leading graduate employers to find job and placement opportunities at our Spring Careers Fair in Eliot Dining Room between 10:00 and 15:00 on Thursday.
From midday on Thursday, walk, dance, scoot or run ‘5k Your Way’ at our Canterbury and Medway campuses for free with a student ticket. Register now on the Kent Giving Week website.
In honour of the 75th anniversary of the Windrush Landing, join a talk by Dr Mark Ledwidge about the historical and cultural significance of the Windrush Landing.
Working in Kent and Medway Week concludes on Friday with an advice session at Medway on how to find a graduate job.
Unwind and stretch at this free yoga session in the Sports Centre (Canterbury) on Friday afternoon.
As part of the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence, learn about what you can do if you or someone you know experiences bullying and harassment.
At the University of Kent, we want to create a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff, and make it clear to all in our community that bullying and harassment are not acceptable.
Bullying only happens in the playground, right?
Bullying and harassment can take subtle forms and happen at universities and in workplaces. Bullying is defined by ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) as ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the other person’. If you’ve been talked down to at society meetings, if there’s a housemate who makes jokes at your expense when you’ve asked them not to, if you feel singled out or excluded in social settings, if you’ve received unwanted messages or been put down on social media – you have experienced bullying, and can get support. These behaviours could also be prompted by discrimination for a protected characteristic, such as being made fun of/ excluded/ insulted because of one’s faith, disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and age. Bullying and harassment undermine the core values of the University and create a negative working, learning and living environment, and we think everyone in our community deserves better.
How can you get help?
If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying or harassment, you can get help from the University by visiting the Report + Support tool, which can help you get support and report an incident.
Listed below are some useful guidance links:
You can submit a report or get support through the Report + Support tool. If you are unsure on how to submit a report, take a look at this video guide.
Even if you report anonymously, you’ll be helping our campuses stay safe. Our team will review information monthly to identify any areas of concern that need to be addressed, and we’ll intervene as necessary. Remember, we’re here to support you. You can also learn more on this topic and how to be an active bystander by accessing the Expect Respect module in Moodle. #GetSupport
Who can help at Kent?
‘I’m Ally, I am a Specialist Wellbeing Adviser supporting students who experience bullying and harassment, discrimination and/or hate incidents. I provide practical support and can help students to process information about further support, and how to make a formal report if they wish to. There is never any pressure or judgement on students to report, and my main aim is to provide a safe space for students to talk about what they have been through.’ Ally Staddon – Specialist Wellbeing Adviser
If you would like to speak to specialist staff about an incident, contact Student Support and Wellbeing and ask for a specialist wellbeing adviser.
Join us in making our university the safest it can be – take control, get support, and build a safer community. #InclusiveKent
Written by Kamila, Ally and Natalia, Student Services staff, on 07.03.23
A recent survey of UK students found a monthly shortfall of £439 between the average student’s maintenance loan and living costs. 10% of students recorded having used a food bank in the last academic year and 37% said the cost of living crisis might prevent them from continuing their studies altogether.
It’s against this backdrop that Kent Giving Week 2023 will be supporting our student community by raising £25,000 to provide 10,000 meals for individuals who need them most.
From volunteering your time, fundraising or simply attending an event, there are plenty of ways to get involved, including:
If you are facing financial hardship, please see support available to you and contacts on our cost of living web pages.
Do you want to be part of creating a memorable student experience for students living on campus at the University of Kent? Join the Residential Life Assistant team, gain invaluable work experience and get a massive 50% discount on your on-campus accommodation for the 2023/24 academic year! Our Residential Life Assistants (RLAs) are part of the College and Community Life team and are at the heart of our College Communities.
You will build relationships both on and off campus, to develop the sense of belonging and community, whilst working together to create exciting events for your peers. This is an great opportunity to get flexible work experience alongside your studies for 8 hours per week, and is open to both postgraduates and undergraduates in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of study.
Claire, who is an RLA this academic year says:
“I have really enjoyed being a Residential Life Assistant during my masters degree. It has encouraged me to take breaks when organising fun events rather than just studying, helping to make my degree experience more balanced. I have got to know so many students throughout the year, and I have particularly enjoyed helping students to have fun and get more involved with our events, as well as other events the at the university”.
To apply for the position, read the full job description and email hccl@kent.ac.uk with a statement of no more than 500 words expressing why you’d like to be considered for an RLA post and how your experience makes you the best candidate for the role. Applications must be received by Monday 3 April and interviews are expected to take place in mid-late April.
We look forward to receiving your application, and hearing about how you would like to contributing to a fantastic student experience for everyone at Kent.
Written by Natalia Crisanti, Student Services, 14.03.23