Banco Santander is currently celebrating 25 years of Santander Universities and its commitment to higher education. In line with this, and to celebrate its anniversary, Banco Santander has launched 2 new exciting programmes: Becas Santander | Digital Business – The University of Chicago and Becas Santander Tech | Emerging Technologies Programme by MIT Professional Education. Applications for both opportunities are now open via the Santander Scholarship Platform – see further information on each programme below and via the individual hyperlinks.

Becas Santander | Digital Business – The University of Chicago (access via Google Chrome)

Applications open: 07/10/2021

Applications close: 11pm 15/12/2021

Aimed at: individuals aged 18 and over who are nationals and residents of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Uruguay, USA or the United Kingdom

Together with the University of Chicago, one of the most prestigious universities in the world, Santander Universities is offering 1,600 places on this new and exciting course to celebrate its 25^th anniversary. Participants will receive a unique training experience based on problem-solving and mastering the necessary tools to turn knowledge and ideas into high-impact action.

The programme will provide participants with the opportunity to improve their professional career by training in new technologies and management models. Successful applicants can choose one of four online courses to complete, each lasting 7 weeks. The 4 courses available are:

1. Fintech
2. Building and Managing Resilient Teams
3. Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for Leaders
4. Digital Marketing

The training courses will begin on 22 February 2022 and will be online with some live sessions.

Becas Santander Tech | Emerging Technologies Programme by MIT Professional Education (access via Google Chrome)

Applications open: 05/10/2021

Applications close: 11pm 10/01/2022

Aimed at: individuals aged 18 and over who are nationals and residents of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Uruguay, USA or the United Kingdom

In collaboration with MIT Professional – a global leader in innovation, education, and digital transformation – Santander Universities is offering 400 scholarships geared at courses related to in-demand technologies such as blockchain, AI, and cybersecurity in a job market dominated by digitalization and upskilling. Participants will gain hands-on experience that can help boost their employability and their career paths.

Participants can choose one of 5 online courses, lasting 8-9 weeks. The 5 courses available are:

1. Digital Transformation: Technologies and their Practical Applications
2. Machine Learning: Leveraging Data Insights
3. Designing High Impact Solutions with MITdesignX: Framing
4. Designing Product Families: From Strategy to Implementation
5. Management of Technology: Road mapping and Development

Most courses do not require any specific prior knowledge or professional background linked to technological or digital functions. Upon completion, participants will receive an accreditation certificate by MIT Professional Education.

Your college committee is made up of student volunteers, remote and in-person, who plan college events for and run by students throughout the year.

You get the opportunity to plan the kind of events you want to see and create the kind of environment you and your fellow students believe college life should look like!

Register your interest using our online form.

Student musicians from the University will be taking part in the Canterbury Festival’s Beautiful Noise project at Westgate Hall on Saturday 23rd October.

The project brings together players from local educational establishments, including Simon Langton Grammar School, St Edmund’s School and the King’s School, as part of a day of community music-making in this year’s festival, and brings the whole day to what promises to be a rousing conclusion with big band jazz and swing under the direction of Head of Performance at St Edmund’s School, Ian Swatman.

“It’s very exciting to be bringing young players in the region together to play such great music.” enthuses Ian, “empowering the performers and audiences of tomorrow, and giving them a platform as part of Canterbury’s international celebration of the arts.”

Students from the School of Law and the School of History will be amongst the saxophone and brass sections of the ensemble that night; find out more here,

Fancy a year’s worth of free tuition fees?

Santander Universities’ mission is to support students into university, work and self-employment. Collaborating with a large network of university partners, we have spent over ten successful years removing barriers to higher education and, in turn, providing life changing opportunities to students from across the country.

In order to further this commitment, Santander Universities is offering 5 students from any UK university – including undergraduates and postgraduates – the chance of receiving a Santander Tuition Fee Grant worth £9,250.

The selected students (who will be chosen at random) will be encouraged to spend the Grant on one year’s worth of tuition fees. Applications close on 2 November 2021 at 11:00pm (GMT+0100).

How to enter:

1. Sign up to the Santander Scholarship Platform

2. Follow the verification link in your confirmation email

3. Log in and select ‘Enroll now’ to complete your entry into the Grant giveaway

Visit the Santander Universities website for information about eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and the application process.

We are delighted to invite Kent students to apply for this year’s Global Officers Leadership Development (GOLD) Programme.  The programme is a co-curricular venture, designed to fit around your academic studies.  It provides a framework of activities for globally-minded undergraduate students at Kent to develop their leadership skills, global citizenship and cultural awareness.

There are 5 components which can be completed throughout the academic year. Benefits include:

• Employability Points awarded per activity
• Certificate of recognition and personal reference from the Dean for Internationalisation
• Recognition on your Higher Education Achievement Report
• Practical event & project management experience
• A chance for you to record your international skill development in the Kent Global Passport.

This programme is also offered as a credit-bearing ‘wild’ module, GOLD5000.

For further details please see our website.

Deadline to apply is midnight, 10th October, 2021.

(If considering taking this as a wild module, usual module registration deadline applies).

What past students have said:

I would highly recommend this programme to any student who is globally minded and wants to be more active on campus, as well as wanting to learn new skills that you don’t get when you join a society.

Preena Dodhia, BSc Biomedical Science

I thoroughly enjoyed my participation in the GOLD programme, not only do I think that it has allowed me to develop skills that have strengthened my employability, I also found the programme to be an important avenue for expression during an intense final year of study. I would recommend the GOLD programme to any student that is interested in further developing themselves personally and professionally.
​Leo Harris, BA History and Spanish

The GOLD programme is a GREAT opportunity for anyone looking to place themselves out of their comfort zone, gain skills and meet like-minded people. It gave me the chance to develop new interests and connect to other programmes and opportunities with international universities, all of which can be utilised in my search for a job after university. I have made amazing friends who I will keep in touch with, and felt like I have extended my year abroad experience in the comfort of Kent, keeping my passion for understanding cultures alive! I would recommend GOLD to all Kent students with an interest in the international and encourage you to put yourself out there. 

Lucy Lavender, BA Politics and International Relations with a Year in Continental Europe

Welcome back! See what’s new or changed in IT and library services since the last academic year.

Getting back onto eduroam Wi-Fi

We had to change some Wi-Fi settings recently, so if you have any trouble follow these steps to connect to eduroam. For a superior service make sure you use eduroam and not WiFi Guest (which is for visitors and isn’t designed to meet student and staff needs).

Your Digital Library reinvented – we think you’ll love it!

Accessing digital resources is easy with our refreshed Digital Resources Directory – a comprehensive list of the library resources and databases we buy for you. There’s a feedback form on there so you can let us know what you think – it’s a vital tool and we want to make sure it works well for you.

Off campus? Online access has changed

From off campus you’ll have to verify your identity before you can log into email, Microsoft 365 services, Moodle, Student Data System and other systems. This is multi-factor authentication and is there to protect your account. For help setting it up see our guide to multi-factor authentication.

We’ve also replaced our VPN service which gives you secure access to specific services from off campus. This guide tells you how to install and use our new VPN.

Templeman Library

We’re fully open with complete open access to books, study spaces and a reservation service. Please wear a face covering in the Library, and use the hand sanitiser and wipes especially when using shared equipment (you should see them nearby).

Our Covid 19 update has full details of available services.

Find out now so you don’t miss out!

Get to know what’s on offer now so you can take advantage of services straight away. Here are 3 ways you can make sure you’re all set study success.

1. Check out our essential guides to help you get started
2. Take the Library and IT e-induction in Moodle
3. Take the Templeman Trail – explore the Library with the Actionbound app

Just for you

Finally, we have some great recreational reading on display in the Library Café and online in our welcome (back) reading list. The list has a mixture of e-books and physical books. We hope you enjoy our recommendations!

Best of luck for the year ahead. Don’t forget we’re here to support you and help you make the most of the IT and Library resources on offer. We look forward to seeing you soon.

The Gulbenkian are excited to announce their welcome week events for students at the University of Kent!

Term kicks off with outdoor live music presented by City Sound Project on Fri 17th and Fri 24 Sep at 6pm. Enjoy an evening under the stars with music from a mixture of DJs and bands, with hot food and drink also available.

From Sat 18, Wed 22 & Tue 28 Sep at 7pm, the cinema will be showing DC blockbuster superhero hit The Suicide Squad. There’ll also be an Accessible Film Screening Sun 25th Sep at 3pm.

On Tue 21 Sep at 7:30pm, the Gulbenkian are also holding a special outdoor film screening of classic 80s action flick Top Gun, free for students at the University of Kent.

The arts centre is also delighted to welcome their Funny Rabbit monthly comedy club back to Gulbenkian next Thurs 23 Sep, with acts Aaron Simmonds & Athena Kugblenu.

Plus the Gulbenkian is offering our 2ForTuesday cinema ticket discount for all students and Under 25s – on Tuesdays, you can get 2for1 cinema tickets!

You can also find the Gulbenkian at freshers fair on Thurs 23 + Fri 24 Sep where you can chat to members of the team about what’s on at the arts centre, and how you can get involved.

We look forward to seeing you at Gulbenkian, and hope you have a great start to the term!

Check out events and offers here.