Author Archives: Olivia Miller

Kent shortlisted for NEON ‘Higher Education Institution of the Year’ Award

Kent has been shortlisted for ‘Higher Education Institution of the Year’ at the National Education Opportunities Network (NEON) Awards 2025.

The NEON awards provide a platform to celebrate the successes and accomplishments in supporting learners from underrepresented groups to access and succeed within higher education.

Kent has been recognised for its commitment to widening access for underrepresented groups throughout the student lifecycle, and for successfully embedding this work across the institution from the outreach work delivered in the region to senior management actions. The award shortlisting also acknowledges the diversity of Kent’s student body, demonstrated through its innovative teaching and learning approaches as well as student support.

Kent’s regionally focussed and collaborative outreach work was acknowledged as sector best practice, particularly the evidence-based and impact-assessed attainment raising work, co-created and delivered in collaboration with local schools.

Kent’s approach to careers advice and support for students from underrepresented backgrounds, as well as evidence of progress made in widening access also impressed the judges. The dedicated employability scheme for widening participation students, with bursary support, ensures financial barriers do not hinder professional growth. Kent’s Empower Scheme also enhances employability for underrepresented students, improving continuation and completion rates.

Clare Allison, Head of Widening Participation and Outreach at Kent, said: ‘We are delighted to be shortlisted for this prestigious award. Kent is deeply committed to widening access and ensuring that all students can succeed, regardless of background, and we are proud to be recognised for this. By embedding accessibility, student-centred policies, and robust career support into our core operations, we go beyond widening access – actively removing barriers to success. We look forward to the awards ceremony in June and wish our fellow nominees the best of luck.’

Award winners will be announced at the NEON awards ceremony on Thursday 5 June at the Palace of Westminster.

Kent drama workshop programme for refugees returns for a second year

PROJEKT ENCOUNTER, a free community engagement programme for refugees, asylum seekers, and first-generation migrants in Kent, is returning to the University for a second year.

In partnership with theatre company PROJEKT EUROPA, PROJEKT ENCOUNTER is a weekly workshop series hosted by the University’s School of Arts and Architecture, led by professional migrant artists from the local community including Kent alumni. The programme is specifically designed for underserved migrant communities with limited access to theatre, offering free transport from Napier Barracks and providing interpreters at each session.

The first year of the programme saw strong participation, culminating in a powerful final performance. The devised piece, titled ¡Tranforma!, explored the theme of change — a subject close to the participants’ experiences — and involved navigating multiple languages.

This year’s drama workshops will be led by Kent drama alumni, theatre-maker Francisca Stangel, supported by another Kent alumni Surya Chandra and current MA drama student Adane Shikur.

This year, Dr Angeliki Varakis (Drama) and Dr Kaveh Abbasian (Film) from the School of Arts and Architecture have secured funding from the AHRC (Impact Stimulator Fund) to expand and diversify PROJEKT ENCOUNTER. New additions to the programme include three weekly workshops on mask-making and three on filmmaking, running from 11 March to 22 April 2025. The mask-making workshops will be led by Kent drama alumni, theatre practitioner and professional mask-maker, Peter Morton (Artistic Director of the Half a String theatre company). The completed masks and short films will be showcased as part of the final performance during Refugee Week, taking place on 17 June 2025.

As well as hosting the PROJEKT ENCOUNTER programme, the University of Kent will also offer a few placement opportunities for Kent drama and film students to assist in delivering the workshops and performances.

Dr Angeliki Varakis, Lecturer in Drama and Theatre at Kent’s School of Arts and Architecture, said: ‘We are thrilled to be hosting PROJEKT ENCOUNTER for a second year at Kent. The programme provides refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants with the chance to engage in a meaningful, community-driven initiative. Through the workshops, we aim to support participants in developing new skills while improving their mental well-being and sense of achievement and belonging.’

PROJEKT ENCOUNTER drama workshops for first-generation migrants are already underway. No prior theatre experience is necessary. To register, email hello@projekteuropa.org or simply attend on the night (every Tuesday, 6-8pm, at the Aphra Theatre, University of Kent).

For more information about the new mask-making or filmmaking workshops contact Dr Angeliki Varakis at a.varakis@kent.ac.uk or Dr Kaveh Abbasian at k.abbasian@kent.ac.uk.

Stills from ¡Tranforma! – the final performance from Projekt Encounter 2024

Giving Tuesday – how our donors make a difference

Today we’re reflecting on the generosity of our donors who enable us to have a greater impact and create opportunities for our students.

Our donors have generously supported:

Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS)

Kent and Medway Medical School was launched in September 2020 and we are so very grateful to our generous benefactors who have supported us so far.

Highpoints include:

Giving all first-year medical students an iPad on commencing their 5-year medical programme
Celebrating the success of the KMMS Scholarship programme, with over 55 first year medical students having now been awarded scholarships worth over £1million thanks to generous benefactors including charitable foundations, corporates, NHS trusts and individuals
Offering 15 philanthropic prizes for first year students and beyond
Buying state-of-the-art clinical equipment e.g. Butterfly Ultrasound Probes, a Virtual Microscope
Construction began on the Pears Building housing the first purpose-built GP Simulation Suite. The building also includes a 100 seater lecture theatre, seminar rooms, IT suite, multi-user rooms, board room, student common space and refreshment areas
Construction began on the Verena Holmes Building housing Anatomy Learning Centre, collaborative lecture theatre, medical simulation suites, mock hospital wards, fully functioning X-Ray suite, clinical and observation rooms
Raising over £5M in philanthropic gifts to date from 139 benefactors – helping students to achieve their dreams of becoming the doctors and scientists of tomorrow

First 500 Scholarship

Our First 500 Scholarship is funded by the undergraduates who helped found the University in 1965 and we thank them for assisting students to reach their potential.

One scholarship is worth £2,000 per annum (or pro-rata for part-time students) for the duration of the recipient’s degree programme.

Sol Herrera Penido, recipient of a First 500 Scholarship at Kent, explains more in this video…

Kent Opportunity Fund

Our supporters’ kind donations to the Kent Opportunity Fund, have helped us to provide equal opportunities for all students.

The Kent Opportunity Fund was established to provide a firm foundation on which to build Kent’s future. It supports a broad range of scholarships, student projects to enhance extra-curricular activities at Kent, and bursaries to support students working through financial hardship. Committees of Kent staff, alumni and donors allocate the funds raised and ensure that they go to the students who are most in need.

This year we’ve been able to provide over £200,000 among record numbers of students desperately needing support and the gifts they have made will inspire the future.

Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy

We thank those who have so far supported our fundraising efforts to launch a new Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy in 2022. In partnership with Parkinson’s Care and Support UK, the Centre will provide innovative and life changing non-drug therapies to support those with Parkinson’s.

These include the use of ground-breaking new research led by Professor David Wilkinson that focuses on stimulating the balance organs of the inner ear to improve brain health.

An estimated 2,000 people will visit the Centre during its inaugural year, with its integrated approach filling a much-needed gap in the support options currently available.

Our fundraising campaign aims to secure the £600,000 needed to make our vision a reality. The funds will enable free access to the stimulation therapy and to established non-drug therapies that help reduce the disabling symptoms that Parkinson’s drugs struggle to reach.

Find out more about how to support the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy.