Author Archives: Wendy Raeside

Student bursaries available for Pilgrims Workshop

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to undertake a pilgrimage? More than just a long-distance walk, a pilgrimage typically follows a historic route to a destination of particular significance. Motivations for these pilgrims range from a physical challenge to a search for spiritual fulfilment.

On Saturday 15 June, a full-day pilgrims workshop at Canterbury Cathedral will explore the pilgrimage routes of Canterbury, including the Via Francigena to Rome. The programme includes a mini-pilgrimage in the Cathedral grounds, talks on engaging with the history and heritage of pilgrimage, and a practical session with a panel of experienced pilgrims who can answer all of your questions on how to undertake your own pilgrimage.

Taking place in the beautiful Clagett Auditorium in Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, this workshop will be of interest to ‘armchair’ pilgrims (those whose interests lie in the history and stories of pilgrimage), those who have walked or cycled a pilgrimage route and anyone who has the desire to go on a pilgrimage and would like to learn how to go about it.

Student bursaries are being offered by the Centre for Heritage and are open to all Kent students. To apply for a bursary, please send a short statement of interest to organiser Julia Lewis at jep35@kent.ac.uk. Bursaries will be issued on a first come, first served basis.

Celebrate Europe Day at the UK’s European university

As the UK’s European university, Kent is committed to the opportunities provided by European and international engagement.

To mark Europe Day and to celebrate the University’s role within Europe, various activities have been planned for Thursday 9 May, to which everyone is welcome.

International Partnerships is hosting a ‘European Opportunities Fair’ in the Gulbenkian from 12.00 – 14.00. The event will showcase the University’s many opportunities available to both staff and students. The event will be accompanied with a traditional blend of live European music between 12.30 – 13.30 and a European-themed menu throughout. #EuropeDay2019

Upcoming highlights arising from Kent’s European links include:

Kent – Ghent Asian Studies Day – 18 May 2019
Launch of Kent Paris Research Institute – 3 June 2019
Kent Summer Schools – Summer 2019
Start of new Migration and Modernity (MOVES) European Joint Doctorate – September 2019
Hosting of SGroup European Universities Network General Assembly – 6-8 November 2019

For further information about the University of Kent’s engagement, links and commitment to Europe, see our Europe webpages.

Get running with Kent Sport’s Couch to 5K

Can’t run or haven’t run in a long time? Give it a go with Couch to 5k!

Kent Sport is bringing back our popular Couch to 5K challenge for the summer term and we want you! With this programme being especially designed for people who have done little to no running, it’s the perfect way to start something new.

In this 12-week plan, you will work on your running and by the final week you will be running for half an hour or approximately 5K. You won’t be on your own as our enthusiastic staff will be with you every step of the way to help you achieve your target. This challenge builds in time and effort, so you’ll constantly be impressed with what you can do if you push yourself a little.

For this term, we have two sessions a week to support you in your goal of achieving the challenge. You are welcome to attend just one or both of the sessions each week.

Session 1

Starts Monday 12 May 2019, 17.10 to 18.00 – meet at Sports Centre reception (runs continuously for 12 weeks)

Session 2

Starts Wednesday 14 May 2019, 12.00 to 13.00 – meet at Sports Centre reception (runs continuously for 12 weeks)

Anyone is welcome. No experience necessary.

Please note the sessions include warm up, cool down, stretches and you therefore won’t be active for the full hour. No need to register just turn up, meet at the Sports Centre reception and off we go. Comfy clothing and footwear advisable.

Free for Gold and Silver members or join Kent Sport for £5 with Bronze membership and pay £2 per session.

Any questions contact: sportsdevelopment@kent.ac.uk

Organising for Success updates

Our Organising for Success webpages are being updated regularly.

Click on the webpages to find out the latest news and information, including new/amended Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on:

Impact on promotion, additional salary awards and job grade reviews
Engagement and feedback opportunities for our students.

From this week (7 May), there is also a new section on our Student Guide to ensure our students are kept up to date on the University restructure.

New parking permit charges

Some of the University parking permit prices are increasing from 1 August 2019; this is the first increase since they were introduced in 2000.

Over the past 19 years, we have made a number of improvements to our parking facilities, including resurfacing and relining car parks, upgrading lighting and CCTV. The planned increase to permit charges will help offset some of our ongoing costs and enable us to work towards the objectives set out in the University Travel Plan

It is anticipated that permit prices will increase on 1 August each year in line with the RPI, and permit holders will be given three months’ notice of any increase.

View the parking permit charges webpage for more details.

Leadership Networking Event – Thursday 16 May

Managers across the University are invited to join in a Leaders’ Networking Event on Thursday 16 May in the Pavilion Café Bar from 10:00-15:00 .

The session will cover a workshop on ‘EDI @ Kent’ and a talk from external speaker Zac Ashkanasy on ‘Maintaining Resilience and Wellbeing while Leading through Change’.

The event is open to anyone who manages other colleagues or major projects at Kent. Participants will be encouraged to network and share their thoughts on EDI and their change experiences.

Refreshments will be available upon arrival and a buffet will be provided as part of a networking lunch from 12:00-12.45. Therefore, if you have any dietary requirements or other adjustments to enable you to participate effectively in the session, please let us know.

Agenda

10.00-10.30 – Networking Coffee and chat
10.30-10.45 – Open of session April McMahon
10.45-12.00 – EDI @ Kent workshop
12.00-12.45 – Networking lunch
12.45-14.00 – Speaker Zac Ashkanasy ( profile below)
14.00-14.15 – Close of session
14.15-15.00 – Networking coffee and chat

Throughout this week (13-17 May), Learning & Organisational Development in conjunction with Kent Sport, external providers and members of staff and students are hosting a ‘Belong and Grow’ weekm which has been organised to enhance wellbeing and raise awareness of diversity and inclusion across the University. Activities and events are open to staff and students and a schedule of all sessions is available here.

This week in May has been chosen as it encompasses the following national events:

Learning at Work Week – Shaping the Future
Staff Networks Day – Leading for Change
IDAHOT (International Day against Homophobia Transphobia and Biphobia)
Mental Health Awareness Week

If you would like to attend, please email LDev@kent.ac.uk We look forward to hearing from you.

About Nous

Nous is a world-leading higher education advisory business. We were born in Australia where we are the one of the main advisers to the sector; a sector which has exploded with international student growth over the last decade. We have also been in the UK for the past four years and have worked closely with a growing number of institutions to more effectively target and attract local and domestic students. Clients tell us that we employ pretty savvy analytical techniques and are generally considered a ‘breath of fresh air’ when it comes to engaging stakeholders.

You can view Zac’s profile on the Nous Group webpages.

Signature Research Themes – we want to hear from you!

Our vision for Kent 2025 highlights the importance of signature research themes:

“Our discoveries and research will emphasise existing and new signature areas, where we match the best in the world.”

A development group, including associate Deans of Research and Innovation and representatives of faculties, the Graduate School and professional service departments, has been set up to agree new Signature Research Themes with colleagues across the University.

According to the group, the signature themes should be forward-looking, dynamic and have the potential to build on Kent’s record of innovative, socially aware, radical and disruptive research. They will span the faculties, have an international profile, attract external income, engage and create impact.

During March and April, development group members have been visiting academic schools, talking to researchers, academics and professional services staff about the vision and plans for the signature themes.

If you have an idea for a signature theme, you can submit an expression of interest up until Thursday 9 May 2019.

Successful bids will be notified by 24 May 2019 and workshops on the outline themes will take place from 19-21 June 2019. Once possible themes have been identified, those leading them will be invited to submit a full proposal by 30 September 2019.

You can find out more about the Signature Research Themes and how to submit your idea(s) on the Research Services webpages:.

AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership PhD studentship with The British Museum

The Department of Classical and Archaeological Studies has announced a fully-funded AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Partnership PhD studentship between the University of Kent and The British Museum titled ‘Exploring economy, society and culture through glass bangles: origins, circulation and cultural impact in the Western Indian Ocean’.

This project aims to understand the spread of glass bangle production and circulation in the late and post medieval periods (c.1200-1700) – for instance, by mapping production areas and distribution – and investigate the cultural value and meanings of glass bangles, through a combination of archaeological science and investigation of size, colour and decoration (including a formal typology).

The project will support the British Museum’s research on trade and connections around the Indian Ocean, and provide the opportunity to develop the career of a future Museum Curator, Archaeological Scientist or Material Culture specialist. This is a collaborative studentship and will therefore be jointly supervised by Ellen Swift, Reader in Archaeology in the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies, and Andrew Meek from the British Museum.

During the studentship period, the student will have the opportunity to undertake a placement at The British Museum, in the Department of the Middle East or Department of Scientific Research. During this time they will be able to gain hands-on experience in relevant work-based skills for a career in the field of cultural heritage. There will be an opportunity to undertake training courses in techniques of scientific analysis and the student will also participate in the planning for an upcoming exhibition during the course of the PhD.

This studentship is funded by the Collaborative Doctoral Partnership scheme, and is one of seven studentships the British Museum is supporting this year to supports its work. This is the second Collaborative Doctoral Award gained by the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies in recent years; the other is a collaboration with English Heritage to study the Roman artefacts from Richborough Fort and is held by PhD student Philip Smither.

One studentship is available, either full or part time, and the award pays fees up to the value of the full time home/EU rate for PhD degrees as well as full maintenance (UK citizens and residents only). The value of the stipend for 2019/20 is £15,009 plus an additional £550 stipend payment for Collaborative Doctoral Students.

Application deadline: 7 June 2019

Interviews will take place on 20 June 2019 at the British Museum in London.

Full details and information about making an application are available on the University website.

University Teaching Prizes 2019 – call for applications

Each year, the University awards a number of prizes to individual staff or teams for outstanding work in teaching and/or learning support.

The call for applications for the 2019 prizes is now open, and applications must be received by 17.00 on Friday 17 May 2019.

Details of how to apply are available on our Teaching webpages.

The prizes will be awarded by the Vice-Chancellor at a lunchtime ceremony later in 2019, to which all staff are invited.

Sports Centre Road and Sports Centre car parks – 2 and 3 May

The closure of Sports Centre Road on Wednesday 1 May and Thursday 2 May 2019 has been delayed until Thursday 2 May and Friday 3 May 2019.

The work is to install the site accommodation for the new Kent and Medway Medical School building. Sports Centre Road and the car parks to the rear of the Sports Centre will be closed between 08.00 and 16.00 on each day.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and we will endeavour to keep any disruption to a minimum. If there are any queries please contact the Estates Customer Services on ext 16666.

Mark Ashmore
Estates Project Manager
Estates Department,