Over the summer break 2024, you may notice some changes to the student website as we get ready to launch our new student website for 2024-25.

The new student website will be designed for current students making it easier for you to find the information you need while studying at Kent.

Benefits include:

🔎 A search bar that only searches services and information for current Kent students

📚 All your Kent services and systems in one place

🚀Improved design informed by students and user experience experts

🗺Website navigation designed for current students only

These changes are following student feedback that you find it hard to find the information you need on the current Kent website.

This is the start of a journey of continuous improvements to the website experience for Kent students. So once it launches tell us what you like, and don’t like, so we can continue to improve the student website for you.

What do I need to do?

Nothing. When the new student website launches we will let you know and you will be automatically redirected. This change won’t affect Moodle, KentVision, your email, timetable or the Uni Kent Student App.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please email communications@kent.ac.uk

It’s the final week of summer term and the end of the undergraduate academic year! Find out what’s on this week.

Staying on or near campus over the summer? Check out the Summer at Kent website for events and ways to meet other students.

Monday 10 June: From Wild to Web talk by Conservation Practitioner

Join Louisa, a Conservation Practitioner with over two decades of experience, as she shares her unique career journey evolving from Field Researcher to Academic Dean and Independent Consultant ‘From the Wild to the Web 3.0: An Unusual Journey’, focusing on sustainable conservation practices across Africa. This event is taking place in Kennedy and you are welcome to stay for refreshments and activities afterwards.

Tuesday 11 June: Reflective writing, free breakfast at Medway and help if you are graduating soon #ClassOf2024

Try out this reflective writing workshop that includes a walk to the labyrinth on campus.  Reflective writing is a skill that can help you to nurture a sense of progress and development, both personally and professionally.

If you’re based at Medway, on Tuesday morning you can enjoy a free community breakfast at the Hub.

Graduating soon? Find out how the careers service can help you if you are about to graduate, plus there’s also a workshop on how to reflect and identify questions to ask before deciding what to do next.

Wednesday 12 June: Chill zone, therapy dog and trip to Rye and Camber Sands (Medway)

Take a break in the Chill Zone in Templeman Library DG-01/02 (near Nexus) where you can play Nintendo Switch MarioKart, relax with arts and crafts and play some board games. Plus enjoy some refreshments.

Looking for an easy way to de-stress? Enjoy the last Pause for Paws of the summer term featuring Coco the therapy dog.

At Medway, you can join a full day trip to Rye and Camber Sands. Explore and meet new friends.

Thursday 13 June: Free breakfast at Medway

At Medway on Thursday, you can join for a free community breakfast at The Hub. As a Right to Food University, these breakfast sessions symbolise our ongoing dedication to tackling food insecurity.

Friday 14 June: Record your 3 Minute Thesis and Kent Community Oasis Garden

If you’re a postgraduate researcher, you can book a slot to record your 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) which celebrates research and encourages you to explain your research in three minutes in appropriate language to a non-specialist audience.

Get out in nature and volunteer at the Kent Community Oasis Garden. Everyone is welcome at Kent Community Oasis Garden, whether you’re an expert gardener, a complete beginner, or just coming along for a chat.

See more student events.

Opportunities

• Make sure you are registered to vote in the General Election. You need to register to vote each time you change address. While you may register at your home address and also your term-time address, you can only vote ONCE.
• If you’re a postgraduate student, sign up for the GRC’s Annual Postgraduate Conference on 3 July. This is an excellent opportunity to attend talks, take part in interactive workshops and network.
• Do you know an inspirational student or student group? Nominate them for our Kent Stars student success campaign.

Find out what’s on this week including Pride Canterbury and PG Careers Week, a series of events and workshops specifically aimed at postgraduate students to support you in your next steps.   

Monday 3 June: International postgrad careers session 

Are you an international postgraduate student? Join this online session about how to navigate the job market as an international postgraduate.  

Tuesday 4 June: Joseph Conrad Centenary events 

You’re invited to join the guest lecture on the legacy and political consciousness of Joseph Conrad, one of the most celebrated and influential writers of twentieth century literature. Conrad sailed across the world during the height of colonialism before settling in Kent to write novels, novellas and short stories based on his experiences. 

British Nigerian activist, poet, and actor, Femi Nylander, brings attention to the forgotten victims of colonial atrocity in African Apocalypse, based on Conrad’s seminal work, ‘Heart of Darkness’. Watch the film at the Gulbenkian, followed by a Q&A with the film’s award-winning director Rob Lemkin. 

Wednesday 5 June: Emerging AI in the Weapons Space panel talk, Chill Zone and Campus Pride Funfair 

Join Kent Union for a panel talk discussing the emerging use of AI in the weapons space, a discussion which will explore the ethics, research possibilities and impact of this development.  

Head to DG – 01/02 in Templeman Library on Wednesday afternoon for Chill Zone. Enjoy time playing Nintendo Switch MarioKart, board games and do some arts and crafts. Plus, there are refreshments and cookies.  

Join the LGBTQ+ Network for a fun and accessible Pride event on the plaza with their Campus Pride Funfair. The small, fun-fair style event will include arts and crafts, childhood carnival games, prizes and more. Free wristbands for the Canterbury Pride Parade can also be collected at this event.  

Thursday 6 June: Medway Community Breakfast, Pride Parade wristband collection and Yoga and Writing Retreat (PGR) 

At Medway on Thursday, you can join for a free community breakfast at The Hub! As a Right to Food University, these breakfast sessions symbolise our ongoing dedication to tackling food insecurity.  

Do you want to join the Pride Parade this weekend? To join you must be wearing an official wristband. We have a limited number that we will be distributing, along with flags to wave in the Parade, in the Plaza outside the shop. You can collect your Pride Parade wristband from the plaza from 12:00-14:00, first come first served.  

If you’re a PGR student, you’re invited to join the Yoga and Writing Retreat on campus. This workshop consists of guided yoga sessions mixed with opportunities for you to get on with your writing. 

Friday 7 June: PG Careers Week events and RE:Imagine End of Year Show 

As part of PG careers week, there are sessions around CVs and Cover letters and also specifically academic CVs. You can also join a session around your next steps after your Master’s.  

Friday evening marks the opening night of Re:Imagine: End of Year Show for the School of Architecture, Design and Planning. This is a showcase of work by our Architecture, Graphic Design and Spatial Interior Design students. 

Saturday 8 June: Pride Canterbury and KentCOG Summer Social 

Saturday is Pride Canterbury, a spectacular celebration of LGBTQ+ identity. March with fellow students and staff in the Pride Parade and join the celebrations in Dane John Gardens.  

The Kent Community Oasis Garden and ResLife have joined together to host a KentCOG Summer Social Student event in the garden to celebrate the term coming to a close. There will be food, refreshments, games, crafts and more.  

Opportunities 

• Are you interested in the Kent Refugee Action Network? Find out how you can support their project by contributing to transcriptions for the oral histories being recorded. 
• Complete the Kent Sport Student Activity Survey to let us know how we can shape our services to allow you to be more active, whether you currently use Kent Sport facilities or not. Chance to win a £250 Amazon voucher. 

This month’s Kent Stars are Politics and International Relations students Cassie, Sakina and Harry who were recently selected to take part in the Model NATO event in London. Hosted by the British International Studies Association (BISA), Model NATO offers an opportunity to experience how countries manage their responses to world events and the many challenges this brings. Hear from Cassie, Sakina and Harry:

Harry – “Hey! My name’s Harry and I’m a second year studying Politics and International Relations with Spanish, originally from Barbados. Besides getting up to stuff with friends, I really love to spend my time reading. Nowadays, it’s usually stuff related to my course but when I have time I enjoy fiction as well.”

Cassie – “Hi, I am Cassie, I am a second year Politics and International Relations Student at the University of Kent. I am particularly interested in British Politics as well as Current Affairs.”

Sakina – “My name is Sakina, and I’m currently a second-year undergraduate student studying Politics and International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I have a keen interest in a variety of subjects, including political ideology and contemporary politics. Outside of the academic realm, I actively participate in extracurricular activities such as the equestrian society and have recently joined the Labour society. I am also a veracious reader.”

Tell us about your experience of the Model NATO event

Sakina – “Participating in the Model NATO event was an illuminating and rewarding experience. This simulation mirrors the workings of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, with students assuming the roles of representatives from different member countries to address pressing international issues. Through this immersive experience, I not only deepened my understanding of global politics and diplomacy but also honed essential skills such as negotiation and effective communication.

Collaborating with peers from diverse backgrounds fostered a rich exchange of ideas and perspectives, leading to a profound appreciation for the complexities of geopolitical discourse. Being awarded the most ‘Distinguished delegate’ certificate with my fellow team member Cassie, was such an incredible honour. Importantly, this event solidified my aspiration to pursue a career in international relations, underscoring the significance of such experiential learning opportunities in shaping one’s professional trajectory.”

Harry – “The point of the Model NATO exercise was to craft a response to a humanitarian disaster in the Mediterranean caused by severe earthquakes. We sat in committees around a table alongside students from various other universities, each representing a different country within NATO. Together, we decide what we’re going to talk about, how we’re going to talk about it and in what order.

For each successive issue, everyone takes turns stating and arguing for their point of view, we discuss and negotiate and then eventually, attempt to find a response to that particular point that every single person agrees with. That’s how NATO functions in the real world, every country has to agree. This was quite tricky, and we often got bogged down in the precise wording of particular agreements or things that, when you consider that the hypothetical scenario we were dealing with already had thousands dead, seemed silly. Yet they weren’t because each country is supposed to guarantee their own interests. It did give a lot of perspective in terms of why negotiation between countries can often be so difficult and take so long. We were supposed to be helping people suffering from an earthquake and instead we ended up spending half the morning arguing about if we’d be able to use each other’s satellites. All in all, it was a great experience, it was a lot of fun, I met some cool people and I’d love to do it again.”

Cassie – “We were given the country of Germany, so beforehand we familiarised ourselves with German Capability and Interest in order to stay authentic as a delegation. By practicing our diplomatic skills, we had to collaborate with other delegations to achieve a resolution, which could only be achieved through full consensus. This was the root of much disagreement between delegations, particularly on the topic of priority setting. Many countries felt NATO should remain dedicated to Russian threat as a main priority, where others felt NATO should streamline capabilities in response to the unfolding disaster. This experience highlighted the importance of respecting ongoing geopolitical crises even when attempting to handle new critical disasters. The experience helped solidify my knowledge of international relations as well as helping grow my negotiating and problem-solving skills. At the end of the simulation, we were able to produce a comprehensive resolution to tackle the humanitarian crisis caused by the earthquakes.

Due to our extensive research and knowledge Sakina and I were delighted to be awarded the ‘Distinguished Delegation Award’ in the Military Committee, which is the first time a representation from Kent has won an award through the experience.”

Cassie and Sakina receiving their award for “Distinguished Delegation in the Military Committee”, representing Germany.

What advice would you give to other students? 

Cassie – “Though university is about getting a degree, there are so many opportunities outside of Academics, such as societies, conferences, or exciting events such as Model NATO. Though sometimes it takes a bit of time and effort to seek them out and apply, it is completely worth it.”

Harry – “It is always a good idea to find ways to improve your public speaking skills. It’s important now within university, in classes, to be able to express yourself and describe your understanding and your point of view. Wherever we all end up after university, it is always going to be helpful to be able to speak to a group of people and explain whatever it is you want to explain, clearly, concisely and convincingly. If you agree, you should try out Model UN, there’s a club for it on campus. I think it’s a great way to improve those skills and the club is filled with plenty of cool and friendly people, so, consider checking it out.”

Sakina – “My advice to fellow students is to actively seek out opportunities for experiential learning and personal development. Whether through participation in events like Model NATO, involvement in student clubs, or pursuit of internships, these extracurricular engagements offer invaluable avenues for growth and exploration. Embrace challenges, step out of your comfort zone, and seize every opportunity to broaden your horizons. My own journey exemplifies the transformative power of such experiences, as they not only enrich academic pursuits but also illuminate potential career paths and passions.”

What are your plans for next year?

Cassie – “My plans for next year include my continued involvement in political societies at the University, such as Model UN. I will be entering my third year so I hope to write a dissertation about British Politics.”

Harry – “This September I head to Madrid to do a year abroad for my course. It’s really scary and sad to say goodbye to friends I’ve made here at Kent. I’m definitely going to miss Canterbury and everyone in it over the next year. At the same time, I am definitely looking forward to meeting new people, finding new experiences and (hopefully) learning more Spanish in Madrid. One of the best things about moving to the UK has been learning to adapt to an entirely new environment, so I’m excited to be able to do that again.”

Sakina – “In the upcoming year, I am committed to furthering my understanding and expertise in the field of international relations. This entails pursuing internships or research opportunities aligned with my academic and career goals, thereby gaining practical insights, and forging valuable connections within the industry. Concurrently, I aspire to engage in meaningful community service initiatives, leveraging my skills and knowledge to effect positive change on a local and global scale. Additionally, I aim to embark on enriching travel experiences and cultural explorations to deepen my appreciation for global dynamics and diverse perspectives. These endeavors collectively serve as building blocks for my future, including potential postgraduate studies in a specialised area of international relations.”

Do you know an inspirational student or student group? Let us know.

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

We hope you enjoyed the bank holiday weekend! Here’s a few ways you can get creative and relax this week.

Tuesday 28 May: Studying, mindfulness colouring and free breakfast (Medway)

On Tuesday evening you can join the ResLife Ambassadors for a quiet environment where you can do some studying intermixed with mindfulness colouring to help you unwind.

At Medway, you can enjoy a free breakfast between 10:00-12:00 at The Hub. Come together with friends and enjoy a tasty meal.

Wednesday 29 May:  Wellbeing in research and free cinema screening of Wonka

If you’re a PGR student, join this online session about improving wellbeing in research to learn more about stresses and coping strategies for academics.

For students living in on-campus accommodation, you’re invited to the Gulbenkian cinema for a free showing of Wonka. Register on the Home at Halls app.

Thursday 30 May: Painting on the Library Lawn and graduating information session

Take a break from revision and exams and join Kent Union for some painting on the Library Lawn. They’ll provide the paints and canvases, you just show up and enjoy the views. This event has been cancelled due to poor weather forecasts. 

Graduating soon? Find out how the Careers Service can help you in your next steps at this online session.

There’s another chance for a free breakfast at Medway on Thursday. These free breakfast sessions symbolise our ongoing dedication to tackling food insecurity.

Friday 31 May: Taylor Swift conference, rock climbing (Medway) and Kent Community Oasis Garden

On Friday, Kent will host the first ever European Taylor Swift conference! Swift’s feminist reputation will be explored, while the conference will also host the first ever academic discussion of her new album, The Tortured Poets Department (which has been dismissed by critics but praised by fans worldwide). See the conference programme.

Do you enjoy rock climbing or fancy giving it a go? The Hub is running a trip to a brand new climbing centre at Dockside so you can try it out.

Join an open volunteering session at the Kent Community Oasis Garden near Park Wood. Kent COG is a collection of students, staff and community members working to create a sustainability hub centred around growing food.

Saturday 1 June: 1920s themed afternoon tea and the Summer Ball

Students living in on-campus accommodation are invited to this special 1920s themed afternoon tea with live music on the lawn by the Registry building. There will be prizes for the best fancy dress. Register on the Home at Halls app.

Come together on Saturday night for the Summer Ball! Get dressed up and enjoy some huge acts and celebrating with friends.

See more student events.

Opportunities

• Are you interested in the Kent Refugee Action Network? Find out how you can support their project by contributing to transcriptions for the oral histories being recorded.
• Complete the Kent Sport Student Activity Survey to let us know how we can shape our services to allow you to be more active. Chance to win a £250 Amazon voucher.
• Applications for the Santander Universities Research Awards 2024 are now open, they are giving away 50 awards of £1000. This is open to all postgraduate students.

See more student opportunities.