Category Archives: Student Guide

students walking on campus

Changes to our academic management structure from Jan 2025

Over the summer we’ve made a few changes behind the scenes to how our Academic Schools come together and will be moving to a 10 school structure. These changes won’t come into place until January 2025, so for the Autumn term continue to contact your Divisional support teams as you would’ve last academic year. If you’re unsure who to contact, ask Nexus to be linked up with the right service or team.

We will be in touch ahead of January 2025 with the details of the new academic management structure and what it means for you. If you have any questions or feedback in the meantime, please email kent2030student@kent.ac.uk

What’s an Academic Management Structure?

Our academic management structure sets out how different roles within Schools come together to support with teaching and administration. This includes how our services (IT, finance, student support) are organised so that we can best teach and support you while you’re at Kent.

Medway Building

Go to the Medway Building for Kent services at Medway

Over the summer we have moved all University of Kent services at Medway to the Medway Building.

Here is where you will now find the following services at Medway:

You can still use Drill Hall Library and The Hub at Medway as usual. Toni is your Lead Medway Officer from Kent Students’ Union if you have any feedback or need support.

Your timetable will have where your teaching sessions will take place at Medway.

staff and student talking

Meet our support teams

As we get ready for the new academic year, here’s a reminder of all the support on offer at Kent and how to find it.

Two students walking into the medical centre

Reminder: have you had your vaccines?

Infectious diseases can spread easily at unis so make sure you’re up to date with your vaccines and aware of the common signs and symptoms of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia.

If you have missed one or more vaccines, make an appointment with your GP as soon as possible.

After arriving at university it is important you register with the local GP surgery, who will also be able to advise regarding your vaccinations. We have a GP surgery on the Canterbury campus you can register with.

Advice and information is available on the NHS website:

Students laughing together in a bar

Safety support on a night out

Going on a night out or to house parties are a fun way to meet new people and have a laugh with friends. Here’s a reminder of safety tips to help keep you and your friends safe: 

Drink spiking 

It’s your choice whether you want to drink alcohol or not. Don’t pressure others to drink if they don’t want to. Adding alcohol to someone’s drink without their consent is still drink spiking. Never spike someone’s drink.  

Watch the video below to find out what you should do if you think your friend’s drink might have been spiked.  

Find out more about drink spiking.

‘Ask for Angela’ initiative  

If you’re on a night out and you don’t feel safe, or you feel uncomfortable and you want to leave discretely, you can ask for ‘Angela’ at bars on campus. All our bar staff at University and Kent Students’ Union outlets have been trained on this so they can support you. The initiative also runs in many bars in Canterbury and Medway. You can often spot the ‘Ask for Angela’ sign in the bar toilets to indicate the service is available.   

The Venue and Woody’s also now operate the Ask for Clive scheme. Staff are trained in how to respond to reports of discrimination or hate crime towards people in the LGBTQ+ community.

Canterbury Connected Routes 

Connected Routes is a joint initiative between University of Kent, Kent Students’ Union and Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU). By joining up, we can offer support to you in Canterbury city as well as on campus. Any activation of SafeZone on the Connected Routes will give the Kent or CCCU security control room your location, so they can offer you support. Plus there are refuge points where you can go if you ever feel unsafe or need support. Find out more about the Connected Routes.

‘Zero Tolerance’ to harassment and discrimination 

Our Kent and Kent Students’ Union bars and outlets operate a Zero Tolerance policy on harassment and discrimination. Report incidents to premises staff and immediate action will be taken.  

Consent. Get It. Full Stop. 

The University of Kent and Kent Students’ Union do not tolerant any form of sexual misconduct, assault or harassment. Check out the consent website to find out how to get consent (it doesn’t have to be awkward!)

Let’s look out for each other. Enjoy your night! #StaySafe 

Sunset with lamppost

Plan your journey home from a night out (Medway) 

Going on a night out? Don’t forget to plan your journey home. 

Check bus services 

Depending on how late you stay out, you might be able to catch a bus home. Arriva is the main bus operator in Medway. Find out more about bus services in Medway. You can also check when buses are coming using the Arriva bus app.

Booking a registered taxi 

If you’re booking a taxi, make sure it is registered. You can tell if a taxi is licensed by checking if there is a licence plate on the front and back of the vehicle. They are usually positioned under or next to the vehicle registration plate. Drivers of licensed taxis will also be wearing an ID badge and you can ask to see this if it is not immediately visible. 

Recommended walking routes on campus 

If you’re walking across campus at night, we recommend you use the following walking routes that are fully lit: 

Campus Security Walking Taxi service 

If you don’t want to walk home alone on campus, you can call Campus Security on 01227 82 3300 and they can arrange for a member of Security to walk with you.  

Look out for your friends and don’t leave anyone behind #StaySafe 

The Old Weavers in Canterbury at night

Plan your journey home from a night out (Canterbury) 

Going on a night out? Don’t forget to plan your journey home. 

Catch the night bus 

You can catch the Stagecoach Uni2 bus after a night out in Canterbury. It’s a 24 hour service (excluding Sundays, bank holidays, Christmas and Summer vacation). Learn more about Stagecoach bus routes and discounts. You can check when buses are coming by using the Stagecoach app.

Student safe taxi scheme 

In Canterbury, we operate the student safe taxi scheme with Longleys Private Hire, a local taxi firm. The scheme gives students who find themselves in a vulnerable situation safe travel to their accommodation or another destination, such as a police station or local hospital. Students can request a taxi through the scheme even if they do not have the funds to pay the fare at the time of booking, as fares can be paid later on the Online Store. 

We recommend you sign up to the scheme in advance in case you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to use it. Registration is quick and simple and all students who register will be entitled to discounted taxi fares on all journeys with Longleys. 

Booking a registered taxi 

If you’re booking a taxi, make sure it is registered. You can tell if a taxi is licensed by checking if there is a licence plate on the front and back of the vehicle. They are usually positioned under or next to the vehicle registration plate. Drivers of licensed taxis will also be wearing an ID badge and you can ask to see this if it is not immediately visible. 

Campus Security Walking Taxi service 

If you don’t want to walk home alone on campus, you can call Campus Security on 01227 82 3300 and they can arrange for a member of Security to walk with you.  

Canterbury Connected Routes 

Connected Routes is a joint initiative been University of Kent, Kent Students’ Union and Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU). By joining up, we can offer support to you in Canterbury city as well as on campus. Any activation of SafeZone on the Connected Routes will give the Kent or CCCU security control room your location, so they can offer you support. Plus there are refuge points where you can go if you ever feel unsafe or need support. Find out more about the Connected Routes.

Look out for your friends and don’t leave anyone behind #StaySafe 

 

Fraser Cook

DICE PhD student to lead plant conservation expedition in Indonesia

Fraser Cook, a PhD student studying Biodiversity Management at the University’s Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), has secured funding for an expedition to assess the sustainability of the ornamental plant trade in Kapuas Hulu, Indonesia.

The Scientific Exploration Society (SES) awarded Fraser its Judith Heath Explorer Award 2024 for Botany & Research, and he will officially receive his award at a formal ceremony in October.

SES’ Explorer Award grants fund scientific expeditions focused on discovery, research, and conservation. Fraser applied for the award to embark on this research expedition. This aims to conduct the first comprehensive mapping of ornamental plant sites, habitats, and nurseries in Kapuas Hulu. Kapuas Hulu, in West Kalimantan, is one of the most remote and inaccessible Borneo regions, and a hotspot for endemic flora.

Winning this award means that Fraser can collaborate with local plant hunters to enhance plant conservation and foster a sustainable horticultural trade in the region.

Fraser said: ‘I am delighted to have won the award to pursue this expedition. Kapuas Hulu in West Kalimantan Borneo, known for its dense forest and swamps is a hotspot for unique plants, many unknown to science, yet less than 40% of it is protected. Overharvesting native species poses a significant threat to biodiversity and resellers along the supply chain stand to make more profit than local communities. Both the local people and the forest are losing out.

‘As a care experienced person, I never thought these amazing conservation opportunities would be reachable for me. My personal and professional experience drives my research to be solution focused with the community. This deeper understanding to place local indigenous knowledge at the centre of the expedition, with a rigorous systemic assessment of species distribution in forests and semi-wild nurseries, enabled this pioneering and different approach.

‘Local plant hunters want to celebrate their unique flora as a cultural asset, which perfectly aligns with the goals of ecosystem stewardship to combat overharvesting and habitat loss. I really hope that my expedition working closely with the local community, my DICE colleagues and my local Indonesian counterparts at IPB University and Bogor Botanical Garden can help inform the conservation strategies and horticultural practices required to make a big difference.’

The expedition will see Fraser experiencing physical, adventurous and trailblazing challenges. The adventure itself is arduous, requiring 12 hours of non-stop driving to reach the area. Once there, his team will navigate through dense forests, swamps, and lakes, often submerged by water for half the year. It will require five days of traveling on foot or by boat. Fraser and his team will encounter peaks reaching up to 800 meters, an equatorial climate with high sunlight intensity, humidity above 80%, and temperatures in the low 30s Celsius. The expedition is set to start in April 2025 and run until July 2025 and is part of Fraser’s wider comparative study across Indonesia.

What is a Year In? Apply by 20 Sep 2024

Stand out in the labour market by adding a Year In to your degree. 

A Year In is a programme offered by Kent which allows you to take a year in another course. This means you can enhance your knowledge and offer a unique skillset to future employers.

You can take an additional year in another course between stage 2 and stage 3 of your course or after you have completed stage 3. The programme you take will be added to your degree title which can really enhance your CV.

Find out more about what Year In courses are on offer for the 2024/2025 academic year.

Students eating in Rutherford Dining Hall

The meal deal is back with more variety

The popular meal deal in Rutherford Dining Hall will return for another academic year this September. 

Your Uni Your Say 

You said you wanted a meal deal that is more nutritious, better quality and has more variety. We have made these changes, however, to do this we have had to increase the price by 50p. 

New dishes offering better quality, choice and value 

From 14 September 2024, for £3.50 you will get a hot main meal with two sides of your choice. New dishes include: 

  • Sweet potato chilli 
  • Cauliflower cheese lasagne 
  • Tandoori sweet potato with lemon pilau rice 
  • New sides include dressed salad niçoise and kimchi fried rice. 

There will be two options for you choose from each day, with at least one plant-based option. The meal deal offers vegetarian and vegan options, and Halal sourced meat is used wherever possible. See the menu.

The sandwich meal deal will also be £3.50 from 14 September in Dolche Vita, Gulbenkian Cafe, Sibson Cafe, Mungo’s, and Rutherford Dining Hall.

If you are facing financial hardship, please see our financial support webpages or visit the Cost of Living Support webpage.