Category Archives: Student Guide

Students sat by labyrinth on Canterbury campus

PGR Wellbeing Webinar Series

The importance of prioritising wellbeing in academia cannot be overstated. Recognising this, the Graduate and Researcher College (GRC) has launched a Postgraduate Research Wellbeing Webinar Series to help support the wellbeing of our research community.

The series is open to PGR students and those who are considering postgraduate study.

The series is designed to provide students with practical tools and strategies to help them manage stress, increase resilience, and improve their overall wellbeing. This can also include learning to recognise the signs of burnout, setting boundaries, and seeking help when needed. The webinars cover a range of topics, including mindfulness, self-care, stress management, and more, all led by experts in the field.

The benefits of these webinars go beyond just academic success. They also help students develop a better understanding of their own mental health and wellbeing, and provide them with tools to take care of themselves not only during their postgraduate studies, but throughout their lives.

The PGR Wellbeing Webinar Series are accessible and flexible. The webinars are delivered online, making it easy for participants to attend from anywhere. Additionally, the sessions are recorded and made available for later viewing, allowing participants to access the content at a time that is convenient for them.

Join our experts Gareth Hughes and Dominique Thompson in the upcoming live sessions,

Good Wellbeing and Good Research: Myths, Challenges and Evidence Webinar with Gareth Hughes, Wednesday 31 May,  13:00

Staying Well in Difficult Times- Top Tips for PGRs with Dominique Thompson, Wednesday 14 June, 14:00

The Wellbeing Webinar Series is an excellent resource for individuals who are looking to enhance their mental health and wellbeing. By providing tools, strategies, and a supportive community, the series empowers individuals to prioritize their wellbeing and succeed in their academic careers.

Students with therapy dog

Events roundup: 9-14 May

We hope you had a great bank holiday weekend. Welcome to the Summer Term and best of luck with any exams. You’ve got this!

Tuesday 9 May: Special collaborative reading

Each year Stirling and Kent host an Indian creative writer to work alongside students and staff. Come along to a special collaborative reading with Charles Wallace Fellows, Shreyasi Sharma and Nikita Parik on Tuesday evening at 18:00.

Wednesday 10 May: Spring animals (Medway), revision techniques and making a career action plan

Meet a range of cute spring animals at the Hub on Wednesday!

Now that exams have begun, here’s another chance to brush up on your revision techniques with this SLAS online bitesize session. See all exam events.

Preparing for graduation? Use this workshop to make your own career action plan for after you graduate. This event will also be livestreamed.

Thursday 11 May: Therapy dog, book swap and open-air cinema

De-stress from exam prep with Coco the Therapy Dog in Nexus, Templeman Library. Plus there will be other wellbeing activities on offer such as mindful colouring and a book swap.

Gulbenkian’s Open Air Cinema series starts on Thursday evening. The first film is Encanto (sing along). There will be hay bales to sit on but feel free to bring chairs or picnic blankets. A selection of food and drink will be available to purchase during the event.

Friday 12 May: Free exam supplies (Medway)

Head to the Hub on Friday where they will be handing out a range of supplies to get you through the exam season.

Saturday 13 May: Mental Health Summit

The School of Psychology are hosting a Mental Health Summit in Sibson on Saturday. The event is open to all from Kent and the local community. It’s a chance to hear from specialists, charities and influencers on mental health.

Sunday 14 May: Global Hangout boat trip (for international students)

International students are invited to the Global Hangout boat trip in Canterbury (£10 per person). Experience Canterbury’s unique history from a different angle on one of our guided river tours run by our Global Officers.

Opportunities

Reminder: UCU’s national marking and assessment boycott began on 20 April. Not all staff are UCU members and not all UCU members take part in industrial action. We have specific measures in pace to ensure you can progress or finish your studies on time. You should continue to submit all assessments and attend any exams. Find out more on our industrial action webpages.

 

Two students talking over a desk

Become more employable – add a Year In, deadline 12 May

Gain new skills to stand out when you graduate.

The need for well-rounded graduates from employers is increasing; in 2023 the demand for workers who can bring a range of skills to the table is larger than ever before. The opportunity is here for you to become that graduate as applications for Kent’s Year-In courses have opened.

The Year In courses give undergraduates students in Years 2 and 3 the opportunity to take an extra year in another course subject. This can be between your 2nd and 3rd year, or after your 3rd year is complete.  Courses on offer for the 2023/24 academic year include:

If you take a Year-In, it will appear on your degree certificate, letting employers know what you are capable of.

What does a Year In give you?

A Year-In will help combine your existing knowledge and experience with practical skills and experiences valued by employers. The graduate labour market is competitive, and the Year-In could be the very thing that makes you the obvious choice for an employer. You’ll spend a year immersing yourself in a new subject, with courses designed for beginners, that will deliver engaging, high level learning opportunities.

Get an insight into each Year In subject

Watch the videos to find out more about each Year In involves:

When do I need to apply?

The deadline for Year In applications is Friday 12 May 2023 for final year students.

Got questions? Contact careerhelp@kent.ac.uk for guidance

 

University Community Choir singing

Join the University Community Choir

Try something new and feel connection, create community and lift your spirits… We are delighted to invite you to join the University Community Choir, meeting weekly on Canterbury campus.

Singing in a Choir has many benefits, it’s informal, social, and helps you focus on something different as part of a group. Most importantly it’s fun!

It’s free to join, and there are no auditions, and you don’t need to be able to read music. Come along to meet others, or bring a friend.

Upcoming dates for Summer Term

  • 10 May 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)
  • 17 May 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)
  • 24 May 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)
  • (No choir on 31 May)
  • 7 June 2023 13.00-14.00 (Grimond LT3)
  • 14 June 2023 13.00-14.00 (Colyer-Fergusson)

Spread the word to anyone else (staff or student) who might enjoy this opportunity. If you have any questions, please email Mita Mondal, Email: mm595@kent.ac.uk

Family at graduation

Graduation accommodation for July

Did you know we’re offering graduation accommodation to our July graduates and their family and friends? So whether you have a long drive ahead of you or you’d just like to relax after the event, you can stay locally and book affordable accommodation with us. Better yet, relive your uni days and book some nostalgic campus accommodation with your graduating friends and celebrate together! Whoever you choose to celebrate with, we have campus accommodation to suit you.

Accommodation on our Canterbury campus is currently available to book from 15 – 23 July 2023. We have en-suite bed and breakfast rooms from £80 per night, alongside self-catered options, available to book from £30 per person per night. All rooms are 4-5* VisitEngland rated and include free parking and Wi-Fi for the duration of your stay.

Find out more and book online.

Local elections Thursday 4 May. Students need to register to vote each year. Plus you need photo ID

Local elections – remember your photo ID, 4 May

Remember to take an acceptable form of photo ID with you when you head to your polling station on Thursday to vote in the local elections.

Polling stations will be open from 7:00-22:00 on Thursday 4 May. Find your polling station.

If you are not sure if you are registered to vote in Canterbury, you can contact Canterbury City Council on 01227 862007 or email electoral.services@canterbury.gov.uk. Or for Medway Council, call 01634 333 333 or email electoralservices@medway.gov.uk.

 

King Charles III coronation emblem

Join the King’s Coronation celebrations at Kent

The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen Consort will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023 at Westminster Abbey.

To celebrate we are doing a number of things on campus including:

Canterbury ​​​​​​​

  • The Big Lunch Picnic in the tents outside the Registry and Gulbenkian (Canterbury campus) on Friday 5 May, from 12:30-14:30 
    Get together with your colleagues and bring your lunch to this Coronation picnic where we will be handing out free cake to celebrate. At the event you will also be able to buy our £4 packed-lunch deal.
  • Lawn games being provided by Kent Sport during the Big Lunch Picnic. Bring out your competitive spirit while enjoying some lawn games!
  • Coronation cupcake and hot drink for £3, from 2-5 May
    ​​​​Throughout the week you can get a Coronation cupcake and hot drink for just £3 from Gulbenkian Café, Dolche Vita and Sibson Café.
  • Coronation packed-lunch offer for just £4, from 2-5 May
    You can also buy a packed lunch including a sandwich, drink and crisps for just £4 throughout the week from BagIt in Rutherford College, Gulbenkian Café, Dolche Vita and Sibson Café.
  • British themed £3 meal in Rutherford Dining Hall from 2-5 May, 12:00 – 14:00
    The £3 meal deal menu in Rutherford Dining Hall (Canterbury) will feature a British themed dish for the week. 

Medway

  • The Big Lunch Picnic on the Rochester Lawn (Medway campus) on Wednesday 3 May, from 13:00 – 14:00
    Get together with your colleagues and bring your lunch to our Coronation picnic where we will be giving out free cupcakes. There will also be the chance to win a large Coronation cake.
  • Coronation deal at Medway on Wednesday 3 May
    The food truck on the Medway campus, Rich Aroma 21, will be offering a medium hot drink and a sausage roll or samosa for £5. ​​​​​​​

We hope to see you at the celebrations!

Kent sign on campus

Supporting staff and students affected by the conflict in Sudan

We are deeply saddened to hear about the fighting in Sudan. Our thoughts are with all our students, staff, alumni, and anyone who is affected by this conflict.

We are in the process of contacting our students and staff from Sudan and are taking immediate steps to support these individuals. The UK Government advice for anyone concerned about relatives or friends should call the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on 020 7008 5000.

Support for students:  

  • 24/7 support from Spectrum Life. If you or a friend need emergency support, Spectrum Life can offer online, text and telephone support from qualified counsellors and mental health professionals. Call 0800 0318227 and press option 1, or Text/WhatsApp ‘Hi’ to: +44(0)7418 360780
  • Free 24/7 support from peers and trained professionals with Togetherall.
  • If you’re feeling distressed and would like to talk to Student Support and Wellbeing staff, if you’re based in Canterbury, please call 01227 823158 or email KentSSW@kent.ac.uk; and if you’re based in Medway, please call 01634 888474, or email MedwaySSW@kent.ac.uk.
  • Our Student Services team have written a blog which gives some practical advice on how to look after your wellbeing and where to go for support if you need it.

Support for staff:  

  • Our Employee Assistance Programme offers free support and counselling to staff.
  • Our Mental Health Support for staff hosts a wide range of support for when you’re struggling, such as helpful resources and advice and information on how to get in touch with our Mental Health Allies.
Wild flowers

No Mow May 2023

We’re taking part in No Mow May this year. This means central lawns that would normally be cut are going to be left to grow throughout May. Each year we leave the grasslands surrounding our campuses but this time we are including the central lawns. 

No Mow May is Plantlife’s annual campaign calling on gardeners and landowners to leave the mowers in the shed and allow flowers to grow. May is a crucial month for flowering plants allowing them to get established and provide nectar for pollinators and other invertebrates. Just 8 dandelion flowers are enough to produce the nectar sugar needed by a bumblebee each day. 

Over the month central campus will start to look very different and the Conservation Society will be carrying out surveys to see what changes are taking place. We will be putting signs across campus that will point out where lawns are being left for nature and No Mow May. A big thank you to the Graphic Design students that created the No Mow May signs you will see on campus, and to the Conservation Society who will be surveying our wilder lawns.     

This project forms part of the University’s Biodiversity Strategy and is being led on by the Landscape and Grounds team and the Sustainability Team. We hope that we can learn a lot about the difference it makes to our invertebrates, birds and small mammals on campus. We also want to hear how this project impacts on the human community on campus. We would love to hear your feedback through the feedback form we have set up on our website, where you can also share any wildlife spots of your own. 

If you have any questions please contact sustainability@kent.ac.uk, and please feel free to share any photos you take throughout the month of our wilder lawns. 

 

Students sitting together in Kent Community Oasis Garden

Register interest for Climate Cafe training

What is a Climate Cafe?

A Climate Café is a safe space to chat with others who are feeling anxious, sad, or frustrated about climate change.

Climate Cafe Training

As part of our commitment to a sustainable future, we are offering free training on how to facilitate Climate Cafe discussion groups. This is a great opportunity to take a proactive stance towards climate anxiety, meet like-minded individuals, and develop your communication skills.

The training will take place in June online so you can take part wherever you are.

Register your interest by emailing sustainability@kent.ac.uk.