Category Archives: Student Guide

Discover England’s First Cathedral

FREE entry for University of Kent students

With new events and activities, a major new exhibition, and free entry for University of Kent students*, there’s never been a better time to discover Canterbury Cathedral – UNESCO World Heritage Site, seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and resting place of saints and royalty.

Whether seeking out dragons and grotesques, admiring the medieval stained glass windows – including the oldest in Britain –  marvelling at carved tombs, or exploring the Cathedral’s stunning Cloisters and green spaces, there’s plenty to do.

New for 2022 is a major exhibition in the Cathedral’s Crypt – ‘Making History: Church, State and Conflict’ – which allows visitors to explore up close, for the first time, a unique collection of artefacts that tell the complex, and often violent, story of Church-State relations. Items on display include the battle shield of Edward The Black Prince, a grant from one of the four knights who murdered Thomas Becket, and The Accord of Winchester, the 11th-century document signed by William the Conqueror.

Discover more by visiting the Canterbury Cathedral website.

*Students studying full-time at local universities (University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, and the University for the Creative Arts) enjoy free entry with their student ID. Terms and conditions apply

Death of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Dear students, 

It is with great sadness that we last night received official confirmation that Her Majesty the Queen had passed away peacefully at Balmoral, with her family by her side. The thoughts of all of us are with the Royal Family at this time as we unite in grief with the nation and all those around the world who have been touched by her dignity, devotion and unfailing sense of duty. 

This is an unprecedented and deeply sad moment for the country and I know that many of you will want to pay your respects personally. We will shortly have books of condolence available on our Canterbury and Medway campuses for students and staff who wish to leave a message and are also reviewing activity across the University to see what we will need to pause or adjust as a mark of respect over the coming days. 

I will provide a further update shortly as arrangements are confirmed for the national period of mourning.  

Karen 

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President 

Industrial action

Due an industrial action goodwill payment? Check your emails

If you are due a goodwill payment from us relating to last year’s industrial action, please check your student account for an email from Western Union.

We have partnered with Western Union Business Solutions to deliver the electronic payments to you via the GlobalPay Payee Manager service provided by the Western Union.

GlobalPay Payee Manager is a secure web-based payment service where you will be able to add your contact and bank details for your payment.

What will happen next?  

  • The email is from education@westernunion.com with a link to complete a ‘Payment Form’ and would have been sent in the last 10 days.
  • The email will confirm a unique reference number which you should quote in case of any queries.
  • It is important that you check your spam folder if you cannot see the email in your inbox .
  • The link in the email is only valid for 10 calendar days from the date of receipt.  

Please see the User Guide to help you complete the Payment Form.

What happens when the Payment Form has been completed?  

  • You will receive onscreen confirmation that your payment request has been submitted.
  • You will also receive email confirmation.
  • Your refund payment will then be initiated and sent to the details provided.

Any incorrect information will cause a delay in payment and could result in your payment being returned with third party bank charges deducted. We recommend having your online banking account at hand to verify your account information.

Please note that to deliver this payment via GlobalPay Payee Manager, we will need to share the following details with the Western Union:

  • Your full name
  • Your student ID
  • Your university email address

If you have any questions about completing the form or the payment process, please contact us at: paymentqueries@kent.ac.uk

Student Rachel in 'The Shed' workshop

Kent Stars: Rolls-Royce Researcher Rachel

This month’s Kent Star is Rachel Muir, who won targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Award Celebrating Neurodiverse Talent. Rachel explains why she applied (spoiler – it was a bigger competition that she realised!), how she is finding her internship at Rolls-Royce and her advice for other students. Hear from Rolls-Royce Researcher Rachel:

“Hello everyone, I’m Rachel! I’m currently in my penultimate year of computer science and working towards starting a PhD in software verification. Outside of academia, I enjoy spending time in The Shed, within Cornwallis, where Tinker Soc is held. Designing different projects and working on them with friends is one of my favourite activities. In the evenings, I love free-style ice skating, bike rides down the incredible Canterbury bike trails and spending time with my friends through activities such as guitar or gaming.”

Rachel stood outside "The Shed" in Cornwallis

Tell us about winning targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Award Celebrating Neurodiverse Talent.

“My original impression of the Undergraduate of the Year award was that I was applying for an internship with Rolls-Royce. Later I found out that it was a UK-wide competition that held quite a lot of weight. It was quite the shock to find out the scale of the award and I certainly felt out of my depth.

However, as time went on, I met some fellow contestants online who were shortlisted for winning, and others who worked at R2 Factory, connected to the internship. Getting to know the other contestants, and learning more about who would be attending the awards and what the experience would be like, was a great comfort for me. I’d never been to a large event in front of so many people, and as someone who usually remains out of the attention of others, this was a new challenge.

On the day of the awards, I got to meet all the shortlisted contestants in person as well as James Corbin, Head of Careers and Employability at Kent, whom I was really glad came to support me! It was amazing to meet others who had made it to the award ceremony, and knowing they were also neurodiverse gave me a sense of pride and recognition for us achieving something amazing. With 300 people in the room, there was certainly an atmosphere of excitement, anticipation and nerves. Hearing the backstories for the awards was a reminder that one person can reach such a vast number of people, and you could see the emotional effect some of the awards had on the room.

As overwhelmed as I was when it was announced, I was honoured to win the award for the neurodiversity category and humbled by all the different challenges overcome and accomplishments from the other winners and short-listed contestants. I’ve really enjoyed the first couple of weeks of the internship learning so many new things, and I can’t wait to see what the next 10 weeks brings me.”

What advice would you give to other students?

“I said earlier that I didn’t quite understand the scale of the award when I first applied. This may have been the reason I didn’t hesitate much when applying, as if I knew the scale, I may have assumed I couldn’t win and never applied.

I would urge anyone to apply for anything that piques their interest, whether it’s an award or an opportunity that arises. Even if you have doubts about how far you may get, or whether you have a chance of winning, you can always give it a go. If you’re interested about a subject, why would you not be able to do it?”

Rachel soldering

What are your plans for the next year?

“I hope to travel during the summer and explore a little bit more of England, and the world. I would like to try and incorporate some small coding camps or competitions during my travel and gain more experience. Hopefully I will learn more about programming, but my favourite part of travelling is learning about other people’s backgrounds, cultures, what they’ve learnt and what I can learn from them. After my final year ends, my intention is to start a PhD and see where it leads me.”

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

Join us for Medway Pride 2022!

Saturday 20 August is Medway Pride and we are excited to announce that we are sponsoring the event alongside the University of Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church University, under the Universities at Medway banner.

The parade will pass through Rochester High Street at 10:45, and is followed by a star-studded event in the Rochester Castle Gardens from 12:00.  Find out more about the schedule and line-up.

Take Part in the Parade

University of Kent LGBTQ+ staff, students, and allies are all warmly welcomed to take part in the parade. We will be walking as a group ‘Universities at Medway’ and you can register through the main Eventbrite page. Please register, choose to get tickets as an organisation member, type ‘Universities at Medway’ into the text box, click it in the drop-down menu and you will be able to register for your tickets. Instructions of where to meet to get wristbands on the day are part of the ticket registration. 

We look foward to seeing you there!

Lambeth walk

Students and staff come together for the Lambeth Walk

Around 170 people joined the event organised by Kent’s LGBTQ+ Staff Network as a show of support for LGBTQ+ staff and students ahead of the Lambeth Conference.

The march around campus was planned to show the world that people of all gender identities and sexualities are welcome and part of the Kent community. A number of Conference delegates – including gay Bishops with their spouses – joined in along the route, which culminated in a mass dance-off in the University’s central plaza.

Lambeth dance

Following the joyful and celebratory rally, the Network also hosted the Rainbows in Religion Symposium in Marlowe to explore further the intersection of sexuality and religion. Speakers including UoW Trinity St David lecturer Dr Angus M Slater and former UK Government LGBT Advisory Panel member Jayne Ozanne reflected on their own experiences pushing for equal marriage within the Church, before a panel discussion featuring staff and students at the University.

The Lambeth Conference has been hosted at the University since the 1970s, with senior figures from across the worldwide Anglican Communion convening for prayer, reflection, fellowship and dialogue. While we are clear that the Church’s views on equal marriage in particular do not fit with our values as a university, our aim throughout the conference is to facilitate debate and discussion where we can in the interest of positive progress.

Find out more on what to expect during the Conference.

Templeman Library

Lambeth Conference: What to expect over the next fortnight

The Lambeth Conference is taking place at the University of Kent, Canterbury Cathedral and Lambeth Palace from 26 July – 8 August, with some delegates arriving earlier this week. You can read more about the conference on our website.

Given both the scale and international profile of the Conference, campus will be busy with delegates, support staff, media and members of the public following the different events. We are also likely to see protest from different groups who wish to voice their concern at different aspects of the Church’s work, and we have worked closely with the Conference organisers to ensure this is peaceful and well managed. If you have concerns at the way any protest is being conducted on campus, please contact Campus Security.

Catering and room bookings

The increased numbers of visitors mean that alongside usual summer closures, a number of our catering outlets will be closed for students, staff and the public temporarily – Kent Union-run outlets such as Woody’s and the Library Cafe remain open, along with Co-Op and Caffe Nero. Room bookings will also be much busier due the number of fringe events we are hosting.

Main conference venues

The main meeting venue for the Bishops is the Kent Tennis and Events Arena, with Spouses meeting in the Sports Centre. The Chaplaincy will be based in the Kennedy Building, with numerous seminar rooms and lecture theatres used across campus for fringe events throughout the Conference.

Summer Parking Changes

With a very busy summer of conferences and events taking place at the Canterbury campus, there have been some temporary changes to our car parks. If you are a permit holder, please see notices within car parks and the email sent to permit holders.

Support available

If you feel concerned by any aspect of the Lambeth Conference, please get in touch with Student Support and Wellbeing, College and Community Life or Kent Union, who are all available to provide free, non-judgement support. Read more about support available.

Thank you in advance for helping us make this summer’s conference season a success.

Bunny on campus near flowers

How to access support over summer 

Student Support and Wellbeing, College and Community Life and Kent Union are fully open during the summer term, including the busy conference season. All our services are hybrid and can offer in person and online support at your choice.  

We are here to offer emotional, wellbeing, practical and living support to all students in the community. We are safe spaces for all at Kent and our professional teams across Student Support and Wellbeing, College and Community Life and Kent Union are here all year round to protect, support and safeguard all students. We respect, value and celebrate all in our community. 

Support available  

You can walk in and speak to our friendly staff if you don’t know who to contact first or just need a quiet space where you can be sure you well be welcomed by supportive and non-judgemental staff. 

Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) 

Student Support and Wellbeing provide counselling, disability support, mental health advice and specialist wellbeing support. They are available Monday – Friday 9.00-17.00. Scroll down for out of hours support.  

The SSW Team are based in Keynes H block (Canterbury) and Gillingham building (Medway). As well as visiting the team, you can also get in touch by calling 01227 823158 or emailing KentSSW@kent.ac.uk if you’re a Canterbury student. If you’re based at Medway, you can call 01634 888474 or email MedwaySSW@kent.ac.uk. 

College and Community Life (CCL) 

The College and Community Life Team can help with general advice about living in accommodation, activities and events, living in the local community and welfare and personal issue support. They can available Monday to Friday 9.30-16.30. 

The CCL Team are located in the first floor of the Locke building (Canterbury) and in the Medway building. As well as popping in to see the CCL Team, you can also contact them by phone by calling 01227 827010 / 824018 / 824961 (Canterbury) or 01634 888807 (Medway), or you can email cclteam@kent.ac.uk. 

Kent Union 

Kent Union are your students’ union. They offer impartial and confidential advice and guidance via their Advice Service, general support from Kent Union Staff and Full-Time Officers, as well as a range of events and activities. Kent Union are available Monday – Friday 9.00-17.00. 

You can find them at the Mandela Student Centre (Canterbury) or at The Hub in Medway. Or you can get in touch by calling 01227 82 4200 or emailing kentunion@kent.ac.uk. 

Out of hours support 

We understand that things don’t always happen between 9.00-17.00 but through our partnerships we have out of hours support and regular self-help support you can access in your own time:  

Spectrum Life  

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or need emergency in the moment crisis support outside of Student Support and Wellbeing working hours, our external partners Spectrum Life can offer you online, text and telephone support from qualified counsellors and mental health professionals.    

Spectrum Life will work with you in getting initial support and help during your crisis and the University Student Support and Wellbeing teams will contact you on the next working day  

  • Spectrum Life is available on Monday to Friday evenings from 20.00 – 8.00, and on weekends and Bank Holidays.  
  • Telephone: 0800 0318227 and press option 1 or Text ‘Hi’ to: +447418 360 780  
  • Search for the Spectrum Life app from your app store and follow the log in instructions  

Togetherall  

Togetherall is a peer led online community with self help and therapeutic support online guides and workshops  

  • Peer talk therapies where members initiate or join forums on topics ranging from depression and anxiety to relationship issues, work stress, abuse, self-harm and eating disorders  
  • peer support and networks where students make ‘friends’ to create a support network as a reference group, source of motivation and a means to improve self-awareness  
  • creative therapies employing art and writing therapies where members express themselves are posted to TogetherAll where they can choose to share and discuss the underlying ‘story’  
  • brief counselling providing immediate 24/7 support from Guides who are trained counsellors  
  • 24/7 guided groups that are based in therapeutic approaches such as interpersonal therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy 

Our services a Kent are open, free and inclusive to all. Please get in touch with us if you need support. 

 

 

 

Industrial action

Industrial action update: check your emails if you think you are due a goodwill payment  

We have just sent details of the Goodwill Payment Scheme to students affected by Industrial Action during 2021-22. The email has been sent your Kent account. If you have any questions or haven’t received the email but think you’re eligible, please email industrialaction@kent.ac.uk 

How the Goodwill Payment Scheme was agreed 

The University decided that the most accurate way to find out which students were impacted by industrial action was to assume that, where a staff member had declared that they were on strike, that the teaching events due to take place on those days would have been impacted in some way. This could have taken the form of a missed class or missed content, for example. Adopting this principle, we determined that there were almost 8,000 students who experienced at least one affected teaching event. Of these, around 2,770 were impacted ten or more times with approximately 2,300 students impacted by just one missed teaching event. I am aware that many of these missed teaching events were also mitigated by, for example, make-up activities or through the availability of alternative resources.  

The savings made by the University across all strike days in 2021/22 through withheld salaries amounted to around £194,000. Whilst the amount of savings might seem significant, when divided between impacted students, it becomes thinly stretched and potentially would not acknowledge the level of disruption suffered by the more seriously affected students. Therefore, in order to provide an appropriate and meaningful goodwill payment to those affected most significantly, we reached the decision that students who were affected only once by an impacted teaching event, would not receive a goodwill payment.  This is regrettable, but please be assured that the decision was made after very careful modelling of a variety of banding options for payments in consultation with Kent Union. This consultation involved presenting different options and models to student representatives to understand what the most satisfactory decision would be to as many students as possible.  

The following goodwill gestures will be offered:  

Band A: Students impacted 11 times or more = £75  

Band B: Students impacted 6 – 10 times = £50  

Band C: Students impacted 2 – 5 times = £25  

Band D: Students who were impacted once and will be returning to study next academic year, will receive a drinks voucher to use on campus when they return.   

If you have any questions, please email industrialaction@kent.ac.uk