Category Archives: Student Guide

Daffodils on campus with Canterbury Cathedral in background

Spring Break 2024: Opening Times

During the spring vacation period, which is from 6 April to 6 May, most of the University’s services are still available, some with amended opening hours. Many are closed on the national bank holidays, which are Friday 29 March, Monday 1 April and Monday 6 May.

Here’s a list of services and opening times:

  • Borrow books and study: Templeman Library at Canterbury opening times, and Drill Hall Library at Medway opening times 
  • Ask Nexus: From 6 April – 5 May, Nexus is open Monday – Friday 09:00 – 19:00, Saturdays 12:00-18:00 and closed on Sundays. Nexus will be closed for the Bank Holiday weekend Fri 29 March – Mon 1 April.
  • Food and drink on campus: Canterbury catering opening times will be different during the Spring Break. See vacation opening times for catering outlets on the Canterbury campus.
  • Support: Student Support and Wellbeing reception remains open 09:00-17:00 throughout the Spring break, apart from national bank holidays. You can also get in the moment support and counselling from our telephone, text and app for wellbeing support and activities 24/7 from our wellbeing partners Spectrum Life
  • Exam preparation and study support: The Student Learning Advisory Service remains open throughout the Spring break, apart from: national bank holidays, 10:00-13:00 on 11 April and 10:00-16:00 on 18 April. You can book face-to-face and online appointments on all areas of study support, including exam preparation.
  • Reception areas: Some receptions will be operating on different opening hours during the vacation. See reception opening hours.
  • Sport and exercise: You can still use facilities and join classes over the break. Please note there will be reduced hours on bank holidays. Check outKent Sport opening hours.
  • Kent Union services and outlets: See Kent Union’s services and outlets opening times.
  • Campus Shuttle: The Campus Shuttle will run a reduced service on Friday 29 March, Monday 1 April and Monday 6 May. Aside from these dates, the shuttle will operate to the usual timetable during term-time only. See Campus Shuttle timetable.
  • Careers advice and activity: The Careers and Employability Service remains open 09:00-17:00 throughout the Spring break (apart from the national bank holidays), so you can continue to book appointments and work on your career.

And of course, Campus Security staff are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We wish you a restful break!

Templeman Library

Kent 2030: Consultation outcomes on course changes 

In order to help us meet future student demand we are making some changes to the courses we offer. This is linked to data on what students are looking to study nationally, recognising the different needs of new generations of students to come.   

Consultation process and outcomes 

We shared proposals at the end of January 2024 for courses that would potentially be phased out and not recruited to in future. Since then, we have been consulting with staff, during which colleagues from courses proposed for closure were invited to submit counterproposals.  

The Size & Shape Workstream staff, including Directors of Division, have been meeting to carefully consider the counterproposals and have made recommendations to our Executive Group on which courses to phase out and how, in order to allow the University to find the cost savings it needs. The Executive Group have reviewed these recommendations and have now approved plans. Outcomes of the consultation for all subjects proposed to be phased out can be found on the course changes webpage.   

Affected staff and students have been contacted about the outcomes of the consultation in their areas.  See timeline of when detailed information on course changes will become available 

Student Open Forums 

You are invited to attend one of our Student Open Forums to find out more about the Kent 2030 programme and to ask any questions you may have. If you are studying a subject which is unaffected by the course changes, you are still welcome to attend Student Open Forums to find out more: 

Emotional support

Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) team can support you if you are worried about the impact these changes are having on your emotional wellbeing. As well as 1-2-1 support, SSW are also hosting some online group workshops on managing your emotions during a period of change or uncertainty on 28 March, 2 April and 11 April. Check out the SSW events calendar for more information and to book your free place, and  take a look at other online and telephone support which you can access 24/7 as a Kent student.

See the Kent 2030 course changes webpage for more information including a timeline and support for students affected by the course changes.  

Group of GOLD students

Go for GOLD5000

Looking for an elective module that will provide you with leadership skills and develop your Global Citizenship?  Go for GOLD5000.

GOLD5000 is a year-long 15-credit elective module open to all Year 2 undergraduate students at Kent who are eligible to take elective modules.

The module will fit around your academic studies so you can learn at a pace that works for you, choosing which times of the year to prioritize your involvement.

Find out more about elective modules.

Not eligible but still interested? Join the GOLD Programme.

GOLD students having a meal together

Why choose GOLD5000?

GOLD5000 will furnish you with a range of important global skills, adding value to your degree and providing opportunities to earn employability points.

Boost your leadership and project management skills, enhance your global citizenship credentials and improve your cultural intelligence – the ability to interact effectively with others across cultures.

You will become a Global Officer, working closely with the Dean & Director of Global and Lifelong Learning and other staff across the University to help organise, develop and support globally-minded activities throughout the year.

You’ll gain a deeper understanding of cross-cultural communication and improve your cultural adaptability, giving you a competitive edge in the future global workplace!

Plus, you’ll build confidence as you develop your project management and teamwork skills. You’ll get to see your ideas come to life and create a positive impact for other students. And you’ll get to make new friends along the way!

What’s involved?

The year long GOLD5000 module is made up of several components designed to fit around your degree studies.

You must complete all five components to complete the module.

Component 1: Getting started

At the start of the module, you will identify your skillset and your goals for the year.

You will attend:

  • an autumn-term welcome session where you’ll learn about cultural intelligence (CQ) and reflect on your skills and intercultural awareness;

This will give you an excellent foundation and roadmap for achieving your skills and ambitions!

Component 2: Training workshops and conference

Your leadership and global skills development will be supported throughout the year with training workshops.

You will attend:

  • workshops held throughout the year on topics such as Talking Cultures, Sustainability, Internationalisation, Leadership in a Global Context, and Event Management
  • opportunity to attend the Student Global Leadership Conference in London

The workshops will help you build and diversify your skillset, while the conference will introduce you to industry leaders and speakers and provide you with networking opportunities.

Component 3: Internationalised student engagement

You will participate in a range of engagement and information exchange activities on campus, such as:

  • marketing and promotion projects
  • student media campaigns
  • focus groups
  • campus tours
  • other engagement activities

Taking part in a range of activities will provide you with practical experiences to add to your CV. Plus, you’ll gain the satisfaction that comes from contributing to the University of Kent wider community.

Component 4: Project and event planning

Here’s where you’ll put your learning into action!

Based on your chosen goals, you’ll be allocated events and activities to plan and deliver, such as:

  • Global Hangout events
  • WorldFest
  • Sustainability Forums
  • additional events you organise yourself as part of the programme

This is where you really get to see your skills come to life!

Your creative and practical ideas will directly inform these regular events, and you’ll gain hands-on experience of planning and delivering them.

GOLD students holding up WorldFest boards

Component 5: Summer check-in and final review session

You will attend an interactive group session, co-delivered with the Careers and Employability Service  where you’ll reflect on your progress, consider your skills and set goals for the future.

This is your opportunity to consider how far you’ve come on the Programme and map out how you’ll put your skills into practice in the wider world!

What will you get out of GOLD?

In addition to earning Employability Points, you will also receive:

  • A Certificate of Recognition
  • An open reference from the Dean & Director of Global and Lifelong Learning
  • Practical event and project management experience

What do previous Global Officers say about the programme?

“It was enjoyable to see our work being put into practice, as a lot of university work is more theoretical and with GOLD, we had the opportunity to see the results of our work”

“I was able to improve my cultural awareness, communication skills, be more organised and learned how to plan my time more wisely.”

“I have felt more of a part of the university community. I have made many friends. I have felt my contribution positively impact other students.”

“In regard to career development, it helps me obtain project management and teamwork skills.”

How to register

You can choose to take the GOLD5000 module by registering during Online Module Registration (OMR), which will take place between Monday 18 March and Tuesday 2 April.

Queries? Contact: DeanGlobalLifeLong@kent.ac.uk

 

You will need photo ID to vote at a polling station on 2 May

You will need photo ID to vote on 2 May

On Thursday 2 May 2024, the Police and Crime Commissioner elections are taking place.

If you are not already registered, the deadline to register to vote is Tuesday 16 April 2024. The easiest way to register is online.

At these elections, you will need to bring photo ID to be able to vote at your polling station (the name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote). NUS cards are not accepted.

If you don’t have an accepted form of ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. The deadline to apply is 17:00 on Wednesday 24 April 2024.

Alternatively email Electoral Services at electoral.services@canterbury.gov.uk or call Electoral Services on 01227 862 007.

Jarman Jam students smiling, laughing and pointing

Kent Stars: Jarman Jam

This month’s Kent Stars are Jarman Jam, a group of Arts students who run a bi-termly creative showcase for students to share their artistic works, helping to build a fun and supportive creative community. Hear from Jarman Jam:

“We are a group of eight School of Arts students, ranging from first year to postgraduate. Our degree programmes include Drama and Theatre, Film, Comparative Literature, and History and Philosophy of Art. Together we enjoy sharing our love of the arts and having a laugh before class! We are talented dancers, painters, comedians, musicians, magicians, digital artists, and podcast producers!”

Jarman Jam sat on the stairs

Tell us about Jarman Jam and how it’s helping strengthen the community within the School of Arts.

“Jarman Jam is a student-led, bi-termly, creative showcase providing people with a space for sharing their artistic works. The events bring in a myriad of performances as we are passionate about creating space for all different types of art including film, stand up, music, poetry, fine art, sketches, monologues, fashion, podcasts, and photography.

At the end of every Jarman Jam, we encourage people to share their passions by offering an open-mic slot. We find this boosts confidence as it is a chance to perform in the spur of the moment. We also leave time for audience members and performers to network with like-minded people. This not only benefits students by helping them create connections with students across courses, but also develops stronger bonds with staff and students in the School of Arts.

Performing work that is not assessed but is still open to feedback and constructive criticism is helpful for students to generate new ideas that they can take into their coursework. By holding the events in the Jarman building, a shared space for all disciplines within the School of Arts, we hope to turn the building into a space that fosters a lively and connected community.”

Jarman Jam sat joking with each other

What advice would you give to other students? 

“We would encourage other students to put themselves out there and share their work, no matter how confident they may or may not be. Performing and showing off what you have made can be so beneficial for your self-esteem and opens yourself up for developing new ideas. We would also say that you should never be afraid to try something new! So many members of the Jarman Jam team had no idea that they could run an event, be a successful compere, or create the perfect publicity materials before we threw ourselves into it and had a go!”

What are your plans for the next year? 

“Three of our members will graduate this year and start to pursue other creative opportunities. The rest will continue their studies at the University of Kent. We also absolutely intend to run Jarman Jam again next year! Our team has a lot of great ideas, and at the end of the term we will be looking for new School of Arts students to carry on the important work we have started. We think we could really establish a culture of creative sharing at Kent!”

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

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

FACE x Horniman Exhibition

As part of #Black365, March 2024 sees the launch of FACE X HORNIMAN – Hair: Untold Stories exhibition. FACE (Fashion Academics Creating Equality) and the Horniman Museum. This exhibition is set in a physical space for the first time, and explores and celebrates the influence, importance and personal narratives attached to the significance of hair seen against Eurocentric beauty standards from Black, Brown and Asian perspectives within the UK.

The exhibition has been curated by Fashion designer and Senior Lecturer Davina Hawthorne (De Montfort University) and Photographer and Associate Professor Max Kandhola (Nottingham Trent University), both council members of FACE and Co-Founder of FACE, Sharon Lloyd. Contributing editors: Dr Sarah Bryne, Professor Emma Tarlo, Rose Sinclair (MBE), Andrew Ibi, Jacob Goff, Benita Odogwu-Atkinson and Michelle Marshall.

The exhibition will seek to take visitors on a journey of discovery of the importance of hair from within the academic and student educational space. Both students and academics explore the complex relationship between hair and identity, revealing the importance of generational traditions in different communities and the power of creative invention.

The exhibition will launch on Wednesday 27 March, 5pm in Keynes College and remain open and free to view for all staff, students, and members of the community in Keynes Atrium and Teaching Gallery spaces until July 2024.

If you would like to attend the Private View please contact Becky Lamyman on StudentEDI@kent.ac.uk by 25 March 2024.

#Black365 is a yearlong campaign to celebrate Black culture, Black excellence and Black achievement at the University of Kent.
FACE (Fashion Academics Creating Equality) works to challenge Higher Education Institutions and industry in fashion, art and design fields to be more inclusive, unified and equitable, with a particular spotlight on issues concerning race, colour and ethnicity. More information on the FACE academics who have supported this exhibition through text and works can be found at weareface.co.uk.
Horniman Museum is located in Forest Hill, South East London, and aspires to connect visitors with global cultures and the natural world, encouraging us to shape a positive future for the world we all share and was the Art Fund Museum of the Year winner 2022.
Works and text produced by FACE Academics and Students for Horniman Museum’s Hair: Untold Stories can also be viewed online.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

It’s Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week (18-24 March) is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences.  

What is Neurodiversity? 

Neurodiversity is about recognising that everyone’s brain works differently. 

Neurodiversity is based on the concept that neurological variances should be recognised and respected just like any other human variation, such as gender, race or sexual orientation.

Some of the different ways of thinking, learning, interacting and perceiving the world have been given labels, such as: 

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) 
  • Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) 
  • Dyslexia 
  • Dyspraxia 
  • Dyscalculia 
  • Tourette’s Syndrome

Neurological differences in the way that our brains are wired means that you may find some things challenging that others find easy. You may also find things easy that other people find challenging. 

Around 15-20% of all the people in the world are thought to have a neurodivergence. No two people will experience this in the same way. 

There are lots of famous and successful people who are neurodivergent, including Will.i.am, Ryan Gosling, Greta Thunberg, Daniel Radcliffe, Bill Gates and Billie Eilish.

Neurodiversity support and resources at Kent:  

Upcoming events: 

Careers Fair

Events roundup: 18 – 24 March

Find out what’s on this week including the Spring Careers Fair, Life After Uni Week, exam support events and fun trips.  

Online Module Registration (OMR) for UG students opens at 9:00 on Monday. Choose the modules you want to study for 2024/25. You will receive an email when OMR is open. OMR is not first come first served.  

Monday 18 March: Inspiring Women Exhibition, Life After Uni Week events and wellbeing walk (Medway) 

For Women’s History Month, the Women’s Network, Kent Union and Templeman Library have come together to create an Inspiring Women Exhibition. The exhibition is launching on Monday and will be open for a month.  

Life After Uni Week kicks off on Monday with a range of events including a drop-in advice session with Career Advisors in Templeman Library Café, how to get started with LinkedIn (online) and how the careers service can help you if you are graduating soon (online).  

On Monday lunchtime, take a break and go for a Wellbeing Walk at Medway around St Mary’s Island.  

Tuesday 19 March: Spring Careers Fair, Coffee with a Security Officer and LGBTQIA+ Student Voices Coffee Morning 

Meet employers at the Spring Careers Fair in the Concert Hall, Colyer-Fergusson between 9:00-15:00. Many of the employers are from the local region.  

All students welcome to come and chat with one of our friendly Campus Security Officers each Tuesday lunchtime in the Gulbenkian. Talk all things security at Kent and get a free cup of coffee or tea to enjoy while you chat.  

Join the LGBTQIA+ Student Voices Coffee Morning at Woody’s to join student researchers Ellie and Shagun, and other like-minded folks, to chat about your experiences, concerns and ideas over a nice hot drink and some sweet treats. The aim of the student-led projects is to find out how Kent can work to improve experiences for LGBTQIA+ students. 

Wednesday 20 March: Free LinkedIn photos, exam room experience and Year In introduction talks 

Do you want a more professional LinkedIn photo? On Wednesday, Matt Cook Photography is offering a LinkedIn Headshot drop in, free of charge.  

If the idea of an in-person exam makes you feel stressed, why not try out an exam room experience in Canterbury to help you know what to expect and ease your anxieties. This is an opportunity for you to experience what it is like to take an ‘exam’, explore your own stress response to exams and learn techniques in how to deal with them. See all exam support events 

Are you considering taking a “Year In”? It’s an opportunity for students to take a year in a different subject between stage 2 and stage 3 or after stage 3. On Wednesday afternoon you can attend Year In introduction talks in your preferred subject and find out if a Year In could be right for you.  

On 20 March, you have the chance to showcase your business at the ASPIRE Pop up Market in Sibson Atrium. To secure a free stall contact ASPIRE@kent.ac.uk

Thursday 21 March: Second-hand book tour, Postgraduate Study, effective revision and tote bag painting 

Love reading? Join ResLife Ambassador Lissy for a tour of Canterbury’s second-hand bookshops. Engage with Canterbury’s literary history and get a book for our Blind Date with a Book event, finishing up in a local café.  

As part of Life After Uni Week, you can meet with representatives from five Divisions and ask questions about postgraduate study at Kent. Each Division will be based in a different Grimond seminar room.  

Brush up on your revision techniques with this online session for effective revision 

At the Hub you can join their Crafternoon to chill out and paint a tote bag 

Friday 22 March: Kent Graduates Panel, fun badminton and Aquarium trip (Medway) 

In your final year? Join this Kent Graduates Panel to ask questions to recent graduates about what their situation was before they graduated, what ideas they had about what to do next and what activities and opportunities helped them secure a graduate role of postgraduate study place.  

Enjoy some free fun badminton on Friday afternoon at the Sports Centre. This is non-competitive and open to all.  

If you’re based at Medway, you can join this trip to Southend-on-Sea Aquarium and experience a wide variety of sea life.  

Sunday 24 March: Cat café trip 

If you live in on-campus accommodation, you can join the ResLife Ambassadors for a trip to the Canterbury Tails Cat Café. Sip your cup of tea in the company of cute cats.   

See more student events. 

Opportunities 

  • Help the University Accommodation team develop their next Living Black at Kent welcome booklet – join this Living Black at Kent focus group and help us work towards improving our Black students’ experience. 
  • 18-25 year-olds in Canterbury can apply for a mini group study exchange this summer in Germany. The exchange is organised by the Rotary Club of Canterbury. Find out more and apply.  

See more student opportunities. 

Student and security staff

Coffee time with a security officer

Come and chat with one of our friendly Campus Security Officers to talk all things security at Kent, from SafeZone app, Campus Security’s role, advice and more. A cup of coffee or tea is on us while we chat – supplied by the Gulbenkian Café team, free of charge!

See us every Tuesday during term-time in the Gulbenkian Café – you won’t be able to miss us with security and SafeZone banners up next to our table.

If you have any sensitive or private matters that need further discussion – these can be dealt with in a different location.

See all our safety services and information on the Student Guide.

Student and lecturer smiling while listening and watching work on desktop PC

Ever thought about studying a Year In?

The Year In programme can be taken between stage 2 and stage 3 or after stage 3 of an undergraduate programme, and will appear on your degree transcript and in the title of the degree awarded, letting employers know about the additional skills and knowledge you have gained.

There are a range of programmes and you can find out more at the introduction sessions on Wednesday 20 March. These will take place in Canterbury and online: