Category Archives: Student opportunities

Business Start-up Journey launch: hear from five business founders, 11 Oct

The Business Start-Up Journey Launch 2023: Wednesday 11 October 2023, 14:00-15:30. Sibson LT3, Canterbury, with FREE BUFFET.

Be inspired at the launch of this year’s Business Start-Up Journey where five amazing business founders share their start-up stories.

Social entrepreneur Anna Woods went from a highflying career as a buyer for top high street fashion brands, to becoming the founder of her own sustainable fashion business, Positive Retail, tacking the retail industry’s waste issue.
Sport and Exercise Science graduate Sophie Broom, the founder of The Awesome Anatomy Co, turned her artistic skills into a thriving business.
Computing graduate, Tomiwa Sosanya, the founder of Do You Customs, has won collaborations with big brands with his customised trainers and accessories.
Mathematics and Statistics student, Seth Mashate, discovered a gap in the market and plans to revolutionise data usage in the dental industry.
Law student, Munya Mwaijumba is launching Glimmer, an app which empowers freelance hairdressers.

Anna of Positive Retail shares:

‘I started this entrepreneurial journey because I knew in my heart the industry needed a solution to overstocks and customers needed to be a presented with a way to shop ‘pre loved & resale’ on the high street that felt compelling. Resale already had lots of online options ‘vinted/ eBay/ vestiere’ etc but there was no bricks and mortar equivalent that honoured the product properly. I spotted a gap in the market to create stores where quality and value were honoured, along with the customer experience. Everything is expertly and thoughtfully curated, we have done the hard work for you- you’re not rummaging in samples sales, or bidding online. We’re here for you to have a chat and to try on in a premium environment.’

What started as a 6 week popup 2 years ago is now 3 stores with a massively bright future. We want to be the ultimate destination that brands think of for their surplus stocks and shoppers come for resale.

Being an entrepreneur has felt like a pleasure. Yes, it’s incredibly tough but after years of bucking against the system and being frustrated with the status quo, I get to bring my own brand to life. It’s thrilling, fun, exhausting and magical. It’s a gift every day to be able to use all my skills & wisdom to give something to the world I am very very proud of. I know this is only the beginning.’

Hear from Anna and the other business founders at the launch event, plus find out more about how ASPIRE can support you to start your own business and develop entrepreneurial skills to enhance your career and employability. There will also be a free buffet lunch provided.

See full programme of Business Start-Up Journey events.

All students are welcome to attend.

Email aspire@kent.ac.uk to book your spot.

Become a Widening Participation Student Advisory Panel member

Are you passionate about equality of opportunity in higher education?

Do you have an interest in contributing to the decisions which underpin the University’s outreach work and strategic direction?

Then why not make a difference and gain valuable experience by becoming a member of the University of Kent’s Widening Participation Advisory Panel!

Find out more information and apply.

Deadline for applications is 4 October 2023 or sooner if lots of applications are received, so we recommend you apply promptly if you are interested.

Empowering Tomorrow: Unleashing Creativity through AI – a free conference

Dr. Bogdan Vrusias from Amazon Web Services joins an exciting schedule of speeches and panel discussions at our Unleashing Creativity through Generative AI conference, Wednesday 18 October 2023 at The Sibson Building from 14:00 – 19:00.

This free conference will showcase the latest research and applications of AI in various domains, such as health, education, business, and innovation that is taking place across the University of Kent and Amazon.

Kent staff, students and alum are invited to join us on the Canterbury campus for the event – book your free tickets here.

The day will include talks from Amazon guest speaker, Bogdan Vrusias, as well as experts from Kent around the role and impact of AI in a number of areas including education, business and healthcare. There will also be demonstrations from Kent students who are working in AI, and from Dr Anna Gruebler, Senior AI Specialist Solutions Architect at AWS.

By bringing together experts in the field, the event will facilitate a joined up and collaborative approach AI across researchers, practitioners, policymakers and business – minimising the risks and challenges it poses, while capitalising on the opportunities.

The day will include talks from Amazon guest speakers as well as experts from Kent around the role and impact of AI in a number of areas including education, business and healthcare. There will also be demonstrations from Kent students who are working in AI.

Panel Discussions

Join our panel discussions to have your say. Each session will include short talks with a range of presenters including academics, students and professionals with an opportunity for questions and discussions with the audience.  The discussions are:

Generative AI in Education
Generative AI in Business & Healthcare
Using Generative AI in Your Studies.

Networking drinks and a live piano vs. AI improvisation by German pianist Dr Esther Fee Feichtner will take place in the foyer alongside stands from ASPIRE, our Employability Teams including live demo CV checks and University of Kent Computer Science Department.

The talks will also be streamed via Teams. Find the links to join us online here.

Campus food: more choices, greater savings

New tasty Grab & Go range, expansion of £3 Meal Deals, extra Flex Meal Plan options and more savings!

Over the summer Kent’s Catering Team have been working hard to bring you some new and exciting ranges across our outlets, while reducing meal prices on average by 20% to help with the cost of living.

See some of the great new offers, price reductions and new catering ranges we have on campus this academic year…

£3 Meal Deal expansion: more choices, greater savings

From Saturday 16 September, the popular £3 Hot Meal Deal returned to Rutherford Dining Hall, offering you a choice between a freshly prepared plant-based or meat dish.

Plus, the popular £3 Sandwich Meal Deal, a hit during the summer break at Dolche Vita and Gulbenkian Café, has now expanded to include Sibson Café and Mungo’s.

In addition to this exciting meal deal expansion, the catering team have reduced hot food price on average by 20%. Through reducing food waste, collaborating closely with our primary food supplier, simplifying operations, and managing food expenses effectively, prices across campus have been significantly reduced. For instance, a Gulbenkian breakfast, once priced at £5.95, is now available at just £4.50, a Mungo’s burger and chips was £6.00, now £4.50, a Hut8 9” Margherita pizza was £7.00, now £4.00! Our hot main meals now start at £4.00 across our seven outlets and have reduced the lowest price coffee to £1.85 in Gulbenkian Café, Dolche Vita and Sibson Café.

This reduction in hot food prices shows our commitment to offering affordable dining options while fostering sustainability. By making meals more accessible and cost effective, we are endeavouring to enrich the campus dining experience and encouraging a culture of appreciating wholesome, budget-friendly choices.

New Grab & Go range

An exciting new grab-and-go range has been introduced on campus, promising a tasty and convenient dining experience for you. The range offers a diverse selection of sandwiches, salads, snacks, fruit, desserts, and reheatable items, carefully designed to cater to a variety of tastes and dietary preferences.

The expanded range brings in delicious new additions such as Jamaican patties, granola pots, burritos, and pasta pots. These additions not only promise convenience but also introduce a burst of flavours to liven up mealtimes. Adding to the excitement, the menu showcases items from global micro brands, including Kerala Curry (Indian food), Hellas Kitchen (Greek food), Three Little Birds (Caribbean Food), and Silence of the Yams (plant-based food), providing a taste experience from around the world.

These tasty grab-and-go items are conveniently located across multiple campus locations including Rutherford Dining Hall, Gulbenkian Café, Mungo’s, Sibson Café, and Dolche Vita.

The introduction of this exciting grab-and-go range at Kent underlines a commitment to providing a diverse, flavourful, and accessible dining experience.

New Flexible Meal Plan options

We launched some new Flex Meal Plan options this September. In addition to the annual Flex Meal Plan, we now have Termly and Mini Flex options which allows you to plan ahead, eat when it suits you, spend less time cooking and more time studying and socialising – all while saving you up to 50% on food. Our Mini Flex Meal Plan is a great option for commuting students who only want to eat on campus in the day and during the week, rather than paying for evenings and weekends when you aren’t here.

New hot drink loyalty offer

We have launched a new hot drink loyalty offer – buy 9 hot drinks and get your 10th free. Available in Dolche Vita, Gulbenkian Café, Rutherford Dining Hall and Sibson Café. We are also continuing with our offer if you bring your own keep cup / travel mug into our outlets for a hot drink, you save 10% on your drink order.

Keep an eye out on our catering webpages and UniKentFood Instagram for catering offers, new ranges, new opening times across our outlets and more.

£3 Meal Deal returns to Rutherford Dining Hall

Our popular £3 Meal Deal returns to Rutherford Dining Hall from Saturday 16 September 2023.

Available Monday to Sunday:

Lunch 12.00 – 14.00
Dinner 17.00 – 21.00

Choose from a freshly prepared plant-based or meat option.

We also have a £3 sandwich Meal Deal running from 16 September – a great Grab and Go offer for in between lectures.

A great meal at a great price.

More support with cost of living

You can see all the financial support available to students on our Cost of Living Support webpages.

And please remember, if you are struggling financially, get in touch for support.

Flexible casual job opportunity with Umii

Umii has an exciting role open to all Kent students! Read below for more:

Who are Umii?

Umii was created by students, for students. The Founder of Umii suffered from
loneliness and poor mental health at university, finding it difficult to easily meet
like-minded people. Umii combats the issues of student isolation and loneliness
by offering an easy way for like-minded students to meet across campus and
build real-life friendships.

What Umii do:

Umii partners with Higher Education Institutions to provide a preventative
measure to loneliness and isolation to their students. They have developed a digital application that is used by students to connect with others at their university, in a safe and secure environment. The app is designed to create individual, meaningful friendships, by
connecting students based on their interests, course types and society preferences, allowing them to expand their social circle outside of their course and accommodation. We work closely with our partners to promote the app to students and encourage real-life friendships to form as a result.

Umii are looking for people who thrive in a startup environment and want to build
tech for good. Interested? Read on…

Job purpose

To help grow Umii at your university by taking part in Freshers fairs and
promotional campaigns, spreading the word about Umii to your fellow students.

Job Activities

Stall setup: Prepare and arrange all necessary materials, banners, and
promotional items at the freshers fair stall to create an inviting and visually
appealing display.
Student engagement: Proactively approach and engage students passing
by the stall, initiating conversations to explain the features and benefits of
the Umii app.
App promotion: Communicate effectively about the Umii app’s
functionalities, emphasising how it facilitates student connections,
enhances university life, and provides valuable resources.
Interactive activities: Develop and execute interactive activities or games at
the stall to attract and engage students, fostering interest and creating a
positive brand experience.
Sign-up support: Guide interested students through the process of
downloading and registering for the Umii app, answering any questions
they may have and addressing concerns.
Relationship building: Establish and maintain a friendly and approachable
demeanour, actively listening to students’ feedback, suggestions, and
concerns, and providing assistance whenever needed.
Brand ambassador: Act as a brand ambassador for Umii, maintaining a
professional and knowledgeable image, and representing the company’s
values and mission to create a positive impression among students.

This is a casual and flexible role. See Umii Ambassador Job Description.

If interested in the role, reach out to Umii at hello@umii.app providing a little
information about yourself.

Your postgrad stories for vouchers

Kent Postgrads – we need to hear about your positive experience as a Master’s or PhD student. Send in a short video or blog and earn yourself some Amazon vouchers or funds on your KentOne card.

We’re looking for new and fresh content for our upcoming marketing campaign, and we know potential students love to hear from our current students. Our postgraduate community are an amazing diverse bunch with some interesting stories, so we’d love to hear yours.

Here are a few key themes below, if your story fits one of these profiles, please do get in touch.

Budget and money managing – how are you managing your money? How has Kent supported you especially during the cost of living crisis
What does an average week of study look like for a Master’s student – how many hours a week do you study? What days are you on campus? How do you manage your time?
Studying for a Master’s whilst working – how are you managing the work, study and life balance ?
Are you a postgraduate student who has young children? – How do you balance study and childcare? Do you use the creche facilities on campus? Have you been given any additional support?  
Do you commute to campus for your degree? How easy is the campus to get to? How often do you need to come in?  Are there certain discounts you receive?
Do you live on campus? Why did you choose to stay on campus? How are the facilities? How is the postgraduate community on campus? How much does it cost? Are there any benefits or perks of staying on campus?
We’re you worried before doing a Master’s? How have you been supported in your studies at Kent? How did you overcome your concerns?  
Did you receive a scholarship? What was the application process like? How did you prepare for your studies ?

Content we would need, either of the following:

Blog post – Ideally up to 500 words with an image of you as the author (head to shoulder shot) and up to two relevant images.

Video post – Ideally 60 second video clip in portrait format with a Kent backdrop i.e. on campus, society club, etc.

You will also need to sign a consent form for use of your images on the Kent website and marketing channels.

Deadline for student stories will be 30 December 2023.

If you’d like to share your story and earn Amazon vouchers or funds on your KentOne Card, please contact Yasmine from Marketing. Email: Y.Wahid@kent.ac.uk

How to join Medway Pride Parade, 19 August

At Kent, we stand for Pride and will be sponsoring Medway Pride as part of Universities at Medway! Join us for a spectacular celebration of LGBTQ+ identity set in the heart of Rochester.

The event will start with entertainment in a Pride Parade through Rochester High Street on the 19 August starting at 10:45, with the main event being held in Rochester Castle Gardens. There will be community stalls, bars and food outlets, and creative activities.

If you’d like to take part in the parade as part of the Universities at Medway group, sign up now. The promo code will be automatically applied, so just select the number of tickets required.

There are no tickets currently available for people who just want to attend the festival event at the Castle Gardens, but you can go on a waiting list for returned tickets.

If you have booked parade tickets but have also previously booked Castle Gardens tickets, please return the Castle Gardens Festival tickets on Eventbrite so these can go to people on the waiting list.

Staying active – new monthly gym membership

Kent Sport, in collaboration with Kent Union, are delighted to offer a new Kent Sport membership payment plan for students; monthly payments. The new payment plans are starting in September 2023. If you’re interested in monthly payments, register your interest here.

We are so excited to announce that from September Kent Sport will be implementing monthly payments for membership! Over the last few years, Kent union and the VP for Student Engagement, have been lobbying Kent Sport and the University for this outcome, and we’re so happy that student voices have been heard and change is being made! We have been working with Kent Sport to create a more active campus and encourage more students to take part in exercise and activities, to look after their physical and mental health and wellbeing. This new monthly payment option will make Kent Sport more accessible to students by spreading the cost of the membership over the whole year and will break down one of the biggest barriers to participation!

– Caroline Van Eldik, Kent Union Officer: VP Student Engagement (2022-23)

Gym membership prices

The prices for our new monthly payment options are:

Premium Plus £18.99 per month or £195 annual
Plus £13.99 per month or £150 annual
You’ll be able to buy your monthly payment membership from 1 September, either through your online account or at the Sports Centre and The Pavilion receptions. You can find out more about the benefits of Kent Sport membership on our website. Purchasing your monthly instalment membership is easy. If you’re already a Kent Sport member, you’ll just need to login to your online account from 1 September and there you can purchase your membership. If you’re not a member already, you’ll need to create an account first before you can purchase your membership.

You’ll still be able to pay for an annual membership in one payment if you prefer. Monthly and annual memberships can be purchased at anytime throughout the year, however, all student memberships have an automatic end date of 31 August.

An added bonus

Get a £20 credit top-up on your KentOne card when you purchase a Premium Plus membership between 1 September and 30 September 2023. This includes monthly and annual payments.

Please note we are retiring the Premium (gym and class only) membership option from 1 September 2023.

Kent Sport Community Tennis Open Day, 27 August

On Sunday 27 Aug 2023, we are opening our doors to everyone at the Kent Sports Community Tennis Open Days.

Located within the Kent Indoor Tennis and Events Arena at the Pavilion outdoor facilities, all students, staff, and members of the public are welcome to book a free 45-minute session with our Law Tennis Association (LTA) qualified coaching team. On the day, you’ll be able to experience the fantastic indoor courts, play on the acrylic surfaces, and chat with our experienced staff, including LTA Level 5 coach Nick Skelton and the coaching team.

Bookable slots start at 10:00 for adult and Youth Start sessions, plus there are multiple junior and children’s sessions on each Open Day, so there’s plenty of opportunity for you or your children to get involved.

Spaces on our tennis Open Days are limited so make sure you book early to avoid disappointment. Book your free space at kent.ac.uk/sports/tennis.