Good news – Progress Profiles have been relaunched and they are now even better!

Progress Profiles were launched by the Student Success Project as a pilot project in 2018.  They provided all undergraduate students, their Academic Advisers and Senior Tutors the opportunity to view SDS attendance and attainment data in a more graphical way.  Due to pilot’s success, the reports have been officially launched as a permanent resource in time for this academic year.

The Student Success Project listened to feedback from academic staff during the pilot and, based on that information, the new Progress Profiles are greatly improved.  The new reports are web based, rather than a pdf download, they are updated daily rather than twice termly, they have improved graphics and the ability to directly compare previous year’s information alongside current statistics.

The new Progress Profiles aim to facilitate the Academic Adviser consultation process by providing Academic Advisers and Senior Tutors with student data in a format which is quick and easy to digest.

A link to your students’ Progress Profile can be found on the Staff Guide, or via the link on the top banner of the Student Guide or directly using the following Progress Profiles link.

For further information about Progress Profiles, please visit the Student Success Project web page or contact studentsuccessproject@kent.ac.uk

Our Covid-19 Programme Board, now chaired by Sinead Critchley, Director of Governance and Assurance at the University, continues to plan for a safe return to campus for us all.

Among latest updates from the Board’s weekly meetings are:

Health and Safety

Face coverings should be worn in transit areas of buildings, entrances, exits, foyers etc. Signage is being placed in buildings to reflect this. For ease, signage will say ‘Face coverings must be worn in this building’. Please note this does not apply in staff offices/break rooms as these are all organised at 2m social distancing therefore a face covering is not required.

From 1 September the majority of Canterbury and Medway campus buildings have reverted to their previous normal opening hours, with free-flow and/or card access exactly as before the Covid-19 closure. You can find a list of exceptions on SharePoint. Those staff working on campus are asked to keep their offices locked and alert Campus Security of any unusual or suspicious behaviour. All access control rights will be reinstated to staff and students from 1 September, but please note that there is no change to the policies regarding staff return.

New signage is being placed on single occupancy offices to discourage one to one meetings with students being held in these spaces. Building managers will be responsible for displaying this signage. In addition, capacity limits on toilets are to be removed to prevent pinch points once students return. New signage will be displayed asking users to be aware the toilets may be busy and to potentially find alternative facilities.

New and returning students

Information for students is contained on the following sites and downloadable campaign materials are now available on our Welcome-2020 webpages.

• Safe Study Social – overview of the return to campus
• Getting Started – essential registration and information for new students
• Hello Kent App and Hello Kent site – welcome campaign for new students
• Welcome Back – welcome campaign for returning students

Corporate Communications are working on a campaign to encourage positive behaviours among staff, students and visitors on campus. Work is also taking place with Canterbury City Council, residents’ associations and other local partners to support students’ return to the community.

Each year we run a campaign to welcome our new and returning students to campus.

We are welcoming our new students with the Hello Kent campaign, building on the campaign from last year. We have also introduced a new Welcome back website for returning students. Another exciting addition is our new Hello Kent mobile app for new and returning students.

Welcome to new students (Hello Kent)

The Hello Kent website includes links to key enrolment information on the Getting Started webpages, maps, helpful student blogs/vlogs and a shared events calendar with Canterbury and Medway events organised by the University and Union.

Welcome to returning students (Welcome back)

We have created a specific Welcome back website which aims to provide key information such as re-registration and timetable release dates, helpful blogs, events and a reminder of all the support available.

Hello Kent app

Our new Hello Kent app has launched. The app is a great way for students to easily access our services, events and find out key information.

How to promote

Please see our dedicated webpage about the welcome campaigns and app for more details about how you can help us promote, including resources you can download such as branded plasma screens and images for social media.

If you have any questions or want to learn more, contact communications@kent.ac.uk.

As our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support.

Their weekly webinars continue this week  starting on Tuesday 1 September (due to Bank Holiday Monday) and are as follows:

Tuesday 1 September 2020 –  ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 2 September 2020 – ‘‘Making positive changes to your wellbeing post lockdown’ ’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 3 September 2020 –  ‘Managing stress as lockdown eases’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 4 September 2020 – ‘How Care first can support MHFA’s and Wellbeing Champions’
Time: 12.30-12.45 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Alongside ongoing work to finalise changes to professional service departments across the University, activity has been continuing to support the transition from Schools and Faculties to academic Divisions.

As Divisions took over responsibility for their budgets from 1 August, a number of key changes were needed to systems and processes to reflect the new model. Several other admin and wider updates have also taken place across teams, with this work continuing ahead of new structures being fully operational from 1 November.

What’s been done so far

A major step in transition has been the introduction of our new Divisional Leadership roles, with latest appointments available on the Organising for Success staff webpages.

Other changes to date include:

• Adjustments to key finance processes: including setting up Divisional cost centres; changing financial reporting structures to Divisions and Directors of Operations; updating authorisation processes for payments and invoices; and updating relevant access and permissions in Agresso
• Moving towards new governance and committee structures: including standing down Faculty Committees; putting arrangements for 2019/20 Boards of Examiners and Appeals are in place; facilitating Kent Union representation in new Divisions; and reviewing our Research Ethics governance structure
• Updating our key systems to support transition: including IS reconfiguring Staff Connect; identifying essential changes to SDS and associated downstream systems, which will take place on 14 September; assessment of the impact on Moodle to ensure this is carefully managed; and evaluation of the impact on our module evaluation system
• Updating key policies and procedures: Including handover of student conduct and complaints procedures from 1 September (with investigations carried out by the Student Conduct and Complaints Office and signed off by Divisions); and HR-led revisions underway to key policies affected by the changes, such as academic promotions
• Key communication changes: including updating student ID cards to remove references to Faculties; development of Divisional landing webpages; transferring or archiving all relevant content from the three Faculty and FSO websites

A number of teams will now take forward work in their own areas to support transition, including updating relevant policies, communication documents and new training requirements. This will be supported by the Project Management Office to ensure a coordinated approach across the University.

Find out more about Organising for Success

As many colleagues may know, the Director of Music, Sue Wanless, is retiring from the University after over thirty years dedicated to the extra-curricular musical life of the University.

For thirty-two years, Sue has been at the helm of the Music department,  conducting the University Chorus and Symphony Orchestra each year in the epic annual Colyer-Fergusson concert in Canterbury Cathedral, as well as the University Camerata and other chamber groups.

From humble beginning in the Senate Building through to the opening of the purpose-built Colyer-Fergusson building, music has become a flourishing, vital part of the University’s creative life.

Aside from a busy life on campus, Sue has also  been part of the panel of judges for the Canterbury International Festival’s annual music bursary competition for young performers. Read more about Sue’s commitment to music-making on this blogpost.

Kent’s Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (ICCI) is now up and running.

The Institute’s role is to coordinate and advertise our teaching and research across Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities disciplines, as it relates to cultural, creative and digital innovation. We’re working at the cross-over between creativity and the digital in particular, in areas like gaming, immersive tech, AI, health and welbeing (including social prescribing) and placemaking, but also more generally in finding creative solutions to cultural problems.

Your ICCI offers a place for business, academics and students to come together around these questions.

The key schools to date have been Computing, EDA, Business School, Journalism, the Centre for Music and Audio Technology, Architecture, English and Arts, but we have also been working with SSPSSR, CHSS, KentHealth and KMMS to generate new types of teaching and interdisciplinary research. We want to put people in touch with one another across these areas of the University and beyond to make sure that, as a university, we’re ready to take advantage of new opportunities.

So we would love to hear from you if you are interested in creative work – do please email us with a very brief description of your interests, join the mailing list on the ICCI website, or get in touch with any questions or suggestions: icci@kent.ac.uk

As more of us start planning for a return to campus, it’s worth considering how we travel there. With the government keen for everyone to get back in the saddle and the University actively promoting cycling and walking, why not give cycling a go?

To encourage staff and students to walk and cycle to, from and around our campuses, Kent offers a range of incentives.

Here are the 10 things on offer to make cycling an easier option:

1. Staff Cycle to Work Scheme

The Staff Cycle to Work Scheme offers you the chance to purchase a brand new bike and accessories from a range of participating local stores at a discounted rate. Further information is available on the Staff Finance page.

2. Local bike shop discounts

Some local bike shops, including Canterbury Cycles in Canterbury and Bikes Bike Bikes in Gillingham, offer Kent staff and students 10-15% discounts on bike purchases. You can find further information on Travel Discounts.

 3. Business bike mileage allowance

Staff who use their bike to travel to and from a meeting can claim 20p per mile. For more information, see ourFinance webpages.

4. Cycle shelters

There are over 2,000 cycle parking spaces available across the Canterbury and Medway campuses. This includes several covered and secure (KentOne card-access) shelters.

You can view the location of all the Canterbury-based bike lock-ups via this map. Shelters on the Medway campus are located at the Drill Hall Library, Central Avenue and Nelson Building.

5. University cycle groups

KUBUG is an independent cycling group at the University. It’s open to all staff and students who have an interest in cycling in and around the Canterbury campus. You can interact with other cyclists via the free online forum.

University of Kent Cycling (UKC) is a multi-discipline sports club run by Kent Union. It caters for all levels and anyone who loves having fun on two wheels!

6. Safety tips and advice

The University offers plenty of safety tips and advice when it comes to cycling, including how to check your bike is fit for purpose. See their advice on the Transport page.

7. Cycle events

Cycle events, from fun activities to organised bike rides, take place at the University throughout the year.To find out what’s on when, keep an eye on the transport calendar or follow @unikent_travel.

8. Kent cycle routes

Kent boasts some fantastic cycle routes and footpathsto enjoy both for leisure and as direct routes to and from our campuses. The Crab & Winkle Way, for example, is a picturesque off-road link between Canterbury and Whistable.

9. Cycle training course

If you want to learn how to ride a bike or need more confidence riding to work, then make the most of the cycle training courses provided by Kent County Council.

10. Cycling updates

For cycling updates at the University, follow  @unikent_travel and/or sign up to the Transport team newsletters.

If you have other useful tips for cycling to and from the University of Kent, please share them with us at stories@kent.ac.uk

With the Gulbenkian cinema and café now open (since 17 August 2020), there’s plenty of fantastic films and live events for you to enjoy!

Cinema bookings are currently online only and close two hours before the screening time. To find out what the Gulbenkian has been doing to ensure a safe visit, please visit its Customer information page.

Here are just a few of the movies and events you can go and see:

Clemency – Friday 21 August – Thursday 27 August 2020

Years of carrying out death row executions have taken a toll on prison warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard) .

Family Film: Trolls World Tour – Sunday 30 August 2020

Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return in an all-star sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s 2016 musical hit: Trolls World Tour.

Pinocchio – Friday 4 September 2020

In this live-action adaptation of the beloved fairytale, old woodcarver Gepetto (Roberto Benigni), fashions a wooden puppet, Pinocchio (Federico Ielapi), who magically comes to life.

Jive Talkin’ perform the Bee Gees – Saturday 10 October 2020

Rescheduled from May 2020, this group is renowned for being the original and best Bee Gees tribute show.

A new exchange agreement between Kent Law School (KLS) and the University of Los Andes, Colombia has been signed.  The agreement covers PhD student and staff exchange; activity that will be supported by an Erasmus+ grant won by Kent.

University of Los Andes plays a central role within the academic community in Colombia and in Latin America as a whole. The institution shares KLS’ critical, interdisciplinary approach to law and commitment to excellence in research and education; it is hoped that the exchange will establish long- lasting avenues for research collaboration particularly in the areas of peace building and transitional justice.

Dr. Luis Eslava, Co-Director of the Centre for Critical International Law within KLS, welcomes the new agreement:

‘It is extremely exciting to inaugurate the Erasmus+ programme. It will give the Kent and ‘Universidad de los Andes an opportunity to further consolidate their interinstitutional partnership while supporting a fantastic exchange programme that will benefit staff and doctoral students from both institutions. We are looking forward to receiving at Kent Law School our colleagues from Los Andes.’

Head of Kent Law School Professor Lydia Hayes is also excited about the partnership:

‘The student and academic community at Los Andes is wonderfully vibrant and we are proud that the new exchange agreement further enhances our connections. We foresee many benefits for staff and students in Columbia and in Kent because of new opportunities for student placements, the exchange of knowledge and learning, and joint working on research in the social study of law’.

Due to Covid-19, the exchange will commence online, with physical mobility taking place when it is safe to do so.

For information about Erasmus+ funding to support exchange outside Europe, please contact Primrose Paskins in International Partnerships