As part of continued work to identify non-pay savings across the University and ensure our spending is closely controlled, the University will be introducing a ‘No Purchase Order, No Pay’ policy from 14 September 2020. 

The University’s Procurement Team supports Divisions and Departments with getting the best possible value from the goods and services they use, while also keeping track of how much we spend on key suppliers. Introducing the new ‘No PO, No Pay’ policy is key to this, ensuring we have better oversight of what we are spending when while also increasing efficiency by reducing the number of invoice queries. 

Under the new system, invoices will only be paid if they include a valid Purchase Order (PO) number which has been agreed with the supplier prior to the delivery of goods, services or works. This will set out likely cost and delivery dates, along with an agreed payment process for suppliers, bringing us in line with what is increasingly standard practice across the sector. 

Once fully introduced, the move to ‘No PO, No Pay’ will help reduce our overall spend through better management of suppliers, ensuring as much support as possible can be put towards our core teaching and research activity. Detailed guidance will be sent to Finance Managers later this week, ahead of ongoing support with adapting to the new way of working ahead of the change and from September onwards. 

Find out more about our Procurement Team 

Find out more about our Financial Sustainability work 

KentVision is a major project underway at the University intended to bring together a number of different administrative processes and simplify how we support the student journey. 

As a complex programme impacting on numerous areas of our work, getting the final scope for this right has been crucial and has required detailed work over recent months. With this now in place, the project is now nearing the testing and approval stage ahead of launching in January 2021. 

KentVision aims 

As well as replacing the expiring Student Data System (SDS), KentVision is designed to introduce simpler and more consistent ways to input, manage and process student data across the University. This will in turn support wider work to reduce bureaucracy and improve the ways we work at Kent. Its objectives are to: 

• Provide an administrative journey that is clear, informative and seamless to all applicants and students. 
• Create a united academic administration across Central Services and Divisions, giving us a single source of high–quality authoritative data. 
• Refine student administration, reducing administrative effort for staff across the University 
• Improve processes and deliver full IT enablement, using standard SITS capability to maximum advantage and enabling fully integrated mobile-enabled services for students and staff. 

Next steps 

After a lengthy and at times challenging initial development phase, the KentVision project is now fully on track against an agreed timeline to launch in January 2021. Key staff will be invited to take part in detailed testing work throughout the coming months, ahead of a broader training programme for wider staff later in the autumn as we prepare for full data migration. After launching in January, the project will move towards ongoing support for staff as they adapt to new system, while also working together with users to identify improvements and ensure we make the most of the multiple benefits KentVision will offer.  

Find out more about KentVision 

As our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support. Read their latest Tips for a UK Summer Holiday.

Their weekly webinars continue this week (Monday 10 – Friday 14 August) and are as follows:

Monday 10 August 2020 –  ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 11.00-11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Tuesday 11 August 2020 – ‘Quarantine Guidelines’
Time: 11.00-11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 12 August 2020 – ‘COVID-19: A Dr’s perspective’
Time: 12.00-13.00 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 13 August 2020 – ‘What does a local lockdown look like?’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 14 August 2020 – ‘COVID-19: Starting a new role remotely’
Time: 14.00-14.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

If you’re looking for something fun to do with the family this month, why not enjoy an outdoor performance of the musical ‘Urinetown’, taking place at the end of August?

When:

Thursday 27 August at 18.00

Saturday 29 August at 13.00 and 18.00

Sunday 30 August 13.00 and 18.00

Where:

Open Air @ The Woodstock, Sittingbourne, Broadoak Road, ME9 8AG

Featuring our colleague Tracey Ashmore (Student Learning Advisory Service Manager within the Education Directorate), this outdoor show is a “bring your own picnic” event and is the first pro-musical theatre performances in Kent to take place since the pandemic. 

The production team and performers are adhering stringently to safety guidelines and there is a crew managing the distancing measures for audiences as well as managing an outdoor bar.

To find out where to book tickets please visit the Urinetown Open Air Facebook page.

Capacity is strictly limited per performance to allow for social distancing, so book now!

Taking part in our ‘Return to Campus’ series is Helen Holland (Head of Planning and Space Management) and Jenny Martine (Interior Services & Signage Manager), who tell us all about the work of the Planning and Space Management (P&SM) team to ensure a safe return to campus for us all.

Members of the P&SM team – Helen Holland, Sophie Pearson, Karen Weatherley, Jenny Martine and Pete Hayes – look after space management, planning and data, property leasing, as well as Interior Services covering removals, furniture and signage.

Helen Holland explains: ‘In preparation for enabling restricted access, our team has been busy working with stakeholders from all divisions, schools and professional services departments to determine maximum capacities and develop one-way systems (where possible) to enable social distancing around buildings on the Canterbury and Medway campuses. This is all part of making the campuses Covid-19 secure.

‘Once the one-way systems have been designed and reviewed by the team to check signage quantities are sufficient, these are then passed to the Design and Print Centre for printing. We have created a schedule of all buildings and a rolling programme of signage installation to ensure all buildings are ready for the start of term.

‘Due to the varying size of the buildings, it can take from one day to a whole week to install all signage as every route has to be rechecked to make sure there are no clashes and it’s easy for people to navigate. We are working closely with HR and the Safety, Health and Environment Unit to enable some staff (whose critical work cannot be done at home) to return to their offices or labs as soon as the buildings are ready.

‘This is a huge undertaking as we have approximately 96 non-residential buildings across the Canterbury and Medway campus. The project is not just limited to our team within Estates, as colleagues from our Estates Administration, Environment and Sustainability, Projects, Customer Services, Logistics and Postal teams are all helping with installing signage.’

Jenny Martine says: ‘The process of installing the signs has been a mammoth job from weeks of pre-sticking the posters in advance (thanks to Waste and Cleaning for their support on this task!) to testing routes in each building and laying out all the posters to ensure the routes flow.

‘Myself and my team  – Pete Hayes, Karen Weatherley, Emma Grove, George Baker, Emily Mashford, and Catherine Morris – have each clocked up an average of 16,000 steps per day and can be seen wheeling our signage-filled suitcase around campus from one building to another.

‘We won’t mention the blisters and the night terrors of falling down posters, but all in all it has been a fantastic team effort and camaraderie. If the social rules change…we have already booked our annual leave!’

Find out more about the services the Estates department provide.

In the latest episode of the Nostalgia podcast series, Dr Chris Deacy, Head of the Department of Religious Studies, interviews Gaye Morris. Chris and Gaye collaborated about 15 years ago on a book called Theology and Film, and talk about their rationale in writing it and the relationship between the Christian and the secular world.

Gaye also shares some fascinating anecdotes, including a story about meeting The Terminator series’ Linda Hamilton on a plane and getting three autographs from Lauren Bacall at a European film festival.

Gaye also talks about the time she thought Santa was talking to her as a child, watching Elvis movies at the military base in Germany where her father was posted, being a “Beatlemaniac” and meeting ‘The Zombies’ in a hotel swimming pool.

She reveals why she left the Southern Baptists for Roman Catholicism and is now an ordained Unitarian Universalist, and also talks about working in Yorkshire, the relationship between nostalgia and gas-lighting, and why serendipity is her keyword.

The University was very sorry to hear of the death of Dr Ian Stone on Friday 10 July 2020.

Dr Stone was appointed Administrative Assistant in the Academic Division of the Registry in May 1978. He was then appointed Assistant Registrar in 1982 and by 1985 was Senior Assistant Registrar and Faculty Administrator for the Natural Sciences Faculty. In 1990 Dr Stone moved to the new Research Grants and Contracts Office, as Head, and worked there until he took early retirement in the mid-1990s.

Dr Stone then moved to the Isle of Man and, a scholar of polar studies, became Emeritus Associate of the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge, being editor of the journal Polar Record for over ten years and publishing more than 60 articles.

Many University colleagues have expressed their sadness at Dr Stone’s death and have looked back with happy memories at a greatly esteemed and entertaining colleague, a very supportive manager and someone who was always ready for a competitive game of squash.

Dr Jeremy Ovenden, former Director of Planning and Student Information, writes: ‘Ian was one of those real characters that you are privileged to come across in your working life. Always entertaining, he delighted his colleagues with his little eccentricities and headed up a happy and motivated office. Yet beneath that exterior was an intelligent, knowledgeable and caring individual and I was grateful for his guidance on many occasions. He will be missed.’

Dr Stone will be remembered with immense fondness. The University expresses its condolences to his family.

One of the perks of living and working in Kent is access to lots of outdoor space. From beaches to scenic parks and historic buildings, this county has it all!

Make the most of the sizzling summer sunshine and enjoy our Top 10 outdoors activities on offer across the county.

Canterbury

1. Cathedral to Coast Cycle Ride – Canterbury to Dover

Chart your own Pilgrim’s Progress on this 50-mile circular ride linking Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone. The route passes along leafy lanes and bridleways amid rolling hills, wide skies, woodland, country villages and hamlets.

2. Marlowe’s Canterbury Walk

This walk encourages you to explore the life of English poet and playwright, Christopher Marlowe. The route takes you on a journey around the heart of Canterbury, visiting places he would have known and offering an insight into his short life.

3. Kent Food Trails

Kent Food Trails are designed to encourage visitors and locals alike to discover new places and taste new dishes. You will meet fantastic food and drinks producers and farmers from all over Kent.

4. Via Francigena

If you fancy a real adventure then consider walking at least a segment of the Via Francigena. This ancient route starts at Canterbury Cathedral before passing through France, Switzerland, across the Alps and into Italy before finishing in Rome.

Medway

5. Fort Amherst

Fort Amherst is a free-to-visit historical site with 20 acres of green space all linked to the Great Lines Heritage Park. You will be able to explore tunnels, nature trails, ditches, ammunition magazines, cannons, soldiers’ quarters and fortifications.

6. The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Return to the ‘Age of Sail’ with a visit to Chatham’s Historic Dockyard, which built mighty ships that once mastered the world’s oceans. More recently, this lovely location has been a setting for popular TV shows, including The Crown and Call the Midwife.

7. Riverside Country Park

Covering 100 hectares alongside the Medway Estuary, Riverside is one of Medway’s beautiful country parks. Holder of a Green Flag Award, this haven for wildlife is the perfect spot for walking, running or cycling.

Whitstable

8. Crab & Winkle Way

This path takes its name from the railway line which ran between Canterbury and Whitstable from the 19th century. On the way to Whitstable, you’ll pass through the Blean, with its 13th century Church of St Cosmus and St Damian, and Blean Woods, a delightful RSPB nature reserve. The journey also takes you through Clowes Wood – one of the best places to hear the song of the Nightjar bird.

9. Spy Mission Trail

This self-guided family trail perfectly combines two things a day out with the kids should include – exploration and imagination! See the sights of Whitstable as you pretend to be spies and crack codes along this two-mile trail.

Dover to Deal

10. 3 Castles Walk

Starting at the White Cliffs Visitor Centre in Dover, amble along this beautiful coastline taking in three magnificent castles and a lighthouse as you head towards to Deal, enjoying its heritage and natural beauty along the way.

Picture from Canterbury City Council

Got an idea for a Top 10 feature? Let us know by emailing: stories@kent.ac.uk

As our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services, including helpline support and face-to-face counselling. During the pandemic, Care first has also provided weekly webinars to offer further support and advice.

Webinars taking place this week (Monday 3 – Friday 7 August) are as follows:

Monday 3 August 2020 –  ‘How Care first can support you and an update on our services’
Time: 14.00-15.00 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Tuesday 4 August 2020 – ‘Activities you can still do this Summer’
Time: 15.00-15.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 5 August 2020 – ‘A users guide to wearing a face mask’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 6 August 2020 – ‘What are the benefits of Cycling?’
Time: 11.00-11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 7 August 2020 – ‘Ways gratitude can boost happiness’
Time: 11.00-11.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link