The University’s Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries have announced Jim Ang as its new Deputy Director.

Jim is currently Senior Lecturer in the University of Kent School of Computing, where his main research expertise lies in digital health, specifically in co-designing, deploying and evaluating immersive and sensing technologies in healthcare settings. His team has developed prototypes including virtual reality systems for people with dementia, anxiety and eating disorders, as well as skin-like flexible sensors for monitoring and therapies, some of which are in use in real-world settings.

Jim says: “I hope to help shape the future direction of ICCI, exploring the intersection between my current work, and cultural and creative industries to make an impact.”

iCCi Director Catherine Richardson says “We are delighted to welcome Jim to our team. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise as we develop a Digital Strategy for research, teaching and civic engagement, and will bring colleagues from across the university more closely into iCCi as the Institute continues its work with cutting-edge projects – including the Docking Station, a new cultural hub for immersive technologies in Medway”.

Find out more about the work of iCCi.

You are invited to submit new or updated declarations for incorporation in the 2022/2023 Register.

What is this?

The University Council holds a Register of Interests for all staff and members of Council, in line with the Higher Education Code of Governance and the Office for Students Audit requirements. This register is where individuals declare any interests they have. Some examples are:

• Any financial or personal interest you may have between the University and an external body, such as another organisation.
• Consultancy, employment, directorship or other activity within a commercial concern
• Shareholding or membership of statutory and public authorities
• Other education establishments and companies where the University has an actual or potential business relationship
• Any interest a family member might have that could give the appearance of a conflict, even where no actual conflict exists.

When should I make a declaration?

It is up to you what, if any, interests you declare. However, making a declaration provides protection for both you and the University against any possible allegations of misconduct, corruption, or impropriety.

It ensures transparency so it is clear you did not exploit your position for personal gain in some way or used your position within the University for your personal advantage. The rule of thumb is if in doubt, declare it to cover yourself.

Documents, including the Policy and a Declaration Form can be accessed on the Governance website Policies and Procedures – Governance – University of Kent and on SharePoint. You can also find the University’s Policy on Personal Benefit  on our Governance pages.

Colleagues are welcome to contact Council Secretariat for confidential advice if needed.

Completed forms should be returned by the end of November 2022.

The Estate Customer Services and Print Centre would love to get your feedback on their services and invite you take part in their annual short satisfaction survey.

The Estates Customer Services Centre acts as the key contact point for all enquiries regarding services provided by the Commercial Services & Estates Department. They work in line with their Customer Services Policy, which is available to view on the department’s website.

The Print Centre provides high quality, cost effective print solutions, they will take care of the whole process of getting an item produced from the design to sourcing the best quality and value products.

The short survey should take no more than five minutes for you to complete and is open for two weeks, closing at midnight on 2 November.

Your views are very valuable as they will be vital in helping make improvements to their service.

We increasingly rely upon networked technologies and the internet infrastructures upon which these rely; the myriad miles of fibreoptic cables, the banks of servers, the lofty data centres and the ever-encircling satellites. However, these integral systems are often unseen, overlooked, and sometimes intentionally concealed. Additionally, the software and hardware that we see in our everyday environments – laptops, desktops, smartphones, smart devices and so forth – are often so entrenched in our way of being that we overlook our reliance upon them until they stop functioning; a power cut, server downtime, an empty battery.

This competition welcomes photograph submissions that engage with the human experiencing of cyberspace and its interconnected hardware and software. Use your camera or other image-capturing device – whether SLR, polaroid, smartphone camera, webcam, Game Boy® pocket camera – to capture a moment that tells a story about living, learning and connecting in cyberspace.

Submitted photographs will be judged for up to 26 prizes in 3 categories (Kent staff, Kent students and non-Kent participants):

• 3 Best Overall Photo Prizes (one per category, £100 Amazon voucher per prize),
• 3 Most Creative Photo Prizes (one per category, £100 Amazon voucher per prize), and
• 20 runner-up prizes (5 for Kent staff, 5 for Kent student, and 10 for non-Kent participants; £20 Amazon voucher per prize).

Submit your photograph by 31 October

The cost of living and rising energy prices are of increasing concern for many of us. Staff from across the University are meeting regularly to see what we can put in place ahead of the winter months.

The Heating and Energy Efficiency Team met recently to identify energy-saving measures this winter. Whereas previously, measures have been driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions, this year, reducing costs is also a key priority. The measures identified are generally no cost, or low cost measures that we can put in place quickly.

John Kingsland said:

“We are estimating to reduce gas consumption in the range of 4-8% this winter and will reduce electricity consumption/costs to a lesser extent. Our current main actions are as follows:

• The Boiler House started operation on Wednesday 14 September with a start up temperature of 90C, which is lower than previous years and will result in less heat loss from the 3km district heating mains. This is being checked to ensure heating and hot water in buildings are reaching the required temperatures. As the weather gets colder the temperature will have to be increased to maintain the heating, but this can be reduced again as the weather turns milder in the spring.
• There are 4 boilers in the Boiler House. On the coldest days 2 boilers can meet the full heating requirements on all but the very coldest of days. Based on this, one boiler will be isolated for the heating season reducing standard losses from the boilers.
• Currently, each building has its own individual outside air temperature sensor. These are connected to the Building Management System (BMS) and when the heating exceeds 16C outside, the BMS switches off the heating systems inside the buildings as it is not required. Some of these controls have been adjusted and there is further scope to have outside air temparature sensors grouped into zones and have the calibration checked.
• Time schedules, boiler set points, heating set points and more are in the process of being reviewed and adjusted to improve control of heating, hot water and associated plant. Additional control systems added to the Honeywell software can reduce energy consumption further.

The above is a starting point and will be reviewed and adjusted going forwards. Any new updates or changes will continute to be communicated as soon as possible.

At the end of July, the T&OD team wanted to recognise the commitment of our Digital Specialists who have been creating online learning for our staff. They entered Jena and Amy into the Learning Pool Awards in the category of Rising Star. This award recognises someone starting out in their career, or new to learning and development.

Jena Dady was previously a Talent Advisor within T&OD but applied for the role of Digital Specialist as part of the department’s restructure. This wasn’t something Jena had previous experience in, yet her enthusiasm, and willingness to learn something new and support the change of training methodology in the T&OD team shone through. Jena picked up the software quickly and has a truly collaborative approach to design, ensuring content is accessible as well as engaging, and informative. Jena continues to look for ways to innovate and learn, including looking into the use of VR as part of the learning experience for staff.

Amy Terry joined the T&OD team in September 2020. As this was during the pandemic, Amy had to start her new role working from home, where she didn’t have the usual introduction to the team or networking opportunities. Not only did Amy have to learn about the organisation and her team, but she also had to learn new software and the remote learning approach we were taking during the pandemic. Although this was challenging, Amy’s energy brings light to any room or meeting. Her pragmatic, matter of fact and organised approach meant she started to make differences very quickly within the team and organisation. Amy is methodical, dedicated and produces high-quality learning modules, that are accessible and easy to learn from.

At the end of September, the T&OD team received the excellent news that both Jena and Amy had been shortlisted out of a large number of entries. On 13 October they attending the awards event and although they didn’t win, it was lovely to see two people from Kent being recognised. They were also very happy to receive their goody bags!

The University’s Honorary Degrees Committee will meet in November and again in March 2023 and we are looking for nominations for the award of honorary degrees for the consideration of the Committee.

Anyone can put forward a nomination and to ensure the award of honorary degrees across a broad range of academic disciplines and subject areas it would be helpful to receive a number from each Division and from across the academic disciplines.  You can find all the necessary criteria and guidance, including the nomination form, on the Honorary Degrees Committee SharePoint page.

Nominations should be returned by the 31 October 2022 for the November meeting, and 21 February 2023 for the March meeting by email to councilsec@kent.ac.uk

We have recently partnered with Leading Routes to deliver a series of events and workshops aimed at Black students, who would like to explore opportunities to continue studying and working in academia.

Leading Routes is a pioneering initiative that aims to prepare the next generation of Black academics, by exploring new ways to strengthen the academic pipeline for African Caribbean students, from a Black-led perspective.

Leading Routes will be running a series of events and workshops for students and staff at Kent. These events and workshops are being promoted and managed by the Graduate and Researcher College, learn more and book your place on our website now.

As well as the student events, there are also two online workshops scheduled specifically for Academic, Research and Professional Service Staff:

• The Pipeline – challenging meritocracy and acknowledging structural barriers for Black students – 14 November, 13.00 – 14.30
• Changing Cultures – practical steps towards long term change – 16 November, 13.00 – 14.30

Don’t miss out and book your place today!

Read more about Leading Routes

By Dan Harding, Head of Music Performance

23 October 2012 marked a revolution in extra-curricular music at the University; the moment the doors of the new Colyer-Fergusson Building opened for the first time. Since the vibrant Gala opening which took place the following December, the award-winning facility has been the centrepiece of campus-based music-making in Canterbury, with nightly rehearsals and weekend performances galvanising the space.

Sir James Colyer-Fergusson was a passionate supporter of the University music at Kent, and his generous legacy laid the foundation for the building’s construction. This, alongside contributions from over 200 individual doners and support from the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s Matched Funding Scheme, means the building resounds during term-time with music by students, staff, alumni and members of the local community coming together to explore a wide range of music.

Some of the highlights include the Music department’s popular Lunchtime Concert series. This has provided a welcome respite from the working day once a month during term-time, hosting concerts ranging from Scottish folk group Fara to the Deptford Rivieras, sitarist Jonathan Mayer, saxophonist Martin Speake, and others. Students have also had the opportunity to engage with visiting performers in workshops and coaching sessions, including working with the Glyndebourne Touring Orchestra, the London Conchord Ensemble, percussionist Denis Kucherov, and Dame Anne Evans.

Alongside this, a wealth of internationally acclaimed musicians have performed in the prestigious concert-hall over the past 10 years, including Sir Willard White, the Brodsky Quartet, Joanna MacGregor, Robert Wyatt, the London Community Gospel Choir, Stile Antico, Jess Gillam, Imogen Cooper and Rachel Podger. Renowned harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock has even recorded the entire series of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier in the concert-hall for the Deutsche Grammophon label.

Over 250 students and staff regularly use the practice rooms each academic year, and the Music department’s annual programme of events comes to a flourishing climax each summer in Summer Music Week, celebrating the end of the musical and academic year.

And it’s all thanks to Sir James’ visionary legacy that this can take place, offering remarkable, memorable opportunities to all those who both come to participate as well as come to watch. This December, we’ll be launching the start of a year-long series of events across our music-making, welcoming back many musical alumni, and continuing to celebrate extra-curricular music at the heart of the artistic life of the University community. We look forward to seeing you!

As part of the anniversary celebrations to mark the ten-year anniversary of the opening of the Colyer-Fergusson, the Music department is delighted to have commissioned a new piece by the composer Russell Hepplewhite.

The piece, written for mixed-voice choir and string orchestra, is a setting of the Magnificat interspersed with four new poems written by Nancy Gaffield in the School of Creative Writing, each inspired by an historic painting. There will be two performances of the piece next year, on Friday 31 March in the Colyer-Fergusson Hall at 7.30pm and Friday 9 June in the Colyer-Fergusson Hall at 7.30pm, as part of Summer Music Week.

The KentVision Project has successfully delivered enhanced features and functionality. This will improve the student and staff experience when working on activities such as board of examiners, compliance and student finance.

These upgrades and new features will help improve a variety of processes – reducing administration burdens on staff, removing unnecessary communications, and delivering a better experience for students. It also includes improvements to existing technology released, following feedback from staff.

What has been delivered?

• Improved usability of the right to study screen in enrolment ensuring that students are able to progress through enrolment and re-registration in a timely manner, helping us comply with Home Office rules.
• Improvements to the results release process and result letters ensuring they are clear and meet the needs of our students for the re-sit period.
• Enhanced functionality including changes to improve progression/award rules and exam board reporting particularly for the re-sit period. Post-exam board functionality will allow chairs actions to be recorded and CSAO will be automatically notified – removing administration burden and preventing unnecessary communications.
• Full support for the clearing processes, ensuring permissions are allocated, known issues are resolved, and underlying processes for the new telephone offers initiatives are enabled.
• A new process to roll forward scholarship fund reference data to the next academic year.
• Improvements to the student financial registration processes – ensuring facilitation of student engagement and timely addition of payment information.

This release is the culmination of hard work, and we commend everyone involved for their work – including the KentVision Project Team, IS colleagues, and the users of the system dedicating time to ensure improvements are realised.

Next Steps

• Technology and process improvements to continue over throughout October including Change of Circumstances and also the development of the integration between KentVision and the new CRM.
• New automated communications for student immigration compliance will help us stay in touch with the relevant students and ensure we comply with government regulations.
• We continue to make minor technology and process enhancements for the new admissions cycle – creating a better user experience for staff.
• Technology and process improvements to the end-to-end UKVI reporting process to ensure they are fit for purpose and meet our compliance requirements.
• Business readiness activities, including transition plans and training and communications.