In the latest episode of the Nostalgia podcast series, Dr Chris Deacy, Reader in Theology and Religious Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, speaks to Professor April McMahon, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Education and Professor of English Language and Linguistics.

In this episode, April talks about being born in Edinburgh during a Beatles concert, how there weren’t many opportunities open to her as a child, being into the New Romantics, Altered Images and musicals, what inspired her to go to university, giving a lecture on the day that Margaret Thatcher resigned, how her Christian faith came along while she was in her 30s, listening to ‘Junior Choice’ on Saturday mornings as a youngster, her mother’s sudden death, and why it is important to enjoy the present.

Dr Sophie Quirk, Senior Lecturer in Drama and Theatre in the School of Arts, has featured on Morning Edition, broadcast on National Public Radio in America, yesterday 20 February 2019.

Morning Edition is the most popular news radio programme in the United States.

Sophie was interviewed for an item called ‘The Other Side of Anger’, which explored how comedy can be cathartic way of expressing anger. The piece particularly focused on comedian Mo Amer, who has used comedy to explore his experiences as a Kuwaiti-Palestinian man in modern-day America. The topic coincides with Sophie’s research interest in the social and political impact of contemporary stand-up comedy performance.

‘There are some comedians who I actively want to see when something happens that makes me angry, say, politically,’ explained Sophie, ‘because they have had the same experience of current events, and they are going to talk about them. And the people around me are going to be expressing through their laughter and their groans a real empathy with what I’m feeling.’

The broadcast can be heard online here, with Sophie featuring 4’30” into the programme.

Professor Simon Kirchin, Professor of Philosophy and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, and Dr Graeme A. Forbes, Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, along with colleagues in the University’s School of Arts, have been awarded funding from the British Society of Aesthetics, for ‘Aesthetics and comedy: how to do things with jokes’, a conference about the philosophical background of comedy.

Dr Forbes said, “analysing comedy is said to be like dissecting a frog: no-one’s that interested, and the frog dies. But comedy writers and performers often analyse comedy: to craft new material or perfect timing. By bringing comedy writers and practitioners together with philosophers we can potentially change how comedians understand their craft, but also add fresh impetus to debates in aesthetics, ethics, and theoretical philosophy about how comedy works and what it is for.”

The conference will take place in October 2019, bringing together philosophers from a number of areas with comedy practitioners. The University of Kent is uniquely placed to host such a conference, as the home of the Aesthetics Research Centre, the Centre for Practical Normativity, and the Centre for Popular and Comic Performance. As well as being the home of a number of philosophers interested in comedy and performance, Kent is one of the leading universities for the academic study of comedy, both nationally and internationally, and hosts the British Stand-up Comedy Archive and the British Cartoon Archive.

Dr Sophia Labadi, Senior Lecturer in Heritage and Archaeology in the department of Classical & Archaeological Studies, has recently released an action plan on World Heritage, Sustainable Development and Civil Society following a workshop which took place in March 2018 at the University’s Brussels School of International Studies.

The workshop on World Heritage, Sustainable Development, and Civil Society took place on 29 March 2018 and saw the gathering of 50 civil society actors from all over the world. The aim was to find innovative ways for civil society actors to implement the UNESCO’s 2015 Policy on the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention. This workshop was part of the official programme of the European Year of Cultural Heritage and was organised in cooperation with Europa Nostra, and with generous funding from the European Cultural Foundation and the University of Kent.

The policy on World Heritage and Sustainable Development, adopted by UNESCO in 2015 represents ‘a significant shift in the implementation of the (World Heritage) Convention and an important step in its history. Fundamental considerations such as the respect of human rights, gender equality, poverty alleviation, among others, will be now integrated in conservation and management approaches of the Convention.

This workshop was part of the official programme of the European Year of Cultural Heritage, organised in cooperation with Europa Nostra, and with generous funding from the European Cultural Foundation and the University of Kent.

Are you a parent at Kent?

Join Parents at Kent in showing that there are many of us, that we are in every department and school, and we are proud of our little ones and their achievements.

Our research has shown that parents often feel that they need to hide that they have children, or that it is frowned upon to be a parent in academia and professional services.

Ask your child (any age) to make a picture or piece of art that shows their parent at work. All submissions will be displayed at the Athena SWAN lunch on International Women’s Day, 8th of March. Winners will be commended with gold stars (!).

Entries will be judged on innovation, creativity and panache.

Deadline for submissions: 1 March 2019

Send to the Athena SWAN team via internal mail: Darwin College P1.01, or send electronic submission to our email: athenaswan@kent.ac.uk

Marking International Women’s Day weekend, join us for a celebration of women through music, theatre, comedy and dance at Gulbenkian from Fri 1 – Sun 10 Mar 2019.

The festival gets underway on Fri 1 Mar (19.30) with The Jazz Sessions: Jessica Lauren’s Naga 5, featuring Josephine Davies on Windwards. In association with POW! Festival, celebrated Jazz composer and keyboard player Jessica Lauren will be joined by a five-piece ensemble for a special concert exploring female empowerment. Tickets £12 / Concessions £10.

On Fri 8 Mar (19.30), The Head Wrap Diaries transforms the theatre into a South London hair-salon called BE U Tiful, giving the audience front row seats to watch, interact with and become immersed in a journey from childhood to the present day. Tickets £13-£5.

We have not one, not two, but THREE excellent star acts, in the form of Wendy Wason, Tanyalee Davis and Carrieann Redneck in Funny Rabbit Comedy Club – International Women’s Day Special on Thu 7 Mar, 20.00. Plus guest acts and all kinds of horseplay and tomfoolery from your host and compere Oliver Double. Tickets £7-£5.

Join us for a family day of dancing, music, talks, workshops and visual arts which celebrate women and equal rights in This Girl Can Family Day on Sun 10 Mar, 11-16.00. All ages and genders are welcome.

Family Day Ticket £5pp or This Girl Can Family Day & Movie Package £6pp : Includes £5 ticket to This Girl Can Family Day + at least one £1 offer ticket to family film screening of Moana (10.30am), Brave (13.30) and/or Wonder Woman (16.00) on Sun 10 March.

Jane Zhuk, a stage 1 Biochemistry student in the School of Biosciences has won the Keynes College Sustainability scholarship which was  specially created to celebrate Keynes College’s 50th anniversary and mark its taking part in FutureProof, Kent’s response to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and our commitment to the SDG Education Accord.

The scholarship is one of several Community Scholarships offered by the University’s Student Services‘ team and aimed at students who are interested in providing opportunities within the local and campus communities. The scholarship offers the recipient financial support, advice and project management support, and the opportunity to develop personal and employability skills.

Jane will be working on a number of exciting projects, including a new herb garden in Keynes College and a Sustainability week organised in collaboration with Keynes College Student Committee. Jane is keen to hear about any students and members of staff who would want to know more about these projects,  would like to be involved or have any ideas they would want to put forward and discuss. Jane can be contacted at the following email:  Keynessustainability@kent.ac.uk 

Jane will also be posting updates on her projects on the University sustainability blog.

Another opportunity to make contact with  Jane will be at the upcoming ‘Teaching Sustainability: Sustainable Teaching’ conference, taking place in Keynes on Friday 1 March.  The event is free to attend including refreshments, a showcase sustainable lunch and drinks reception at the end of the day (more information and links to registration can be found here)​.

Are you ready to #TrySomethingNewForFree? We have a huge variety of inspiration for students and staff – come and discover some fun and practical ways to improve your wellbeing.

In Keynes Atrium on Monday 25th February and Tuesday 26 February between 12.30 and 14.30 you will find information stalls, craft activities and a whole host of free workshops and snacks. It will be very interactive and a chance to relax and connect positively with your own mind and body, and with each other.

What? Where? When?

Please see the attached programme for workshop listings and the full programme is also ONLINE– including celtic jewellery making, dog therapy, henna hand painting, yoga, tai chi, movement medicine, ceramic painting, writing for wellbeing – they are all free to attend and no booking is necessary.

Follow @UniKentSSW for the latest updates and programme reminders for #EnhanceYourWellbeing2019.

Medway’s Enhance Your Wellbeing activity will take place on 7 March which is Universities Mental Health Day – for the programme CLICK HERE.

The University recently hosted the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) at the Medway campus.

NaCTSO visited the campus on 8 February to deliver ‘ACT Strategic’, a brand new product to replace Project Argus.

The event, in the Rochester Boardroom, was organised by Mark Arnold, Head of Security at the University who also welcomed everyone. The training was formally opened by Shamima Begum, Head of Professional Development & Training Delivery at NaCTSO.

Taking part in the training were 32 representatives of Medway campus stakeholders – including the universities of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church and Greenwich, Student Union, Kent Union, NHS Medway CCG, Kent Police, Medway Council, Chatham Maritime Trust, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, Medway Dockside Outlet and six NaCTSO observers.

The training comprised updates on the current threats to the UK and commercial/public organisations, risk management cycle, measures to reduce risk, as well as legal and training advice. Group discussions followed on key issues impacting the Medway Campus. Feedback was provided by the attendees to NaCTSO on the ACT Strategic product.

The training was used by NaCTSO as a proof of concept before rolling out the product nationally. Locally, it will be used to develop an overarching Serious Incident Response plan for the Medway campus.

As part of the University’s preparations for Brexit, a suite of webpages is now available for current and prospective students, staff and researchers.

http://www.kent.ac.uk/brexit

Whilst we are still unclear of the UK’s position regarding its exit from the EU, we aim to continue to provide the latest support and guidance to our students and staff. These pages will be updated with the latest information as more details become available.

Also included are examples of how the University is informing the Brexit debate through its series of academic expert comments and guest lectures amongst other activity.

The pages include contributions from our Academic Division, Human Resources, Research Services and Corporate Communications teams. Kent Union has also provided additional advice for EU students.