This morning our Vice-Chancellor and President Prof Karen Cox has announced she will be stepping down after seven years in the role. Karen will be with us until the end of May with a recruitment process underway to find and appoint Kent’s next Vice-Chancellor. In the meantime, the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Strategy and Performance, Prof Georgina Randsley de Moura, will serve as Acting Vice-Chancellor. 

What will happen next 

The University’s Council and Senate oversee recruitment and appointment of the Vice-Chancellor. They will be working with the University’s HR team to identify potential candidates to be our next VC ahead of a full interview process. This is expected to continue into the summer. 

What does this mean for you 

Our Executive Group will continue to handle the day-to-day running of the University until the new appointment is made, with Georgina responsible for any formal decisions that would normally be taken by the Vice-Chancellor. This means in practice there will be no change to your usual studies or activity at the University and the remainder of the year will carry on as normal. 

“It’s been an absolute privilege to serve as Kent’s Vice-Chancellor and so much of what makes the role special is down to you, our students. Hearing about your remarkable achievements has always been the highlight of the role, along with having the honour of seeing so many Kent students graduate and go on to make the world a better place. I look forward to continuing to celebrate your successes as Kent begins its next chapter under new leadership, with a continued focus on ensuring we shape everything we do around the needs of our students.” 

Professor Karen Cox, Vice-Chancellor and President

This year’s WorldFest celebrations were a delicious success, thanks in part to a series of free student cookery workshops.

These workshops offered students the chance to learn new skills, celebrate cultural diversity, and of course, have some fun!

Led by Kent’s experienced Chef de Cuisine, Ben Elsbury, and Darwin chef, Nick Constantinou, the workshops covered the art of pizza making and the ever-popular Japanese dish, katsu curry. Due to high demand, a second katsu curry workshop was added to the schedule!

Students from all corners of the world, including Asia and Africa, came together in Darwin Kitchen, a real-working kitchen on campus. Here, they learned the secrets of fresh pizza dough, panko breadcrumbs, and the perfect rice accompaniment to katsu curry.

But the benefits went beyond just the food. As Ben Elsbury himself says, “It’s key for young adults to learn essential cooking skills… But overall, I really do enjoy spending time with the students, it’s always an enlightening and entertaining experience.”

The sentiment was echoed by a student attendee who praised the personalised attention and friendly atmosphere. They commented, “It was very personalised… Everything ran smoothly… Thank you to WorldFest for providing us with events that help us connect and bond with people in a fun way!”

Emma Marku, the brain behind the initiative and Global Opportunities Manager for GEO Internationalisation, highlighted the significance of food in uniting communities. “WorldFest provides an opportunity to celebrate our culturally diverse communities here on campus… Cooking together provides the opportunity to ask questions and appreciate how one dish can be cooked differently by different cultural communities. Ahead of the katsu curry workshops, our Japanese Language Tutor also provided a talk on the relationship between food and culture. Students have requested that we repeat the experience with Nigerian or Somalian cuisine. That would be something great to do!”

WorldFest is the University of Kent’s annual celebration of cultural diversity. This year, celebrations took place from 4 – 15 March 2024. WorldFest aims to showcase the cultural diversity, talents, and knowledge of Kent’s students and staff. The festival continues to serve as a platform for creating lasting memories through engaging activities like these cookery classes.

If you are currently using Moodle to log your attendance at class, from September 2024 you’ll be moving across to the new and improved attendance system – Presto Student.

What is Presto Student?

✨ Presto Student is the new system you will use to log your attendance at class from September 2024.

📱 Presto Student makes it easier for you to self-register attendance or absence on any device using single sign on (SSO).

📅 Like Moodle, it uses a 6-digit or QR code and provides an easy-to-navigate timetable and dashboard to view your attendance for the term.

👉🏽 It’s all about providing the right support and intervention to students who need it, ensuring that everyone has a chance to succeed.

📣 Throughout the 2024/ 25 academic year, more functionality will be added to make sure Kent students have the best possible experience.

❔ If you have any questions or feedback on Presto Student, you can email attendance@kent.ac.uk

It’s the last week of the undergraduate Spring term! Find out what’s on this week including events to help you prepare for exams, an open lecture about the American election and the Neuro-Insurgence Open Mic Night.

Tuesday 2 April: Coffee with a Security Officer, CVs and Cover Letters (Medway) and learn more about a Master’s in Business

Come and chat with one of our friendly Campus Security Officers to talk all things security at Kent, from the SafeZone app, Campus Security’s role, advice and more. A cup of coffee or tea is on us while we chat – supplied by the Gulbenkian Café team, free of charge!

Find out the essentials of CVs and Cover Letters including trends, hints and tips at this workshop in Pilkington building.

Are you an undergraduate considering staying on for a Master’s and moving into Business? You don’t need to be a current Business student or have a degree in these areas to study some of our Master’s programmes. Come along to Nexus between 12:00-16:00 to find out more.

Wednesday 3 April: Exam preparation and American election open lecture

Even if you have good essay writing skills, it can be a challenge to keep on point, maintain clarity and finish the task under timed conditions. Join an essay writing in exams workshop at Canterbury or Medway on Wednesday afternoon to learn useful tactics for writing efficiently and effectively in in-course tests and exams. There’s also an exam room experience event in the Sports Centre so you explore your own stress response and learn techniques with how to deal with them.

On Wednesday evening, you can join a open lecture on the forthcoming American election: “Does President Biden have any Aces he can play or will he be Trumped in the end?” in Keynes lecture theatre 1.

Thursday 4 April: Workshops for non essay-based exams and Neuro-Insurance Open Mic Night

Find out how to take Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Short Answer Questions (SAQs) at these workshops for non-essay based exams in Canterbury, Medway and online.

Join the Accessibility Network and the Stand-Up Comedy Society for an evening of spoken word and comedy at the Neuro-Insurgence Open Mic Night. Hosted by local comedian Adam Dorr and with a variety of acts, the event promises a night of laughter, connection and solidarity amongst neurodivergent students and allies.

Friday 5 April: LGBTQIA+ Coffee Morning and Kent Community Oasis Garden volunteering

On Friday you can join the LGBTQIA+ Student Voices Coffee Morning, which is celebrating International Asexuality Day over hot drinks and sweet treats. LGBTQIA+ Student Voices is a student-led project aiming to understand and improve experiences for LGBTQIA+ people at Kent.

Consider volunteering at the Kent Community Oasis Garden near Park Wood on Friday between 10:00-14:00. It’s a collection of students, staff and community members working to create a sustainability hub centred around growing food. Everyone is welcome at Kent Community Oasis Garden, whether you’re an expert gardener, a complete beginner, or just coming along for a chat.

Opportunities and reminders

• There will be some changes to service and facility opening times over the Spring vacation.
• The Hub offer a range of free classes with Medway Move. Current activities include Social Badminton, Tai Chi, Strong Nation, Yoga and more.
• The Transport Team have created a Campus Travel Updates page to help you plan your journey with information about planned travel disruptions that they have been made aware of.

The Transport Team have created the Campus Travel Updates Page to help you plan your journey with information about planned travel disruptions that they have been made aware of.

Where possible they will aim to to provide advance notice on full or partial closures of our campus car parks and any local roads. Please be aware that the Transport Team are reliant on receiving information from third parties and this may affect the notice they are able to provide to users. This is a new process and will replace the use of notices within the campus car parks. Therefore we advise that you check this page regularly.

Refer to our Planning your Journey page for further advice on how to check, who to follow on social media or apps to download for disruptions on local transport networks and roads.

Over the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend (Friday 29 March to Monday 1 April), there will be some changes to services and opening times:

• Borrow books and study:Templeman Library at Canterbury, and Drill Hall Library at Medway will remain open over the Easter Weekend with reduced opening hours.
• Ask Nexus: Nexus will be closed for the Easter weekend from Friday 29 March – Monday 1 April.
• Food and drink on campus: Canterbury catering opening times will be different during the Spring Break. See Easter weekend times for catering outlets on the Canterbury campus.
• Support: Student Support and Wellbeing reception will be closed over the Easter Weekend. You can also get in the moment support and counselling from our telephone, text and app for wellbeing support and activities 24/7 from our wellbeing partners Spectrum Life.
• Exam preparation and study support: The Student Learning Advisory Service will be closed over the East Weekend. They will reopen at 9:00 on Tuesday 2 April. You can book face-to-face and online appointments on all areas of study support, including exam preparation.
• Reception areas: Some receptions will be operating on different opening hours during the Easter Weekend. See reception opening hours.
• Sport and exercise: You can still use the gym facilities with reduced hours over the Easter Weekend. Check out Kent Sport opening hours.
• Kent Union services and outlets: See Kent Union’s services and outlets opening times.
• Campus Shuttle: The Campus Shuttle will run a reduced service on Friday 29 March and Monday 1 April. See Campus Shuttle timetable.
• Careers support and activity: The Careers and Employability Service will be closed over the Easter Weekend. It will reopen on Tuesday 2 April. Get in touch with Careers to book appointments and work on your career.

And of course, Campus Security staff are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We hope you enjoy the Easter Weekend!

If you have exams at Kent in May/June 2024, you can now view your exam timetable in KentVision.

See how to view your exam timetable.

Get exams ready

There’s loads of free events and support to get you ready for exams this year, including:

📚 Revision and exam prep sessions from your School and the Student Learning Advisory Service.

🌈 Wellbeing events and support from our Student Support and Wellbeing Team.

💻 Library and IT resources to help with your studies and revision.

❔ If you have any questions about exams, your Divisional Team is on hand to help or you can email exams@kent.ac.uk

See all exams support and guidance

Find out what’s on this week including exam preparation events, ways to destress and Canterbury Varsity – Go Team Kent! 

It is also a bank holiday weekend from Friday 29 March until Monday 1 April, with many of the University services either closed or on reduced hours. See bank holiday opening hours.  

Monday 25 March: Exam prep, Holi celebrations (Medway) and Blind Date with a Book 

Feeling worried about exams? Join this online workshop focused on exam techniques and managing stress.   

At Medway campus you can join Holi celebrations to enjoy colour throwing and an after party at The Deep End.  

Try a blind date with a book in Templeman Library! Bring your own pre-loved book and wrap it and decorate it. Then choose another wrapped up book to take home with you and enjoy.  

Tuesday 26 March: Career Action Plan, part-time jobs (Medway) and Exam Room Experience 

In your final year? Join this online event to reflect and help you make decisions about your career action plan after you graduate.  

Do you need some guidance finding a part-time job? Join this event in Pilkington building, Medway, to find out more about different part-time work options and where to find them.

You can also meet some cute spring animals at the Hub on Tuesday!  

If the idea of an in-person exam makes you feel stressed, why not try out an exam room experience in Canterbury to help you ease your anxieties. Explore your own stress response to exams and learn techniques in how to deal with them.  

Wednesday 27 March: Women’s Business Market, Exam Room Experience (Medway) and launch of FACE X HORNIMAN exhibition 

As part of Women’s History Month, Kent Union is running a Women’s Business Market in the plaza. Come along and explore a wide variety of women-led student businesses.  

If the idea of an in-person exam makes you feel nervous, why not try out an exam room experience in Medway to help ease your anxieties. This is an opportunity for you to experience what it is like to take an ‘exam’, explore your own stress response to exams and learn techniques in how to deal with them.  

As part of #Black365, March 2024 sees the launch of FACE X HORNIMAN: Hair Stories exhibition in Keynes. FACE and the Horniman Museum explores and celebrates the influence, importance and personal narratives attached to hair from Black, Brown and Asian perspectives within the UK. Join us at the launch of the exhibition for an evening of art, culture and Jamaican pasties and tropical juice.  

Thursday 28 March: Relaxation sessions (Medway) and Easter Pub Quiz 

On Thursday you can enjoy some relaxation sessions at The Hub. Choose from a 15-minute back massage or a gel manicure.  

Test your knowledge, enjoy good company, and win exciting prizes at the Mungo’s Easter Pub Quiz.  

See more student events.
 

Opportunities and reminders 

• Online Module Registration (OMR) is open for students to choose undergraduate modules for the next academic year. OMR closes at 9:00 on Tuesday 2 April.  
• Looking for an elective module that will provide you with leadership skills and develop your Global Citizenship?  Go for GOLD5000.

See more student opportunities

During the spring vacation period, which is from 6 April to 6 May, most of the University’s services are still available, some with amended opening hours. Many are closed on the national bank holidays, which are Friday 29 March, Monday 1 April and Monday 6 May.

Here’s a list of services and opening times:

• Borrow books and study: Templeman Library at Canterbury opening times, and Drill Hall Library at Medway opening times 
• Ask Nexus: From 6 April – 5 May, Nexus is open Monday – Friday 09:00 – 19:00, Saturdays 12:00-18:00 and closed on Sundays. Nexus will be closed for the Bank Holiday weekend Fri 29 March – Mon 1 April.
• Food and drink on campus: Canterbury catering opening times will be different during the Spring Break. See vacation opening times for catering outlets on the Canterbury campus.
• Support: Student Support and Wellbeing reception remains open 09:00-17:00 throughout the Spring break, apart from national bank holidays. You can also get in the moment support and counselling from our telephone, text and app for wellbeing support and activities 24/7 from our wellbeing partners Spectrum Life
• Exam preparation and study support: The Student Learning Advisory Service remains open throughout the Spring break, apart from: national bank holidays, 10:00-13:00 on 11 April and 10:00-16:00 on 18 April. You can book face-to-face and online appointments on all areas of study support, including exam preparation.
• Reception areas: Some receptions will be operating on different opening hours during the vacation. See reception opening hours.
• Sport and exercise: You can still use facilities and join classes over the break. Please note there will be reduced hours on bank holidays. Check outKent Sport opening hours.
• Kent Union services and outlets: See Kent Union’s services and outlets opening times.
• Campus Shuttle: The Campus Shuttle will run a reduced service on Friday 29 March, Monday 1 April and Monday 6 May. Aside from these dates, the shuttle will operate to the usual timetable during term-time only. See Campus Shuttle timetable.
• Careers advice and activity: The Careers and Employability Service remains open 09:00-17:00 throughout the Spring break (apart from the national bank holidays), so you can continue to book appointments and work on your career.

And of course, Campus Security staff are on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

We wish you a restful break!