We are delighted to announce that progress profiles go live this term. They have been developed by the Student Success Project (SSP) in collaboration with Planning and Business Information Office (PBIO) and the Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (UELT).

What are Progress Profiles?

A Progress Profile is a document that summarises information about a student. Progress Profiles are intended to inform students and to help facilitate the academic adviser process.

The first version is quite simple, covering attendance and attainment. We aim to refine and extend Progress Profile content over time and in consultation with students and staff.

Progress profiles were prototyped in consultation with EDA students as part of Student Success Project Phase 1. They have been tested, refined and rebuilt for use across the University of Kent.

Where can I find out more?

Information sessions have been taking place; training and guidance for the Progress Profiles will be published and circulated shortly.

You can also find detailed information on the Student Success Resources Toolkit:

https://www.kent.ac.uk/studentsuccess/resources-toolkit/systems.html

This includes:

– A sample Progress Profile

– How students and staff will access Progress Profiles

– History, reasoning and design choices

– Support and training information

There are also Q&A sessions open to all University staff to be held in November. All staff are invited to attend to share ideas about the Progress Profile although places are limited.

To register your attendance please email studentsuccessproject@kent.ac.uk

These events will take place on:

Wednesday 14 November, Medway Campus, Pilkington Building Room 127
Friday 16 November, Canterbury Campus, Cornwallis East Seminar Room 1

This academic year the Music Department has become a workplace member of Rock Choir, the pioneering national organisation with over 20,000 participants which encourages everyone to sing. Under the expert and inspiring direction of alumnus Jonathan Grosberg, staff and students meet every Monday lunchtime and, without needing to read a note of music, have so far learnt ‘Shut up and dance with me’ and ‘A Little Respect’ – including moves!

Members of staff are coming along from a whole range of departments across the campus – it is still not too late to join this term. Director of Music Susan Wanless is thrilled with the way the idea has taken off and from all the feedback she has received, making music is clearly very good for you.

Karen Cherpin, Administrator to the Head of School, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science:

‘I absolutely love it! I find it really uplifting and it definitely improves my mood and energy levels. I always go back to my office feeling revitalised and ready to face whatever the afternoon may throw at me.’

Katie Van Sanden, Industrial Placement Co-ordinator, School of Computing:

‘Love it, love it, love it! Perfect antidote to the Monday blues – it feeds the soul! With singing, harmonies, new friends and lots and lots of (unexpected but very welcome) laughter, what’s not to like? And Jonathan is just brilliant!’

Danika Jarrett, Project Co-ordinator, Information Services:

‘It gets me away from my desk, gives me something else to focus on for that time, and is great for wellbeing because I’m totally immersed in what Jonathan is saying and concentrating on what to sing, which is great for mindfulness and controlling breathing. It’s also been nice to meet people from other departments in the University as well.’

The University of Kent Players are proud to present a live recording of The Scarlet Pimpernel, a staged radio play set during the French Revolution.

Following the success of their first staged radio play, the Players will be taking the most elusive of characters, The Scarlet Pimpernel, to France and back (and back again) on Friday 30 November/Saturday 1 December 2018.

During the French Revolution, a mysterious English nobleman known only as The Scarlet Pimpernel, snatches French aristocrats from the jaws of the guillotine. Armed with only his wits and his cunning, he recklessly defies the French revolutionaries while being hunted by ruthless French agent Chauvelin.

Radio dramas were once the most popular form of entertainment and were usually broadcast as live performances. This performance recreates the entire experience – from actors performing to a foley team creating sound effects such as daring horse riding and swashbuckling fights.

“They seek him here, they seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere…..”

Buy tickets
Tickets cost £6.50 (£6.00 for concession) and are available online.

Kent is part of the NERC funded ARIES Doctoral Training Partnership, a consortium whose members include the Universities of East Anglia, Essex, Plymouth and Royal Holloway University of London. The DTP’s multi-million pound bid to fund new postgraduate research vital to the future of our planet has been successful, and applications are now open to PhD students looking to start in October 2019.

The funding will support at least 80 PhD students to carry out vital environmental research in areas such as atmospheric and ocean science, biodiversity and conservation, geosciences and natural hazards, the application of microbiological and genetic science to environmental problems, and sustainability of water, energy and food supplies.

ARIES will enable its partners to pool experience and resources to create rich training environments for students, to encourage knowledge-sharing to the benefit of all and to give students the opportunity to undertake internships during the course of their PhD.

Partners from industry, policy bodies, research organisations and charities will add to the vitality of ARIES. Professor Richard Griffiths, Professor of Biological Conservation said:  “I am delighted that NERC has funded the expanded postgraduate training partnership ARIES. This funding means that Kent will continue to provide cutting-edge postgraduate training in environmental science through the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology and the National Centre for Statistical Ecology.”

Professor Paul Allain, Dean of the Graduate School said: “It is really excellent news that Kent and its partners have been successful with ARIES, which means that we will continue to equip students with the necessary skills and tools to meet global challenges in this vital area of research.”

Find out more about ARIES studentships at Kent.

The Centre for English and World Languages (CEWL) is offering Individual Writing Tutorials to give you the opportunity to discuss your academic writing with a member of staff from CEWL. Advice will be given on your language as well as the structure, coherence and cohesion of your work. Individual sessions last 20-30 minutes each and are free of charge.

Tutorials are available all year. To make an appointment, please email us at cewl@kent.ac.uk

Please note that this is not a proof-reading service.