Medway Talking Therapies, who provide talking therapies in the Medway, are running a 6 week cognitive behavioural therapy based for students at the Universities at Medway for students experiencing low mood, depression, stress and anxiety.

The course will start on Tuesday 30th October and will run from 3pm to 4pm in the Drill Hall Library, room DA015. To book a place on the course students need to use the contact details on the poster or contact medwaywellbeing@kent.ac.uk.

If you can’t attend but are interested then you should still get in touch with either Medway Talking Therapies or with the Medway Wellbeing team so you can be offered a place on a future course.

If you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Next term, on Sunday March 10th, the University’s Camerata ensemble and narrator Will Wollen will be performing Prokofiev’s ever-popular ‘Peter and the Wolf.’ An eye-catching image is needed for the poster and publicity so the Music Department is launching a competition to find a budding young artist. The picture can be of anything connected with the story – perhaps Peter himself, his grumpy grandfather, the duck, bird or cat, or even the scary wolf!

The chosen image will feature on the poster, in next term’s Music brochure and will be on display at the concert – the winner will receive 4 complimentary tickets. The competition is open to children (up to the age of 12) of both University staff and students, and the deadline is Monday 3rd December.

Please send entries to Susan Wanless, Director of Music, Colyer-Fergusson Building, S.J.Wanless@kent.ac.uk either as a paper copy (max size A4, 210mm x 297 mm) or as a high resolution jpeg. Make sure contact details are included.

Anyone interested in studying a postgraduate research degree in Law at Kent Law School, is warmly invited to attend our Applicant Day on Friday 16 November.

The event, which runs from 11.45am to 3pm on Kent’s Canterbury campus, offers an opportunity to learn more about both our PhD in Law and our LLM by Research. As well as being an excellent opportunity to chat informally with academics and current research students about your research ideas, you’ll receive information on topics such as: how to write a good proposal; how to find a supervisor; what it’s like to be a research student; and how to apply for scholarships and funding.

We’ll also briefly explain our own admissions system, introduce you to potential Kent Law School supervisors, and offer you a free lunch.

Kent Law School is a dynamic and cosmopolitan centre of world class research. We take a critical and socio-legal approach that views the law within the broader social, political and economic context in which it operates. Research students at Kent benefit from a vibrant and inclusive research culture and study within a supportive and intellectually stimulating environment that includes many opportunities to engage critically with academic research and contemporary issues. Our programmes are open to both law and non-law graduates and attract professionals looking to develop their legal knowledge.

Places for the Applicant Day are limited to 25; to apply for one of these places, please send an email to klspgfunding@kent.ac.uk including: a Research Note (briefly explaining what your research interest/project is in no more than 1000 words); and your CV.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 6pm, Monday 5 November 2018. Early submissions are encouraged from those who will need to make travel arrangements.

The Former Staff Association (FSA) is open to anyone who wishes to keep in touch with former colleagues and to continue to enjoy their connection with the University following retirement or moving to another job. Spouses and partners are also welcome in their own right.

A Liaison Group, drawn from and elected by the membership, fosters links between members, manages the Association’s relationship with the University and co-ordinates the activities of the FSA. The Association is supported by the University’s Development Office.

The FSA organises a variety of social events and activities for former staff, including lectures, outings and a popular monthly catch-up lunch. The Association also works with the University on initiatives which aim to benefit former staff, current students and staff at the University as a whole. It also supports particular University fundraising projects.

If you would like to receive information about upcoming FSA events, please email alumni@kent.ac.uk.

We are looking for Greenwich and Kent alumni, students and staff based in Medway or the surrounding areas to volunteer for the Paper Hearts Project on Saturday 17 November.

The Project:

The Paper Hearts Project aims to foster social unity and community inclusion through the shared goal of achieving a Guinness World Record of a display of 60,000 origami hearts. The heart reflects the research interests of the University of Kent, Medway, Sport Studies Society from which this project is led in terms of health and sport.

The hearts will be made from 7.5cm square origami paper and full instructions will be given. The folded hearts will be collected from groups in boxes by the 17 November, affixed to recycled cardboard backing tiles, then arranged on poster boards at the Student Hub on Medway Campus. The aim is to exhibit and finalise the record attempt on 24 November, to which participating organisations and the general public will be invited.

The project’s aim is raise awareness and funds for Cardiac Risk in the Young, and The Molly MacLaren Foundation.

Our part:

We will be joining other community groups in the area to build the display of the hearts in the Deep End at Medway.

To take part all you need to do is register and then meet at The Deep End on the Medway campus, Gillingham, Chatham ME4 4GW at 9.45 on Saturday 17 November. Look out for the ‘Kent Gives Back’ lanyard so that you can find our Kent alumni taking part.

If you have any questions about taking part or would like to get back in touch with Kent please email Naomi at n.fleet@kent.ac.uk.

Alumni Pub Nights, is Kent’s social and networking series for alumni, staff and students. The next pub night is on Tuesday 27 November at the Miller’s Arms in Canterbury with our current Alumni Postgraduate Scholars coming along to speak to thank alumni for their support and speak to current students about life as a PhD student. The last pub night before Christmas so be sure not to miss it!

Students welcome! Not to worry if you have no interest in further study you can still attend to meet other alumni in the area who work in a range of careers. A great networking opportunity plus…

ONE FREE DRINK + HOT SNACKS PROVIDED!

As usual, it’s not just about the theme (Meet the Scholars!) feel free to come along if you would just like to catch up with fellow alumni in the Canterbury area. We’ll see you there from 18.00 to 20.00 on Tuesday 27 November at the Miller’s Arms pub in Canterbury.

For relevant updates check out the Facebook event page.

The next phase of work on Staff Connect is well underway with the first of the new functionality, training administration and appraisal (RPD), now live.

The absence management functionality, which includes a new annual leave system for all staff, is due to launch in early January.

If you are interested in seeing how these new elements of Staff Connect will work, user testing/training sessions, of about two hours in length, are being organised in Canterbury and Medway in the weeks starting 5 and 12 November. To indicate that you would be interested in attending one of these sessions please fill in the doodle polls:

• Doodle Poll Canterbury
• Doodle Poll Medway

For information on Staff Connect, take a look at the project website.

Dr William Rowlandson, Senior Lecturer in Hispanic Studies for the Department of Modern Languages, has recently been awarded a Humanities Faculty Teaching Prize for his success and commitment in teaching over a number of years at Kent.

Nine staff were recognised this year and received their awards from Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Karen Cox at the ceremony in the Darwin Conference Suite. The annual event recognises outstanding work in teaching and/or learning support that gives students the best possible learning experience at Kent.

For more information on the Humanities Faculty Teaching Prize, please see here.