At the end of term, Professor Karen Cox wrote the following letter to Ruth Wilkinson, Kent Union President. The letter was in response to student queries on the subject of financial reimbursement following the recent period of strike action by members of the University and College Union. The letter is reproduced here in full.

Dear Ruth

As we reach the end of term, I wanted to let you know that we are continuing to gather information to assess the impact of the current period of industrial action on individual modules across the University. This information will allow us to develop a policy and effective mechanisms to support the consideration of any claim for compensation in a fair and equitable manner. Before we send any notification to individual students (who will have been differentially affected), we would value a discussion with you as to a suitable simple but fair approach that we might adopt to minimise any administration costs and avoid an unnecessarily legalistic approach.

We are also aware that there are a number of students who incurred expenditure, such as travel costs, to attend a lecture or seminar which was then cancelled as a result of the industrial action. In the coming weeks, we will be introducing a system to allow them to submit a claim to have this money reimbursed, aside from any wider compensation scheme. I will continue to update you on this.

Best wishes

Karen

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President

A new website has been launched to outline our successful bid with Canterbury Christ Church University for funded places to establish a medical school.

Following the go-ahead from the Government and Health Education England on 20 March, the two universities are now developing the Kent and Medway medical school, the first medical school for the county of Kent.

The medical school will bring together the institutions’ existing centres of excellence in health and medical education with local healthcare organisations to offer a new model of patient-focused medical training.

To keep up-to-date with plans for the new school, see the new webpages.

We are pleased to be able to offer a number of sessions led by Psicon who are a local specialist in Psychology and Health Services.

Open to any member of staff who would like to increase their understanding of mental health awareness and managing personal resilience, the presentation-style sessions will provide a comprehensive blend of practical advice alongside an overview of underpinning theory and models to help participants gain a rounded understanding of managing mental health.

The sessions take place on:

• 4 May: 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-15.00 – Sibson SR6
• 10 May: 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-15.00 – Grimond Lecture Theatre
• 11 May: 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-15.00 – SLT2 Stacey Building
• 6 July: 10.00-12.00 and 13.00-15.00 – Keynes Seminar Room 16

To book a place and to obtain further information, please visit The Learning and Organisational Development Activities Calendar.

Professor Nick Grief has been recognised as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).

The award of a Senior Fellowship reflects his considerable leadership experience and sustained effectiveness in teaching and support for learning, both as Dean for Kent’s Medway campus, where the University has over 3000 students, and as a senior academic at Kent Law School teaching International Law and EU Law.

The Higher Education Academy (HEA) is an independent organisation, with a global network of 100,000 HEA Fellows. The HEA champions teaching excellence in higher education to improve student outcomes. HEA Senior Fellows must demonstrate a thorough understanding of effective approaches to teaching and learning support as a key contribution to high quality student learning. They must also demonstrate impact and influence through their leadership, management and mentoring.

Professor Grief is an expert on the legal status of nuclear weapons. His other research interests include air and space law and human rights, especially the right to protest, conscientious objection to the payment of taxes for military purposes and the use of international law by protesters in UK courts. Last November, in collaboration with Dr Shona Illingworth of the School of Music and Fine Art, he was awarded £1,500 from the University’s Public Engagement with Research Fund for a project entitled ‘The Airspace Tribunal’, which is advocating recognition of a new human right to protect the freedom to exist without physical or psychological threat from above​.

Professor Grief also practises at the Bar from Doughty Street Chambers, London. He was recently part of a team which represented the Marshall Islands in cases before the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

The annual event celebrating the University of Kent’s Rome School of Classical and Renaissance Studies took place at the British Ambassador’s residence in the Villa Wolkonsky on 4 April.

The evening opened with the hosting of the European Innovation in Academia Awards by Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost, David Nightingale. The awards recognise individuals who have made a difference in higher education in Europe or North America and celebrate academic creativity and innovation.

This was followed by a lecture from Dr Thomas P Campbell, former Director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York from 2008-2017 who spoke about Raphael’s Tapestry Designs for Pope Leo X and their legacy at the Court of Charles I.

Academic Director of the Rome centre, Professor Tom Henry and several of our Rome centre MA students later continued to discuss the Mortlake tapestries based on Raphael’s Cartoons (three of which hang on the walls of the Villa Wolkonsky).

Jill Morris CMG, British Ambassador to Italy celebrated the performance of our students and the University of Kent on her Twitter feed. We are looking forward to celebrating at the residence again next year.

The Centre for Professional Practice (CPP) hosted a study event for the South East branch of The British Society of Dental Hygiene & Therapy on Saturday 7 April at the University of Kent Medway campus.

Over 30 specialists attended the event to discuss the latest professional development news in the dental hygiene and therapy sector.

The Centre for Professional Practice is very proud to announce that Laura McClune, current a Stage 1 student on CPP’s Master’s level programme MSc in Advanced and Specialist Healthcare, has become the new Chair of the BSDHT South East Group. Laura praises the high standard of the education at the University and says that studying for the Master’s has given her credibility and the confidence that is needed to lead and direct dental professionals.

The Centre for Professional Practice offers part-time, flexible work-related programmes. Our BA/BSc Top-up in Professional Practice or MA/MSc in Professional Practice programmes and short courses, including  Introduction to Masters-Level Study have been specifically designed to meet the needs of working professionals who wish to develop their academic ability while maintaining their professional role. Loans for both undergraduate and postgraduate study are available (subject to eligibility criteria).

For any queries, please email cppmedway@kent.ac.uk or call 01634 888929, or visit: www.kent.ac.uk/cpp

Remains of a Revolution is the title of a Distinguished Visitor Lecture by Sir Neil Cossons OBE FSA at the Royal Dockyard Church, Chatham, on Wednesday 11 April at 19.00.

In the 18th century, Britain was widely recognised as the first industrial nation and in the 19th century as the ‘workshop of the world’.  What we now call the Industrial Revolution defined this momentous episode in the nation’s history and the dramatic changes in society and the landscape that ensued, not only in Britain herself but across the globe.  And, of the great industrial endeavours that distinguished this revolution the Royal Dockyards were the world’s largest.  Chatham was one of these.

In this lecture, Neil Cossons will consider the legitimacy of these revolutionary assertions, explores the surviving evidence and addresses the conservation challenges it presents.  As a former Director of London’s Science Museum, and Chairman of English Heritage, he draws on a wide palette of international examples to demonstrate how for some a future has been assured, for others their legacy will be little more than a footnote to history.

This event is brought to you by The Historic Dockyard Chatham in partnership with the University of Kent. It is free and open to all.

UKMStudent, Elaine gives her top tips for exam success!

Watch Elaine’s video below:

https://www.facebook.com/UKMStudent/videos/1815135491859036/