Snow and icy conditions update

With the current snowy weather, we want to let our staff and students know that our Canterbury and Medway campuses are open as normal today (Monday 12 December).

Some classes may also be moved online due to staff unavailability. Students – your Division will be in touch if this affects you, but do check your emails or get in touch before travelling if you want to make sure.

Please take care when coming in and check the latest travel advice before you make the trip to campus via @unikent_travel on Twitter.

If you can’t get in, let your manager know if you’re a member of staff, or your Division if you are a student. If needed, students should also follow divisional procedures for extenuating circumstances and / or authorised absence as required.

You can read our adverse weather policy for further information.

Follow @UniKent on Twitter for further updates.

Carols around the Tree – Tuesday 13 December

Great news, Carols around the Tree returns this month! Sadly the event was cancelled last year due to the sudden return of lockdown. This year however, carols will be sung! So come along on Tuesday 13 December from 17:00 and enjoy singing on the Registry Lawn.

Please take a look at our online song sheet.

What we have in store

17:00 – Staff and students gather on the Registry Lawn for free mulled-wine and warm chestnuts (Brass ensemble and Ukrainian Choir take their places)

17:05 – Ukrainian Choir Sing 2 songs (unaccompanied) in Ukrainian

17:10 – Concert begins with brass ensemble playing Silent Night – Ukrainian choir (only) to sing first verse in Ukrainian. Staff and students to join and sing second verse onwards.

17:15 – Everyone sings remaining carols together

17:40 – Ends

We hope to see you there!

Travel disruption in Dec and Jan

There are some disruptions to Southeastern trains planned for December 2022 and January 2023 which may affect your travel to/from our Canterbury and Medway campuses.

Strike action is due to take place on the following dates:

December – Tuesday 13/Wednesday 14 and Friday 16/Saturday 17
January – Tuesday 3/Wednesday 4 and Friday 6/Saturday 7

If you usually travel to campus by train, we recommend you find alternative modes of travel where possible on train strike days and check our Campus Travel updates webpage.

If you have an in person In Course Test (ICT) on a train strike day, please make every effort to make alternative travel arrangements as these cannot be rescheduled.

Travel disruption in itself is not a reason for mitigation. However, if your circumstances mean that alternative arrangements to get to campus on a train strike day are not possible, please follow your Division’s process for applying for an authorised absence, or contact your Student Support Team. You will also need to apply for an end of year mitigation if your absence results in you missing an ICT.

If you miss teaching due to train strikes, please check your Moodle module page for any resources made available or alternatively arrange to see your seminar/class leader during office/student consultation hours or speak to your academic adviser.

Teaching will continue as planned, and our campuses and services will remain open during the disruption. We will continue to communicate with you about any changes.

Global Officers Advent Calendar

Representing a range of culture, academic discipline, and personal interests, we are delighted to showcase this year’s cohort of Global Officers who are taking part in the Global Officers Leadership Development (GOLD) Programme.

Our Global Officers bring you a festive advent calendar where they share what Christmas means to them, their favourite things, and traditions at this time of year. We hope you enjoy it in this countdown to Christmas. Kent Christmas Calendar

The programme is a co-curricular venture, designed to fit around their academic studies. It provides a framework of activities for globally-minded undergraduate students at Kent to develop their leadership skills, global citizenship and cultural awareness.

So far this year, our Global Officers have explored their own Cultural Intelligence and how they can develop this further; looked at the Sustainability Emergency and their role in Sustainable Advocacy; worked with Kent Sport and Kent Union to support various World Cup activities, supported the International Student Experience Fair and developed our series of Global Hangouts, with the next one happening on Wednesday 14 December.

In addition to their core activity under the programme, Global Officers are available to partner with Kent staff for any divisional, school or departmental projects, events or activities on campus.

If you have an activity that you would like to engage our Global Officers, have a look at their profiles and please get in touch.

Did you know that you can also incorporate the GOLD Programme within your courses by listing it as a wild module option, GOLD5000 Global Leadership Development? If your course does not allow for this, then students can still take this as an extra-curricular activity; applications for 2022/23 will open in the summer.

For more information about the Programme, please email DeanGlobalLifelong@kent.ac.uk

Our Stories: Disability History Month exhibition and films

It was wonderful to welcome students, staff and members of the local community to an exhibition and film screening event on Tuesday 6th December in the Marlowe building on Canterbury campus.

Our Stories: Exhibition

Disability History Month is about amplifying the voices of disabled people, looking back at how things have changed over time, and being realistic and open about how much more progress we’ve yet to make as an institution and as a society.  As part of Kent’s Disability History Month celebrations, university staff from various departments worked together to research, create and display a 16 panel timeline depicting shifting attitudes and improved provision and communication about disability throughout Kent’s history to date.

Eve Wilson, former staff member, standing under the panel where she is pictured as one of the first disability advisers to work at the University of Kent in the 1970s.

People seated and standing looking at the hanging panels in the timeline.

People talking and looking at books and written materials displayed in the exhibition.

Our Stories: Films

After a reception in the Marlowe foyer, guests were invited into the lecture theatre to watch a screening of a series of short films made for this year’s Disability History Month at Kent called ‘Our Stories’ which is now available on YouTube. The 8 short films (27 minutes in total) are captioned and include British Sign Language, and feature students, former students and staff talking about their lived experiences of disability and what they wish others understood about living with seen and unseen disabilities to help everyone be more inclusive. The exhibition also features quotes from the film participants, many of whom were present to see their contributions to this project on the big screen with friends, family and colleagues.

The exhibition is up in the Marlowe building foyer until 16 December and everyone is welcome to go in and take a look at the timeline panels, as well as reading materials and a sculpture on display. Every item in the exhibition is audio described so can be accessed online via SoundCloud, and via QR codes on each item displayed in the physical exhibition. If you missed the event or would like to revisit the information, you can watch a video version of the timeline (narrated, with closed captions), or read a slightly abridged version on Kent’s Disability History Month webpage.

When discussing accessibility and provision at Kent there is a lot to be proud of, and yet we know there a lot that remains to fix, improve, change and grow. As stated by Deputy Vice Chancellor Georgina Ransley de Moura who was introducing the films at the screening event: ‘We know that needs and desires change over time as does the research, knowledge and technology which move on to facilitate that change. In our work at Kent, we recognise the importance of both the large scale strategic actions and the power of thousands of community members making small incremental changes in attitudes, behaviour and actions.’

We hope that the work that continues throughout Disability History Month and beyond continues to increase knowledge and inspire further improvement. The conversations we participated in and witnessed at this event showed there is a real appetite for a revolution of honesty and openness about who we are and how our bodies and brains work – where people can bring their whole selves to their workplace and their studies, where we can speak frankly about our physical and psychological needs, boldly claiming what we need to thrive and be well, and relate to one another positively.

If you have any feedback, or want to share your views or your experiences to help us shape that future at Kent, please do contact us at EqualityAndDiversity@kent.ac.uk.

~~~

Did you know that Student Support and Wellbeing (SSW) advisers can help students set up the support they need at any time during their studies? Check out this guide on Seeking Support from SSW for more information.

Follow #DHMKent22 and #InclusiveKent on social media for the latest, and if you would like to contribute your experience and perspective to conversations, podcasts or articles on this theme, please email StudentServicesWeb@kent.ac.uk.

Written by Natalia Crisanti, Student Services, 07.12.22

Donate to the Campus Pantry

Kent Union’s Campus Pantry provides short-term support to students who find themselves in need of supplemental food. Whether you are experiencing financial difficulties, your loan is late or you simply need help getting through the term.

You will find the Campus Pantry in Mandela Student Centre and its opening times are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday between 12:00 – 16:00.

Donations needed

If you are in a position to donate, you can do so at the following locations on campus until 20 December:

Mandela Student Centre
Keynes Atrium
Plaza Co-op
Parkwood Co-op

You can donate foods that are non-perishable, unopened, not damaged, and still in date. This could include:

Canned foods (meat, fish, veg, fruit, soup etc)
Sauces (Curry, pasta, stir fry etc)
Nuts/pulses/lentils etc
Dry pasta/rice/noodles/couscous etc
Nut butters and high protein spreads
Long-life milk (UHT or powdered)
Long-life fruit juice
Dairy, Gluten and Wheat Free alternatives
Cereals
Biscuits/Crackers
Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate
Sugar
Cooking oils

Non-food items are also needed, such as:

Personal hygiene products (toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, sanitary products etc)
Products for babies, toddlers and children (nappies, wet wipes, baby milk powder etc)

Thank you for your support.

SSPSSR research seminar: 8th December with Prof Annette Boaz

Our speaker on Thursday 8^th December (16.00 in CESR2) will be Professor Annette Boaz of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her talk will follow on nicely from the excellent talk we received earlier this term from her colleague Kathryn Oliver, focusing on how research gets into policy and practice. This will be very useful if you are interested in research impact, especially in adult social care.

Title: Assembling the pieces: developing systems that support research use in policy

After many years of debate about the merits of Evidence Based Policy, there is a growing consensus that the relationship between research and policy is complex and non-linear, with politics as a constant factor (as opposed to something to be controlled). With this shift comes a growing interest in approaches that build stronger links between those who produce research, those who use research and those who are the intended beneficiaries of research. This theme of increasing engagement between the producers and potential users of research is accompanied by a recognition that robust systems are needed to support research use in policy. What do better relationships look like? What systems changes are needed to support the use of research in policy and finally, what elements continue to stand in the way of better use of research evidence? This presentation will draw on more than 20 years of experience promoting the use of research in policy and practice and insights from current work as a knowledge mobiliser within the UK government.

Kent has achieved Cyber Essentials certification for the fifth year running

Cyber Essentials (CE) is a UK Government defined baseline that shows we meet a minimum standard for cyber security. It is an essential requirement for many contracts, including Higher Degree Apprenticeships and supports funding applications. At present, these are estimated to generate >£10m p.a. in income for University of Kent.

This year was more challenging due to changes in the requirements introduced in January. All hardware and software now must be listed and checked that it is still under support, and the way users authenticate has been strengthened. This has meant changing many computers and laptops over the last 6 months and updating a lot of software. The hard work and commitment of all IT support staff across all Academic divisions and Professional Service Departments to achieve this is very much appreciated.

There are 5 core elements to Cyber Essentials, summarised as:

Firewalls
- Must be in place at the network boundary and configured for necessary services only.
- Must be enabled on every device and configured for necessary services only.
Secure Configuration
- All unnecessary software removed
- Personal devices (Bring Your Own Device) now in scope
User Access Control
- Minimum password strength increased
- MFA enabled for remote access and all cloud-based services
- Principles of “least privilege” and “need to know” enforced
Malware Protection
- Installed and running on all devices
- Updated daily
- Scans daily
- Scans files on access
Security Update Management
- Critical updates applied within 14 days of release
- All software must have active support – updates and patches
- Firmware and BIOS must be under active support

The full controls can be found by searching for “NCSC Cyber Essentials Requirements”

In the Cyber Compliance space, we are actively working towards Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance and investigating CE Plus and the NCSC approved Cyber Assessment Framework.

What is Sanctuary? 7 December

This year the University Kent is applying for University of Sanctuary status. As part of the City of Sanctuary movement, the Universities of Sanctuary network aims to ‘make Higher Education institutions places of safety, solidarity and empowerment for people seeking sanctuary’.

To help ensure that the University’s application process is properly reflective and self-critical, the Migration and Movement SRT is holding a series of seminars throughout the year that address the question ‘What is Sanctuary?’

Speakers from a range of disciplines, career stages and backgrounds will discuss what sanctuary means and entails. Contributions will be a mix of academic talks and reflections on lived experience.

All sessions are online. Everybody is invited to join the conversation.

What is Sanctuary 2, 16.00-17.00, 7 December

Dr Lucy Williams, Senior Visiting Research Fellow (School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research)

This paper will consider sanctuary in a time of ‘crisis’. East Kent, and especially Dover and Manston, are yet again in the eye of the migration storm. In this fevered atmosphere what is the role of ‘sanctuary’? Policy makers rely on closely prescribed (yet flexible) categories to sift the worthy from the unworthy but in forcing people to prove their lives fit into these categories, experience is simplified, and the person is lost. Can encouraging sanctuary in our communities and workplaces be a way to bring attention back to the individual to challenge both policy and public portrayals of migration?

Dr Rachel Gregory Fox, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow (School of English)

This paper will consider the subject of the camp as presented in Yousif M. Qasmiyeh’s Writing the Camp. While refugee camps, in some respects, represent places of apparent safety, community, and shelter, they are also contingent and precarious. The paper will consider how these two aspects of the camp call into question the possibility of its status as a place of sanctuary. Qasmiyeh’s poetry sets institutional oversight and international charitable aid within the camp alongside what Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh identifies as ‘refugee-refugee relations’. The paper considers how Qasmiyeh thus disrupts more centralised views of host-relations, hospitality and sanctuary.

Basma El-Dhouki, GCDC Doctoral Candidate (School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research)

Basma El-Dhouki is a Palestinian refugee living and working in Lebanon. For twelve years she has been active in humanitarian and development work with refugees and asylum seekers within UNHCR, UNRWA and international NGOs in Lebanon and Syria. Her work has focused on sexual and gender-based violence, child protection and general protection, prevention and response programs. Basma’s PhD focuses on “The role of Refugee-Led Organisations in providing protection and assistance for displaced communities in the Lebanon, Syria and Jordan”. The project explores the nature of refugee-led organisations, the factors conditioning their impact and interventions, and the inclusion of refugees in their own development. Basma’s talk will address the question of sanctuary from the perspective of her professional background.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 851 6610 5867
Passcode: 235681

Kent Sports Community Tennis Open Day!

Kent Sports will be hosting a Tennis Open Day on Sunday 11 and Sunday 18 December within the Kent Indoor Tennis and Events Arena at the Pavilion outdoor facilities. All staff are welcome to book a free 45-minute session where you will be able to experience the fantastic indoor courts, play on the acrylic surfaces, and chat with our experienced staff, including LTA Level 5 coach Nick Skelton and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) qualified coaching team.

Sessions start from 10:00 for adult coaching, with the last session bookable at 12.45 on both dates. There are also multiple junior and children’s sessions on the Open Day, so there’s plenty of opportunity for you or your children to get involved. We also offer the option of booking your place without the need to choose a session to join.

On the day you’ll be able to experience the courts, chat with our experienced tennis staff, and find out all you need to know about our tennis coaching programmes and our membership offering.

Spaces on our tennis Open Day are limited so make sure you book early to avoid disappointment. Book your free space now.

Can’t make the Open Day? Don’t worry, you can also sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest information about tennis at Kent.