Last year’s inaugural staff conference was necessarily a virtual event. This year, with Covid restrictions behind us, we can for the first time ensure that connectivity, collaboration and community-building of the face-to-face kind lie at the heart of our annual staff conference.

Everyone gets involved

The programme, launched today, shows us I think a number of things: with more than 50 sessions led and presented by around 70 members of staff, it shows us the extraordinary richness of the ideas, interests and insights that colleagues are keen to share with others. It highlights the tremendous opportunities we all have to learn from one another and it underlines the ambition that underpins so many of the activities being undertaken here at our University.

Such was the number and quality of the proposals received that the organising committee decided to extend the period of the conference and start it at the beginning of the week commencing 12 September with a number of wellbeing-related activities, tours of facilities within Divisions, bookable health tests and much more taking place through the whole week both at Canterbury and at Medway.

What we have in store

On the morning of September 15 the formal programme kicks off with a ‘state of the nation’, priority-setting welcome and introduction by the Vice-Chancellor, with a chance to ask questions. This will also highlight projects coming this year that demonstrate our collective pursuit of progress and our determination to make our mark in the world – linked to our new and exciting brand identity, which has ambition at its core.

Later that morning, we have an in-conversation session, open to all, between Kent and Kherson State University, our Ukrainian ‘twin’ institution, currently under Russian occupation. What is university life like for staff and students at Kherson under such difficult and challenging circumstances? How are students and staff coping? How can our twinning initiative help them? Come along and find out.

Through the day and a half of the conference, one strand of activities (Strand A) will be available on Teams as well as face to face, highlighting the University’s three strategic pillars, introducing some key initiatives, and launching the new People and Culture Strategy.

Features of the conference

Another feature of the first day is an ‘EDI Pathway’, a day-long, face-to-face strand of presentations and workshops addressing, among other things, the experience of our trans students, the role of our staff disability network, accessibility and adult education.

Health and wellbeing are at the heart of the programme too with a wide range of activities that will be as good for your mind and soul as they are for your body, including pilates, tai chi, zumba, a tour of the trees of the southern slopes, and the very first appearance on campus of Jack the therapy cat! Financial advice will also be available, as will help in navigating the support accessible by all through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).

Employability, schools and colleges outreach, data protection, communications support, and showcases of the work of our Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (iCCi) and Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS) will also feature prominently. And look out for Vicky Annis from Kent Sport, giving us her first-hand account of volunteering at the recent Commonwealth Games.

Network opportunities

Opportunities to socialise and network will be key to the event – with lunch and a drinks reception open to all on the 15^th – as we look to bring colleagues together, celebrate our achievements and look forward to those to come. There will also be giveaway items for staff that showcase our new look and feel, linked to the brand launch at the beginning of the day.

Last – and certainly not least – the staff barbecue, a highlight of the staff calendar, will take place at lunchtime on the 16^th to round off the week off in suitably celebratory fashion.

Launch events, social and networking occasions, leisure and fitness activities, tours, workshops, presentations, debates and discussion… I hesitate to say that ‘there’s something for everyone’ – but there really is!

Do take a look at the programme, come to as much as you can and we look forward to seeing you there.

Philip Pothen | Director of Engagement  

Our beautiful, green and biodiverse environment is such a special feature of our campuses. We’re also ambitious for how we can develop this further in the future as we look ahead to the University’s 60^th anniversary.

Starting this year, we’re going to be working with students on the exciting new Diamond Garden project, planting 300 fruiting trees to create an orchard on the Southern Slopes of the Canterbury Campus. We are also planting a fruit tree and wildflower meadow on the Rochester Lawn at our Medway campus.

The trees will be planted at an event this year with incoming undergraduates, marking the start of their special journey to becoming the Class of 2025, and growing with them before they graduate in our Diamond Anniversary year. This marks the start of a three-year project as we develop the Diamond Garden to become a space that will support people and wildlife in this area of the campus.

Emily Mason, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator, explains what the Diamond Garden project is all about and how we can all get involved: 

Kent’s Diamond Garden project is a special collaboration between teams across the University, aiming to both boost our biodiversity and also create connections between this year’s incoming students and their campus. We want the incoming students to feel that these trees are theirs and see how this part of campus transforms over the next three years and beyond.

Celebrating our 60th Anniversary

2025 will be a big landmark for the University and we want to show how sustainability is at the heart of our future plans – planting an orchard is a commitment to our green spaces, while developing them will support local wildlife too. Green spaces are also so valuable to mental health and broader wellbeing – we want all of our community to benefit from healthy diverse habitats, even if just for a bit of a quiet time in the middle of their busy days.

Transforming our Southern Slopes

The Southern Slopes provides an ideal setting for a semi-natural orchard and meadow that will not only be a beautiful space for students, staff and community members to enjoy, but also provides a complex habitat that we do not already have on campus, boosting biodiversity in the area. Because orchards are mosaics of trees, grasses, shrubs and wildflowers, they support a wide range of wildlife – as fruit trees age quickly, they create the perfect habitats for invertebrates and birds, such as the lesser spotted woodpecker.

Getting involved!

We are planning a wide range of activities around the space including guided walks, BioBlitz activities and wellbeing opportunities. There will also be more opportunities as the trees grow for harvesting and cooking activities.

Co-creation is at the heart of the project, starting in September with students helping pick elements that make this project unique. The orchard will have six distinct features within it, chosen by students from each of the six divisions. These could include seating areas, performance spaces, hibernacula and quiet areas, and anything else the students may come up with. These unique features will open up a new range of activities that can be led by students and staff across the University.

We’d also love to hear your thoughts! If you have any ideas that you would like us to hear and consider, or thoughts on future activities, please email the Sustainability Team at sustainability@kent.ac.uk.

As ever, bOing! is totally free to enter so you can relax and enjoy a brilliant festival day with lots of free, outdoor performances and activities. bOing is a family festival, meaning its not just for children – we programme fantastic artists from across the UK and beyond who make work for all ages.

We also have a number of ticketed indoor performances that you can buy tickets for. This year we are excited to host the world premiere of Alice by Jasmin Vardimon Company and we have the return of the bOing! favourite – the Architects of Air Luminarium. Plus many more.

For more details visit the bOing website.

The University of Kent has hosted the third successful Innovations in Internationalisation at Home Conference, chaired by Kent’s Director and Dean for Global and Lifelong Learning Dr Anthony Manning, and in collaboration with The IC Global.  Building on previous successes, this year’s conference remained digital allowing for participation by delegates spanning more than 30 countries with 145 attendees of the live conference session on 15 July and already more than 2000 views of our video session content.

The theme for 2022 was ‘The Power of Co-creation’ and included the creation of 20 pre-recorded video presentations from colleagues around the world sharing their experiences and insights in this area of work.  Topics ranged from working with students as partners, developing intercultural competences and skills, building a community, to examples of COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) Initiatives.  Online presentations were made available asynchronously in advance of the live conference, followed by the opportunity for live Q&A sessions with our presenters during the main conference.

Colleagues can access the IIH Conference sessions on this link

We were delighted to welcome Plenary Speakers, Eva Haug, Educational Advisor for Internationalisation of the Curriculum and COIL, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, who shared her thoughts about the potential of COIL and Virtual Exchange for a co-creative experience and Eveke de Louw, International Policy Advisor for the Curriculum and Co-curriculum, The Hague University of Applied Sciences who  gave a critical reflection on moving towards an impactful practice for IaH.

Dr Anthony Manning, said, This third conference in the Innovations in Internationalisation at Home series shows how interest in this important area of inclusive and accessible internationalisation continues to grow in interest across the international HE community. The conference and it’s diverse presenters continue to showcase a wide range of good practice through formal and informal curriculum internationalisation initiatives which offers opportunity for educational enhancement and global citizenship development. This benefits, students, universities employers and international communities.

Kent is now delighted to announce its first IIH workshop which takes place on Friday 9^th September in London.  This in-person event will include a series of workshops and round-table styled activities which will build on the themes of our recent digital conference.  It will provide practitioners with the opportunity to learn from colleagues, bring their own challenges and problems, to hopefully leave with solutions to enhance their own practice.

Booking for this workshop is now open

For more information, see our website or contact us at iihconference@kent.ac.uk

Our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support.

Due to the stabilising situation of Covid, they’ll be doing a side-range of webinar topics. Here’s the schedule for two weeks:

Week commencing 15 August 2022

Monday 15 August –‘Care first critical incident support’ – This webinar provides details of the support Care first can offer that maybe relevant following a traumatic incident in the work place
Time: 13.00-13.30 – click on this link to sign up

Wednesday 17 August – ‘Never give up day – 18th August 2022’ – This webinar in about motivating and inspiring ourselves and others to never give up, while understanding how we can support those that might find it difficult.
Time: 12.00-12.30 – click on this link to sign up

Friday 19 August –‘How Care first can support you’ – A webinar for awareness and how to access the EAP service provided by Care first.
Time: 12.00-12.30 – click on this link to sign up

Week commencing 22 August 2022

Monday 22 August -‘Practical information and advice through Care first’ – The webinar provides detail about our Information Specialists and their role as part of your EAP service.
Time: 12.00-12.30 – click on this link to sign up

Wednesday 24 August – ‘How Care first can support you’ – A webinar for awareness and how to access the EAP service provided by Care first.
Time: 12.00-12.30 – click on this link to sign up

Friday 26 August – ‘Returning to school anxiety’ – A light touch session offering tips to help manage stress and anxiety when your children are returning to school or moving to a new one
Time: 12.00-12.30 – click on this link to sign up

The Work and Opportunities Fund offers a limited number of monetary grants for students who, through their own initiative, have secured unpaid work experience, are undertaking a training course or attending a networking event, which supports their employability.

The fund can also support Divisions who wish to organise an extra-curricular trip, for example, to an organisation’s office or to a conference, which will contribute to the employability of students at the University.

What can I use the funding for?

This funding can be used to fully fund the cost of travel for the trip e.g. a coach. Where students are attending a conference or event and there is an entrance fee, we may be able to contribute towards these costs too.

Eligibility Criteria

In addition to the terms and conditions, the trip must:

• be an extra-curricular activity, which does not form part of a programme or module.
• be offered to registered students at the University, studying in the UK only.
• contribute to the employability of students, supporting skills development and/or supporting a student’s future career aspirations.

How do I apply and when is the deadline?

To apply, please visit the staff funding page to access the application form and full terms and conditions.

There is no deadline to apply, and applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis, subject to fund availability at the time of application.

If you have any questions about the funding, please email us at: careerhelp@kent.ac.uk

We hope to receive an application from you soon!

Three Members of Kent Sport ‘walked the walk’ by supporting Home Nations Sport at the highest level, in three very different ways.  As Simon Le Bon wailed his last and the final firework whizzed over Birmingham’s Alexander stadium Kent’s finest went to work.

Mel Clewlow: Director of Sport, Kent Sport

In case you are not familiar, our double Olympian Director of Sport, Mel Clewlow will be celebrating her 30^th playing year for Canterbury Ladies this year. She is still a first choice for their first XI and has represented England Hockey at three Commonwealth games with podium finishes in the 1998, 2002 and 2006 games.

Her love of the game extends from play to pitch side where she has been commentating since 2010 with notable commentary at the London & Rio Olympics plus multiple world cups and world competitions.  This year Mel will commentated on the World Feed, providing commentary to all nations.  Mel confidently predicted a top four finish for the England teams, with the women’s hockey team beating Australia to take gold and the men’s hockey team beating South Africa for bronze.

Vicky Annis: Physiotherapist, Kent Sport

Vicky supports the Kent Sports Clinic which combines the expertise of Kent Sport physiotherapy and the School of Sport and Exercise clinics creating one of the most extensive performance, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation services in Kent. No stranger to service in sport Vicky has previously supported the GB Triathlon Team in Cape Town and has worked at several World Series races. A keen swimmer, Vicky spent last summer swimming the English Channel solo, in an impressive 12 hours.

This summer she was selected to work at the Games as part of the Commonwealth Collective (a group of over 13,000 volunteers). Vicky provided physiotherapy from the Birmingham athlete village and the Team England HQ at the NEC.

Vicky said before the Games took place “I will be working with some of the best physiotherapists in England, this is an amazing learning opportunity”

Find out more about how the Kent Sport Clinic can help you .

Vicky’s Channel Swim

Jacquie Edwards: PA to the Director of Sport

Behind every good woman…is a good woman. Jacquie has worked for three consecutive Directors of Sport. She is an ex professional athlete with multiple international caps for England and Great Britain rugby.  Her trophy cache includes a prized gold winner’s medal after scoring the winning try in the 92 Women’s world cup.  Since retirement from Jacquie has been able to pursue her second love, music.

Jacquie travelled to Bisham Abbey (the national centre of excellence for the country’s leading sportsmen and women) to teach the England Hockey Men’s Team how to sing England’s national anthem, Jerusalem. Jacquie said “Those poor lads didn’t know I was coming and didn’t know what hit them! They were a bit reticent at first but by the end of the session they were all singing with gusto, pride, and passion” “Those are my lads now and I will definitely have a little tear in my eye when they sing the anthem”

Jacquie performs as Ginger Bennett and you can see her in her award winning show Songs from My Soul as part of this year’s Canterbury Festival

England Men’s Hockey Sing Jerusalem – watch on Instagram.

Songs From My Soul Preview.

Sunday 7 August was our last day hosting this year’s Lambeth Conference so I wanted to write to thank all of you for your patience and support throughout. We don’t host conferences of this scale and international profile very often and I appreciate the knock-on effect this will have had on many, from smaller things like the Gulbenkian being closed to the impact on some of your workspaces. I also want to thank all of those involved over the last fortnight – I know lots of colleagues have been in daily contact with the conference organisers, including across the weekends, to make sure we fulfilled our duties as hosts. The feedback from the organisers and delegates has been uniformly positive throughout the last two weeks so well done to all on a superb operation.

Our commitment to equality, inclusion and mutual respect

I am also very aware that many will have found our hosting of the Lambeth Conference difficult on a personal level. As Georgina updated ahead of the Conference, we are clear that the official Anglican stance on the place of LGBTQ+ people both within the Church and wider society does not fit with our own values as a University. This is especially true of our deeply held commitment to equality, inclusion and mutual respect. I’m sure that many will have seen the coverage of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s restatement of the Church’s 1998 position on Equal Marriage and we are unambiguous that we are in fundamental disagreement on this issue.

While we had no say over the content of the Conference, what we always aimed to do as hosts was to support positive voices seeking to move the debate forward within the Church. This included providing support where we could for those promoting positive change on LGBTQ+ equality and extending our welcome directly to the same-sex spouses of LGBT bishops in attendance. Our University is welcoming and inclusive to all and we were in regular contact with the same-sex spouses throughout to ensure that they felt as welcome on our campus as any guest to our University has a right to expect.

Progression within the Anglican Church

Meeting them and hearing their stories was moving and humbling, both the pain they felt at their exclusion from the Conference programme but also their determination to be present, visible and proud and, through their presence, to help bring about the change that they and we very much want to see. It made me reflect that progress can be difficult, uncomfortable and too slow for our liking but that it happens through small acts of personal courage, resilience and determination just as much as through the bigger public and media debates and discussions that we also saw during the conference.

The Lambeth Conference has been hosted at Kent since the 1970s and we are aware the Church has evolved its thinking in a number of areas over that time. However, the pace of progress, in a world that is rapidly changing and increasingly challenged, appears frustratingly slow and, while it is clear from liberal voices within the Church that many felt significant steps forward had been made in the past fortnight, we hope that the Church’s thinking and actions in this area will now evolve more rapidly.

Evolving our EDI Strategy

Lastly, I wanted to touch on both the Lambeth Walk and Rainbows in Religion symposium organised by the University’s LGBTQ+ Staff Network, which saw different voices coming together to discuss the intersection of faith and sexuality and to celebrate our diversity. I know how challenging the last two weeks have been for our LGBTQ+ colleagues in particular and I know too how important it was for everyone to have the opportunity to show their support for our community. I hope the Network events were a help with this and I know that the large and positive show of support for LGBTQ+ people on campus was also hugely appreciated by many Conference delegates.

Events like Lambeth bring together different voices from diverse backgrounds. That said, it’s very important we learn what we can from this experience, particularly around the impact on our community. Coming out of this, I know we have work to do to listen and evolve our EDI strategy in particular and to build on vital work underway in that area. Kent is a special community which all of us are part of and I am determined that we celebrate and champion the breadth of its diversity in all that we do.

With all good wishes for the rest of the summer,

Karen