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

Their weekly webinars continue this week  starting on Tuesday 1 September (due to Bank Holiday Monday) and are as follows:

Tuesday 1 September 2020 –  ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 2 September 2020 – ‘‘Making positive changes to your wellbeing post lockdown’ ’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 3 September 2020 –  ‘Managing stress as lockdown eases’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 4 September 2020 – ‘How Care first can support MHFA’s and Wellbeing Champions’
Time: 12.30-12.45 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Alongside ongoing work to finalise changes to professional service departments across the University, activity has been continuing to support the transition from Schools and Faculties to academic Divisions.

As Divisions took over responsibility for their budgets from 1 August, a number of key changes were needed to systems and processes to reflect the new model. Several other admin and wider updates have also taken place across teams, with this work continuing ahead of new structures being fully operational from 1 November.

What’s been done so far

A major step in transition has been the introduction of our new Divisional Leadership roles, with latest appointments available on the Organising for Success staff webpages.

Other changes to date include:

• Adjustments to key finance processes: including setting up Divisional cost centres; changing financial reporting structures to Divisions and Directors of Operations; updating authorisation processes for payments and invoices; and updating relevant access and permissions in Agresso
• Moving towards new governance and committee structures: including standing down Faculty Committees; putting arrangements for 2019/20 Boards of Examiners and Appeals are in place; facilitating Kent Union representation in new Divisions; and reviewing our Research Ethics governance structure
• Updating our key systems to support transition: including IS reconfiguring Staff Connect; identifying essential changes to SDS and associated downstream systems, which will take place on 14 September; assessment of the impact on Moodle to ensure this is carefully managed; and evaluation of the impact on our module evaluation system
• Updating key policies and procedures: Including handover of student conduct and complaints procedures from 1 September (with investigations carried out by the Student Conduct and Complaints Office and signed off by Divisions); and HR-led revisions underway to key policies affected by the changes, such as academic promotions
• Key communication changes: including updating student ID cards to remove references to Faculties; development of Divisional landing webpages; transferring or archiving all relevant content from the three Faculty and FSO websites

A number of teams will now take forward work in their own areas to support transition, including updating relevant policies, communication documents and new training requirements. This will be supported by the Project Management Office to ensure a coordinated approach across the University.

Find out more about Organising for Success

As many colleagues may know, the Director of Music, Sue Wanless, is retiring from the University after over thirty years dedicated to the extra-curricular musical life of the University.

For thirty-two years, Sue has been at the helm of the Music department,  conducting the University Chorus and Symphony Orchestra each year in the epic annual Colyer-Fergusson concert in Canterbury Cathedral, as well as the University Camerata and other chamber groups.

From humble beginning in the Senate Building through to the opening of the purpose-built Colyer-Fergusson building, music has become a flourishing, vital part of the University’s creative life.

Aside from a busy life on campus, Sue has also  been part of the panel of judges for the Canterbury International Festival’s annual music bursary competition for young performers. Read more about Sue’s commitment to music-making on this blogpost.

Kent’s Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries (ICCI) is now up and running.

The Institute’s role is to coordinate and advertise our teaching and research across Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities disciplines, as it relates to cultural, creative and digital innovation. We’re working at the cross-over between creativity and the digital in particular, in areas like gaming, immersive tech, AI, health and welbeing (including social prescribing) and placemaking, but also more generally in finding creative solutions to cultural problems.

Your ICCI offers a place for business, academics and students to come together around these questions.

The key schools to date have been Computing, EDA, Business School, Journalism, the Centre for Music and Audio Technology, Architecture, English and Arts, but we have also been working with SSPSSR, CHSS, KentHealth and KMMS to generate new types of teaching and interdisciplinary research. We want to put people in touch with one another across these areas of the University and beyond to make sure that, as a university, we’re ready to take advantage of new opportunities.

So we would love to hear from you if you are interested in creative work – do please email us with a very brief description of your interests, join the mailing list on the ICCI website, or get in touch with any questions or suggestions: icci@kent.ac.uk

As more of us start planning for a return to campus, it’s worth considering how we travel there. With the government keen for everyone to get back in the saddle and the University actively promoting cycling and walking, why not give cycling a go?

To encourage staff and students to walk and cycle to, from and around our campuses, Kent offers a range of incentives.

Here are the 10 things on offer to make cycling an easier option:

1. Staff Cycle to Work Scheme

The Staff Cycle to Work Scheme offers you the chance to purchase a brand new bike and accessories from a range of participating local stores at a discounted rate. Further information is available on the Staff Finance page.

2. Local bike shop discounts

Some local bike shops, including Canterbury Cycles in Canterbury and Bikes Bike Bikes in Gillingham, offer Kent staff and students 10-15% discounts on bike purchases. You can find further information on Travel Discounts.

 3. Business bike mileage allowance

Staff who use their bike to travel to and from a meeting can claim 20p per mile. For more information, see ourFinance webpages.

4. Cycle shelters

There are over 2,000 cycle parking spaces available across the Canterbury and Medway campuses. This includes several covered and secure (KentOne card-access) shelters.

You can view the location of all the Canterbury-based bike lock-ups via this map. Shelters on the Medway campus are located at the Drill Hall Library, Central Avenue and Nelson Building.

5. University cycle groups

KUBUG is an independent cycling group at the University. It’s open to all staff and students who have an interest in cycling in and around the Canterbury campus. You can interact with other cyclists via the free online forum.

University of Kent Cycling (UKC) is a multi-discipline sports club run by Kent Union. It caters for all levels and anyone who loves having fun on two wheels!

6. Safety tips and advice

The University offers plenty of safety tips and advice when it comes to cycling, including how to check your bike is fit for purpose. See their advice on the Transport page.

7. Cycle events

Cycle events, from fun activities to organised bike rides, take place at the University throughout the year.To find out what’s on when, keep an eye on the transport calendar or follow @unikent_travel.

8. Kent cycle routes

Kent boasts some fantastic cycle routes and footpathsto enjoy both for leisure and as direct routes to and from our campuses. The Crab & Winkle Way, for example, is a picturesque off-road link between Canterbury and Whistable.

9. Cycle training course

If you want to learn how to ride a bike or need more confidence riding to work, then make the most of the cycle training courses provided by Kent County Council.

10. Cycling updates

For cycling updates at the University, follow  @unikent_travel and/or sign up to the Transport team newsletters.

If you have other useful tips for cycling to and from the University of Kent, please share them with us at stories@kent.ac.uk

With the Gulbenkian cinema and café now open (since 17 August 2020), there’s plenty of fantastic films and live events for you to enjoy!

Cinema bookings are currently online only and close two hours before the screening time. To find out what the Gulbenkian has been doing to ensure a safe visit, please visit its Customer information page.

Here are just a few of the movies and events you can go and see:

Clemency – Friday 21 August – Thursday 27 August 2020

Years of carrying out death row executions have taken a toll on prison warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard) .

Family Film: Trolls World Tour – Sunday 30 August 2020

Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return in an all-star sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s 2016 musical hit: Trolls World Tour.

Pinocchio – Friday 4 September 2020

In this live-action adaptation of the beloved fairytale, old woodcarver Gepetto (Roberto Benigni), fashions a wooden puppet, Pinocchio (Federico Ielapi), who magically comes to life.

Jive Talkin’ perform the Bee Gees – Saturday 10 October 2020

Rescheduled from May 2020, this group is renowned for being the original and best Bee Gees tribute show.

A new exchange agreement between Kent Law School (KLS) and the University of Los Andes, Colombia has been signed.  The agreement covers PhD student and staff exchange; activity that will be supported by an Erasmus+ grant won by Kent.

University of Los Andes plays a central role within the academic community in Colombia and in Latin America as a whole. The institution shares KLS’ critical, interdisciplinary approach to law and commitment to excellence in research and education; it is hoped that the exchange will establish long- lasting avenues for research collaboration particularly in the areas of peace building and transitional justice.

Dr. Luis Eslava, Co-Director of the Centre for Critical International Law within KLS, welcomes the new agreement:

‘It is extremely exciting to inaugurate the Erasmus+ programme. It will give the Kent and ‘Universidad de los Andes an opportunity to further consolidate their interinstitutional partnership while supporting a fantastic exchange programme that will benefit staff and doctoral students from both institutions. We are looking forward to receiving at Kent Law School our colleagues from Los Andes.’

Head of Kent Law School Professor Lydia Hayes is also excited about the partnership:

‘The student and academic community at Los Andes is wonderfully vibrant and we are proud that the new exchange agreement further enhances our connections. We foresee many benefits for staff and students in Columbia and in Kent because of new opportunities for student placements, the exchange of knowledge and learning, and joint working on research in the social study of law’.

Due to Covid-19, the exchange will commence online, with physical mobility taking place when it is safe to do so.

For information about Erasmus+ funding to support exchange outside Europe, please contact Primrose Paskins in International Partnerships

BALEAP is a body which supports the professional development of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) professionals. It also runs an accreditation scheme for EAP courses. We are delighted to be hosting the BALEAP Professional Issues Meeting (PIM) online on 6 November 2020.

The theme of the PIM is 2020 Visions: Looking Back and Looking Ahead.

The new decade has brought with it major shifts in higher education, with many challenges and opportunities. This event will allow participants to explore how EAP practitioners have responded to these and how they have influenced future plans.  It will also allow participants to reflect on the past and look forward to the future, as we adjust to, work with and create the ‘new normal’.

We are now inviting EAP colleagues in the UK and further afield to submit proposals for sessions on a range of topics:  a PIM online is a great opportunity to present from anywhere in the world.

Possible topics to explore are:

• the response to the ‘new normal’ so far, our plans looking ahead

• tools and techniques – from materials to assessment to pedagogy/approaches and blended learning

• the learning environment – inside and outside the classroom, the impact of a ‘digital first’ approach

• the learner – what does the learner now want and need?

• the practitioner – how has the changing environment affected us?

• how have we adapted to the changing environment?

• what has worked and what has not?

• what is next and where do we want to go?

Other suggestions are welcome. Submission Deadline: 17.00 (BST) Tuesday 6 October 2020

Further details about the PIM and how to submit a proposal for a session are on our website.

Restrictions on travel for University purposes are still in effect and have not been relaxed.

Whilst the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) may have relaxed restrictions on travel from 4 July 2020, the University still regards any and all international travel – even to countries that have relaxed travel restrictions by the FCO – as high risk and not to be booked where at all possible or avoidable. This is particularly relevant to undergraduate and PGT students. 

If staff or PGR students have external funding for essential travel, they should be able to travel as long as the FCO is not advising against travel, the trip is supported by a completed risk assessment and is insured through Kent’s Insurance Office. Staff should be aware that FCO guidance is liable to change at very short notice. 

There may be some internally funded travel needed to prepare some grant applications with other universities. This should be at the discretion of the Divisions. 

The process staff and PGR students should follow when booking essential travel is:

1. Review the University’s updated Travel Policy and complete the enclosed Travel Exceptions form confirming the essential nature of travel and that external funding is available
2. Complete the relevant online Overseas Travel Risk Assessment form
3. Register for the University’s travel insurance using the form here.

It is not recommended that you book travel using any personal funds as this is at your own risk and any expense claims may not be authorised if you travel contrary to University advice. 

This travel advice is being reviewed on a regular basis. For latest updates on travel and other FAQs on Covid-19, see our staff webpages.

As I mentioned in last week’s email, we are cautiously optimistic with regard to our undergraduate numbers and I am truly grateful to all those who continue to work tirelessly in our schools and professional services departments to ensure we achieve the best possible outcome.

This has been a Clearing like no other. The uncertainties surrounding the impact of Covid-19 on students’ decision-making was compounded by last week’s change in government policy in the grading of A-levels and BTECs.

From the outset, we have had to change and adapt and then change and adapt again. Given the current situation, we took the decision to run our Clearing in the virtual world. The aim of this was to mitigate against any local lockdown and coronavirus outbreaks on campus, and to combat the very tricky process of trying to run the operation with social distance measures in place. This took an immense amount of planning and a cast of many, and the smoothness of that operation has been remarkable.

Our Clearing campaign, which we relaunched following the government’s announcement, has performed extremely well across a range of platforms including Facebook, Twitter and even TikTok. Content that shows off the campuses, whether through drone footage or campus tours, has done very well and was accompanied by a message highlighting the amount of space we have for our students.

To date, our Clearing hotline has received over 7,710 calls, which is 18.5% higher than we received last year. Yesterday alone, the teams handled over 400 calls. This week, we are holding a series of socially distanced campus tours, which allow small groups of students and their families to experience the campus for themselves.

We are all too aware that students have had to cope with an ever-changing landscape and a level of uncertainty that would throw the best of us, and I thank you all for the help and compassion you have continued to show them despite the hard work and pressures you all face.

With all good wishes,

Karen

Professor Karen Cox | Vice-Chancellor and President