Staff, students and alumni have expressed their deepest condolences at the recent passing of Sir David Akers-Jones, one of Kent’s most prestigious and important alumni.

During his long career, Sir David Akers-Jones served in many important posts in the Government of Hong Kong. He was the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong from 1985 to 1987, and was also Acting Governor of Hong Kong.

Sir David started his studies at Kent in 1966, the year following the University’s inauguration. In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Sir David received an honorary Doctor of Civil Law from the University in 1987, and continued to play a very active role in the Hong Kong Alumni Association.

Sir David’s support of the University was both longstanding and far-reaching and included  the foundation of the Sir David Akers-Jones Hong Kong and China Fund in 2010, designed to support students wishing to study at one of Kent’s partner institutions, or to undertake a work placement in Hong Kong or mainland China.

We feel immensely proud to have had the opportunity to benefit from Sir David’s broad experience, wisdom and generosity over the last six decades and we remain committed to continuing to support the important work in internationalisation between the UK, China and Hong which Sir David was so invested in.

Anthony Manning | Dean for Internationalisation

You can see comments from current and former staff, students and alumni on the influence of Sir David’s support for the University on the Development webpages. 

Timothy Brittain-Catlin presented an episode from his forthcoming book The Edwardians and their Houses on BBC Radio 4’s The Westminster Hour last night. This told the story of how from 1900 the London County Council, controlled by members of the Liberal Party, transformed a district of industrial works and slums at the southern edge of the Palace of Westminster into an idealised ‘late Stuart’ residential quarter around the baroque church of St John, Smith Square. Some of the finest buildings here, including 4, Cowley Street (above), were designed by the architect Horace Field, whose commercial buildings look as if they were the homes of prosperous Restoration merchants and were thus the harbinger of much interwar high street bank architecture. Appropriately, this house, which had been built as the offices of the North Eastern Railway, served as the headquarters of first the Social Democratic Party and until recently, the Liberal Democrats. Today the district serves as a fine example of a politically inspired residential area which looks as if it has ‘always’ been there.

The full programme is here .

This year’s Stirling Lecture will be delivered by Dr Holly Dunsworth, University of Rhode Island, with a talk entitled ‘This View of Wife: How Woman’s Evolution Challenges Traditional Narratives of Man’s’. The lecture will take place on Tuesday 15 October 2019 from 18.00 to 20.00 in Keynes Lecture Theatre 1. The event is free and open to all.

Dr Dunsworth will be challenging traditional evolutionary explanations for sex differences in height and hips that focus only on big, competitive men and broad, birthing women. She claims that clinging to simple answers to deceptively complex questions about human variation may be impeding scientific progress.

Abstract
Here we question assumptions about the evolution of sex differences in human biology, specifically regarding sex differences in height and in pelvic dimensions. Conspicuous sex differences in anatomy have featured prominently in human evolutionary science since its origins and continue to be mistaken for evidence of innate sex differences in cognition and for natural gender norms and roles. Evolutionary explanations for sex differences in height and hips that focus only on big competitive men and broad birthing women must account for evolutionary developmental approaches and for physiological phenomena that complicate, weaken and challenge traditional thinking. In this case, clinging to simple answers to deceptively complex questions about human variation may be impeding scientific progress, as well as perpetuating the popular misunderstanding and abuse of it.

Biography
Holly Dunsworth is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of Rhode Island. She began her career studying the anatomy and paleoenvironment of fossil apes. Now she is investigating the energetics of marmoset monkey pregnancy and lactation to answer questions about the evolution of human reproduction, growth and development. She’s behind the EGG (Energetics of Gestation and Growth) hypothesis for the timing of human birth (contra the ‘obstetrical dilemma’): she argues that ‘reproductive consciousness’ is a uniquely human trait of significance, and is working to expand the dominant evolutionary explanations for sex differences in human height and pelvic dimensions.

Dr Anne-Maria Brennan and Dr Terence Nice from the Centre for Professional Practice at the University of Kent were amongst the speakers at the Kent Safeguarding Children Board’s recent conference on adolescent suicide and self-harm in Kent which was held in Ashford earlier this month.

The conference brought together practitioners to explore the topics of adolescent suicidal feelings, thoughts and behaviours. The principal aim of the conference was to promote practitioner understanding, competency and confidence in working with young people who present as suicidal or self-harming.

Dr Anne-Maria Brennan, Director of Graduate Studies and Programme Director for the MSc Professional Practice, welcomed all participants and spoke about the importance of mental wellbeing for University students.

Dr Terence Nice presented the findings of his thematic study on Individual Signatures and Thematic Patterns of Self-harm and Suicide. He spoke about the ways how the findings of the study can be channelled into a national framework for understanding suicidal behaviour in young people and how this can best inform the working practice.

The conference was very well attended with more than 200 professionals present.

Why study MSc Professional Practice at the University of Kent?

This part-time, multi-professional programme is popular amongst staff at the University of Kent and has been designed to meet the needs of working professionals who wish to develop their academic ability while maintaining their professional role. Taught sessions are delivered on average 6 weekends a year at Medway campus in a welcoming, supportive and flexible academic environment, by an academic team with extensive professional practitioner experience. The Master’s programme is completed over 3 years with alternative exists available after the first (PCert) or second years (PDip).

Accreditation of prior experiential and certificated learning is welcome.

For more information please visit the CPP webpages.

BBC Persia recently interviewed David Walsh at the Bloomberg  Space to discuss the differences between the Roman Cult and the worship of the Persian Mithra, who looks very similar (and has a similar name), but is also very distinct from Mithras in how he his worshipped.

A recording of the interview (David features at 11:30 approx) is available online.

David also recently appeared at the Mithraeum for the Emerge Festival (pictured below – image by Caroline Lawrence) giving talks on the cult.

The University will be hosting a monthly walking netball session at the Canterbury Campus Sports Centre.

When?
All sessions will take place on a Wednesday, from 10.00-11.00. The dates are:

• Wednesday 16 October 2019
• Wednesday 20 November 2019
• Wednesday 18 December 2019

All sessions are indoors at: University of Kent Sports Centre, Canterbury Campus, CT2 7NL.

Who?
The sessions are aimed at 55 year olds plus. No experience is necessary. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear for indoor activity and don’t forget your water bottle!

How?
A minimum of Kent Sport Community ‘Pay to Play’ Membership is required, with £4.50 per session (plus annual £5 membership fee). See website for all membership options.

Pay and display parking is available at the back of the Sports Centre (£2 parking fee can be refunded at reception).No need to book, just come along.

The sessions are an ideal opportunity to be active in a fun, enjoyable and social environment. You can see what is involved here. You can join us for some well-earned refreshments in the Sports Centre Café after the session.

For further information call 01227 816391 or email: sportsdevelopment@kent.ac.uk