Eleni Kapogianni, Lecturer in Linguistics and co-director of the Centre for Language and Linguistics, and Christina Kim, Lecturer in Linguistics and Director of the Linguistics Laboratory, both based in the Department of English Language and Linguistics, were plenary speakers at the recent Manchester Forum in Linguistics, an annual conference for early career researchers in all fields of linguistics.

Eleni Kapogianni presented ‘A multi-level approach to verbal irony’, suggesting that a solution to common definitional and methodological problems concerning the investigation of verbal irony is to separate the ironic trope from its functions at the communicative and the interpersonal level. Situated within this framework of analysis, Eleni presented her current empirical findings on the culture-specificity of ironic functions, focusing specifically on the case of positive irony (a.k.a. ironic praise).

Christina Kim spoke on ‘Linguistic distance, social distance, and convergence in dialogue’, reporting on ongoing work with Dr Gloria Chamorro on structural priming in dialogues between native and non-native speakers.

In the latest episode of the Nostalgia podcast series, Dr Chris Deacy, Reader in Theology and Religious Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, speaks to Dr Helen Brooks Reader in Drama in the School of Arts.

Imagine receiving a birthday card from Doctor Who – well, this is what happened when Helen celebrated her 13th birthday, a topic of conversation which leads to Helen and Chris talking about Peter Davison (who played the fifth incarnation of the time traveller).

In this inspiring interview, Helen and Chris also discuss the works of Samuel Beckett; why her school teachers had tried to dissuade her from taking Drama at A Level; being exposed to an eclectic range of music as a child (from Motown to Handel’s Messiah); why Helen has returned in recent years to writing a diary (and who it is being written for); how her dream was once to be a serious actor on the stage; and why she tries to live in the present.

The Centre for the Study of Higher Education invite colleagues to a seminar titled ‘Methodology and Mess in Higher Education Research’ taking place on Tuesday 28 May, 13:00-14:00 in the UELT Seminar Room, Canterbury.

Presented by Helen Sword, Professor and Director of the Centre for Learning and Research in Higher Education, University of Auckland.

As an erstwhile literary scholar who now directs a higher education research and development centre, Professor Helen Sword stands with one foot on either side of the humanities/social science divide.  In this informal seminar, she will discuss the various methodologies that she has employed in her own research over the years, reflecting on the role (and value) of “messy,” humanities-inflected thinking in higher education scholarship.

To confirm your attendance please complete the online booking form.

Our Organising for Success webpages are being updated regularly.

Click on the webpages to find out the latest news and information, including new/amended Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on:

• Impact on promotion, additional salary awards and job grade reviews
• Engagement and feedback opportunities for our students.

From this week (7 May), there is also a new section on our Student Guide to ensure our students are kept up to date on the University restructure.

Would you or someone you know like to join Kent Hospitality’s Reception team from June to October 2019?

Applicants will be required to work 15 to 35 hours per week including evenings and weekends. Hours will vary from week to week and are not guaranteed.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate exceptional levels of customer service, computing and cash handling skills, and the ability to work calmly and accurately under pressure, both alone and as part of a team.

The rates of pay are:

• £8.82 p/hr 18 – 24 years old
• £9.41 p/hr 25 years and over (Living Wage)

If you think this summer vacancy is for you, please apply by emailing your CV and a cover letter to Laura Maclean by emailing l.maclean@kent.ac.uk.

Closing date for applications: 17 May 2019. This may close early if we receive a large number of applications.

Booking is now open for The Universities at Medway fifth annual Festival of Learning, Teaching and Assessment which will take place on Thursday 12th September 2019, 9.30-14.30 in Pilkington Building Room 008, Medway Campus.

The Festival aims to share, celebrate and promote our practice to benefit all students studying on our Medway campus.

Our focus this year is on student engagement.  It is a consistently strong theme that runs through the sector and is a priority for all three universities and their partner colleges.

Our keynote speaker will be Professor Colin Bryson of Newcastle University, who will be presenting with a student on ‘Where are we and where are we going with student engagement?’. Please see here for abstract and biography

We are currently inviting contributions in a variety of formats from practitioners, professional services staff, researchers and students. Please see call for papers.

To book a place at the Festival please complete the online booking form.

Colleagues are invited to attend the Learning & Teaching Network session taking place on Wednesday 22 May, from 13:15-14:30 in Rutherford Lecture Theatre 2.

Presented by Rebecca Coleman, EAP Tutor, Centre for English and World Language, the workshop looks at intelligibility support for international staff and support staff at the University of Kent.  We aim to highlight the importance of these staff members being clearly understood and present common issues that they may face. There will be the opportunity to discuss intelligibly issues that you have encountered and individually and in groups look at ways of improving them. Further support offered by the Centre of English and World Languages (CEWL) in this domain will be mentioned at the end of the session.

To confirm your attendance please complete the online booking form.

Some of the University parking permit prices are increasing from 1 August 2019; this is the first increase since they were introduced in 2000.

Over the past 19 years, we have made a number of improvements to our parking facilities, including resurfacing and relining car parks, upgrading lighting and CCTV. The planned increase to permit charges will help offset some of our ongoing costs and enable us to work towards the objectives set out in the University Travel Plan

It is anticipated that permit prices will increase on 1 August each year in line with the RPI, and permit holders will be given three months’ notice of any increase.

View the parking permit charges webpage for more details.