KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | August 2010 | No 6
Honorary graduates Creative Campus
Welcome Dear Colleagues, Some things about Higher Education have not changed during my career. I still work in ‘academic’ years, from August to August, rather than calendar or financial years. So as I come to the end of another year I am delighted again to see all our accomplished students graduating in our outstanding ceremonies in Canterbury and Rochester Cathedrals. As part of the celebrations, we were joined by our honorary graduands. Several were former members of staff or are alumni, while others have very strong links either with the local region or with the University itself. All are highly successful individuals in their chosen field and we are proud to be able to honour them in this way. At the end of July, we are hosting a conference at Medway on the Textus Roffensis (www.kent.ac.uk/history/Events/ textusroffensis.html) – an ancient Kentish text setting out the ‘first laws’ housed in Rochester Cathedral. This conference has been championed by our Chancellor, Sir Robert Worcester, and the School of History, and is an example of where we have excellence in scholarship relating to a local ‘issue’ of international importance. Although academia seems to be continuing much as usual, it continues to do so within a very uncertain climate both economically and politically. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Vince Cable, and the Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, have both spoken about the need for fundamental change in the university sector but also recognise the importance of universities and science to the economy. It is widely acknowledged that the system which supported people of my generation will not work for the large numbers of students now at university. The support system has changed at least twice within the last few years to reflect the size of the sector, and we are currently waiting for the outcome of the government inquiry into tuition fees chaired by Lord Browne of Madingley which is due in October. Whatever the proposals, it is clear that we will have to change. The question is how. Kent already delivers world-class research and teaching, and attracts a considerable number of overseas students who wish to study in the UK. We also have a very strong ‘public good’ role in terms of supporting the local community, both economically and educationally and we are now the lead sponsor of a new Academy school – New Brompton College. We also have outstanding arts provision in the visual arts, theatre and music, and have excellent sports facilities which are used by many outside the University, including local schools. In the light of inevitable change, it is this balance – that of our core activities against our ‘public good’ role – that I, together with my colleagues, will be considering very carefully throughout the next academic year. In the meantime, I wish you all a pleasant and restful summer.
Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, CBE Vice-Chancellor
3 News 6 Feature: Inspire: Creative Campus 8 Research 10 Enterprise 11 Honorary graduates 12 Human Resources 13 Administering change 14 Kent in the News/Applied Professional Practice degree 15 Active August/Oaks Day Nursery 16 What’s on Special thanks to: Lesley Farr and Chris Lancaster, University Design & Print Centre Photographs by Robert Berry, Nick Ellwood, Simon Jarratt, Spencer Scott
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KENT We have set up a readers’ panel for staff. Please get in touch if you would like to become a member. We are keen to have your feedback and letters are welcome from all our readers. Simply email the editorial team at kentmagazine@kent.ac.uk Kent is also available online at www.kent.ac.uk/campusonline/ kentmagazine Editorial team: Posie Bogan, Press & Communications Manager (Communications & Marketing); Colette O’Reilly, Publications Officer (Communications & Marketing); Fiona Jones, Alumni Relations Officer (Development Office); Karen Baxter, Press Assistant, (Communications & Marketing), University of Kent. Next issue: the deadline for the next issue is 27 September, with a publication date of 29 October.
High rankings for Kent in 2011 league tables The University of Kent is placed within the UK’s top 30 universities in The Guardian’s 2011 league table. Kent is ranked at number 27, out of a total of 118 universities, representing a leap of 18 places upwards from its position in the same table last year. The Guardian university league table rates university subjects against a range of criteria, including teaching quality; how satisfied finalyear students are; how much is spent per student; staff-student ratios; career prospects of graduates, and what grades pupils need to have a chance of being offered a place. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, said the university’s high position in The Guardian table was a result of its commitment to high-quality teaching, personal support and an inspiring student experience. ‘Recent National Student Surveys have told us that the University continues to deliver one of the best student experiences in the country, and this is further proof,’ she said. ‘Student feedback is vital, and we listen very carefully when they tell us what works for them and what they want from us.’ The University’s performance by subject is also strong within The Guardian’s guide, as three quarters of Kent’s 28 subjects are ranked within the national top 30. The University achieved a top
DBE for Vice-Chancellor Professor Julia Goodfellow CBE, FMedSci, FinstP, was appointed DBE in the Queen's birthday honours, announced on 12 June 2010. The award is for her services to science. Dame Julia said: ‘I am delighted. This is a great honour and one which reflects well on the University and the Kent and Medway region.’
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Valerie Marshall, Chair of the University of Kent Council, said: ‘On behalf of my colleagues at the University, I would like to congratulate Dame Julia on her award. It is greatly deserved.’
ten position in the country for four subjects – Social Work (8th), Economics (9th), Anthropology (10th) and American Studies (10th). The University was also ranked in the top 40 in The Complete University Guide 2011, published in The Independent, and in The Times Good University Guide 2011. Within The Complete University Guide, more than 80 per cent of subjects taught at Kent were placed in the national top 30. Kent has also been ranked 22nd in the UK for web popularity in the international higher education directory, 4icu. Within all national guides published this year, the University of Kent has been ranked top of the universities in Kent and Medway.
DCMS pays Cultural Olympiad visit The Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Head of Sport and Leisure, Paul Bolt, visited the Medway region on 11 June, praising the South East’s positive contribution towards the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad. A key part of his visit took place at the Galvanising Shop, the design and production studio for the University’s Event and Experience Design department, which is based at continued overleaf...
Honorary graduates
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Chatham’s Historic Dockyard. Mr Bolt was introduced to a wide range of cultural projects making an impact across Kent, being delivered as part of the countdown to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Mr Bolt heard from staff, students and an artist in residence at the University, and also viewed the University of Kent’s ground-breaking Celebratory and Outdoor Performance Online Resource (COPOR), which was created by the department of Event and Experience Design. COPOR provides a wealth of information, contacts, production support and expert advice for the outdoor performance sector across the country, and has been awarded a prestigious Inspire Mark – the badge of the London 2012 Inspire programme.
New Health Strategy The University is to introduce a new strategy to develop its current health-related teaching, research and enterprise activities, enabling it to become more responsive to the rapidly changing demands of the region’s healthcare services and to strengthen its research activity in those areas where the University already has world-class expertise. The strategy will be sent out for widespread consultation before being launched in the autumn.
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Peter Hatton, the University of Kent’s Director for the Creative Events: Design and Production degree course, said: ‘Hosting the Head of Sport and Leisure from the DCMS, as well as a gathering of groups and companies from across the South East, was a great honour, and an opportunity for us to show the projects that staff and students have created within the remit of the Cultural Olympiad.’
Mr Laffey said: ‘It’s satisfying to have this type of international recognition. I’m now setting myself a target to improve on this ranking with some future papers I’m planning, which is a challenge I’ll certainly enjoy,’ he said.
KBS lecturer achieves top ten world ranking
Clio Barnard among winners at Tribeca Film Festival
A lecturer from Kent Business School has been ranked as one of the world’s leading researchers in the field of Information Systems.
Clio Barnard, Reader in Film Studies at Kent, won the Best New Documentary Filmmaker award at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival for her film The Arbor.
Des Laffey was placed ninth in the world in a ranking of the top journals recognised by the Association of Information Systems (AIS), an international professional society of more than 4,000 members from 90 countries, including researchers and lecturers. The analysis of research carried out on the AISapproved journals placed Mr Laffey as the highest-ranked author for Information Systems outside of North America. The ranking took into account leading-edge research published in the top eight Information Systems journals between 2007 and 2009, during which time Mr Laffey produced papers on online gambling, comparison websites and search engines.
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manslaughter. Lorraine is re-introduced to her mother's plays and private letters and as she reflects on the parallels in their lives, she begins to come to terms with her past.
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The New York film festival was founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff to encourage economic and cultural revitalisation following the attacks on the World Trade Centre in 2001. This year’s judges included Whoopi Goldberg, Jessica Alba and producer Eric Steel. The judges said: ‘Imagination is a word you don’t often associate with documentary filmmaking, but this director bends the boundaries of the form, beautifully crafting an innovative and detailed film wherein great storytelling is paramount.’ The Arbor tells the true story of playwright Andrea Dunbar, who died tragically in 1990 at the age of 29, and her daughter Lorraine, who was just ten years old when her mother died. The film shows Lorraine in the present day, also at 29; now in prison, serving a sentence for
The strategy will build on existing strengths in social policy, mental health, biomedical sciences, sports sciences, pharmacy, research design and technical innovation. A key element will be ‘Kent Health’, an agency which would act as a onestop shop in terms of promoting, providing and offering the University’s health activities and its interface with the healthcare profession. According to Professor Peter Jeffries, Acting Dean of Health, ‘We already have examples of excellence across the institution, such as the Centre for Health Services Studies and the Centre for Biomedical Informatics. However, after consultation with key players in the region we established there is a need for the University to have a much closer relationship with the Kent NHS, providing leadership in teaching and research across the region and helping revitalise its health economy.’ The University’s health strategy will be supported by the appointment of ten new academics and clinicians across the range of health-related disciplines, including biomedical sciences, cognitive neurosciences, pharmacy, and molecular processing.
Beach hut residency for Kent lecturer Patricia Debney, Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Kent, has unveiled a new collection of poetry after completing a six-week artist residency in a Tankerton beach hut, known as the ‘Little Blue Hut’.
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The Little Blue Hut, home to the Canterbury City Council Artist's Residency programme, provided the venue for the Artist Open Day on 3 June. Over 50 people attended the event, which showcased Patricia Debney’s latest collection of poetry. Patricia said: ‘I expected to go to the hut to write something completely different – I had a plan all worked out – but in the event the place itself took over. The whole collection has its roots in the coast, from the tides to Whitstable spit, to the formation of waves and the changing skyline. ‘It is hugely unusual as a residency in that it doesn't expect anything back. It is simply ‘given’ to you as a space to work in – and it is partly this open-endedness which has inspired me and others, I suspect.’
Kent awarded Quality Mark The University has been awarded the Frank Buttle Trust Quality Mark for Care Leavers in Higher Education. The Frank Buttle Trust, founded in 1937, established the Quality Mark in 2006 in recognition of Higher Education institutions that ‘go that extra mile’ to support students who have been in public care.
University evaluates a new endof-life care programme The University’s Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS) is helping Pilgrims Hospices evaluate a new service that will improve end-oflife care for terminally-ill people who prefer to remain at home. The new service will mean that Pilgrims health care assistants can offer care and support to patients and their families on the same day it is requested and for up to 72 hours. The service will work with other community care providers to give everyone in east Kent more choice about end-of-life care by early 2011. CHSS researchers aim to determine whether the new service will enable more people to die where they prefer, especially for those wishing to die at home. The impact of the service on carers will also be evaluated and the cost of providing the new service versus the cost of usual care will be compared.
Clio Barnard’s award-winning film, The Arbor KBS lecturer receives top ten world ranking Patricia Debney Kent student, Ryan Manton’s award-winning photograph, ‘Treesleeves’
Kent alumni wins Horticultural Society gold James Wong has recently won a Royal Horticultural Society Gold Medal for the 'Tourism Malaysia Garden' he created with David Cubero for the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show. James, who now has a successful career as a UK television presenter, including his own series Grow Your Own Drugs, was a student on the Kent MSc Ethnobotany programme between 2004 and 2005. 4
Science Extravaganza
The evaluation has been funded by the National Institute for Health Research’s Research for Patient Benefit programme.
Students from 15 local schools in the Kent area enjoyed a Science Extravaganza at the University’s Canterbury campus.
Kent student wins national photography competition
Taking place on 6 and 7 July, the Extravaganza provided an insight into the worlds of science and technology. The year eight students took part in a number of practical activities, ranging from extracting DNA from peas in the Bioscience laboratories to trialling forensic techniques used by crime scene investigators.
Architecture student, Ryan Manton was named the winner of a national photography competition during an exhibition at London’s Bankside Gallery. The theme of this year’s national competition, which attracted nearly 200 entries, was the relationship between architecture and the natural world. Ryan was awarded first prize, in architects ADP’s student photography competition, for his image ‘Tree Sleeves’. The prize included a £1,000 photographic commission and £750 of camera equipment vouchers.
Jane Anderson, Partnership Development Officer at the University, said: ‘The event organised by the University’s Faculty of Science and Partnership Development Office has become so popular that this year we had to run it over two days to accommodate more schools.’
Improving communication Hat-trick of wins for University accommodation The University of Kent has been awarded Group Travel Organiser’s Best University Accommodation for Groups for the third year in succession. Group Travel organisers who regularly use University accommodation vote for the awards and Kent beat off stiff competition from seven other institutions including Warwick, Imperial College London, Durham and York.
One of the outcomes of the recent internal communications audit has been the development of internal communications web pages on the Kent site. Run by Communications & Marketing, the aim is to bring together the wide range of activities that take place across a number of departments, such as Communications & Marketing, Information Services, Central Secretariat and Human Resources. These pages will be regularly reviewed in response to any feedback received, and examples of good practice are particularly welcome. You can find out more at www.kent.ac.uk/internalcomms
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Feature
Inspire In 2008, the University of Kent launched the Creative Campus with the aim of drawing attention to Kent’s creative strengths and fostering new ways of bringing people together to work on creative projects across the University. Since then, the Creative Campus has been involved in a range of projects that support learning and teaching, and develop new arts and environmental activities which have brought about many new partnerships, both within the University and beyond. In this feature we focus on Creative Campus Initiative events that took place this summer.
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The Creative Campus Initiative (CCI) was a project supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), in which universities across the South East joined forces to create a programme of innovative and dynamic cultural events across the region to celebrate the link between arts and sports. Recognised by the London 2012 Inspire Mark as part of the Cultural Olympiad, this initiative collectively produced more than 100 special commissions, exhibitions and performances across the South East throughout the summer, which culminated in a one-day conference hosted by the University of Kent on 17th June. Sarah Weir presented an open lecture highlighting the role of culture and arts within the Olympic Delivery Authority programme and local school children visited the educational resources produced by this initiative on the double-decker CCI LEAP bus! Leading up to this, the University commissioned staff, students and local artists to produce an ambitious and creative exhibition of performed and visual arts called Slipstream. Inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Slipstream attracted over 600 people to events around Kent over the first two weeks in June. Two Medway-based projects were showcased to Paul Bolt of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as part of a 2012 themed visit to the Historic Dockyard in Chatham. Three architecture students talked about their design response to the maritime narrative of Chatham as part of the Inspire Mark project, Iron Gym. The lens-based artist (Juan delGado – deaf and disabled artists residency programme) showcased his film Le Reve de Newton, which has now engaged a number of arts organisations in the county.
Likewise, several community projects were run as part of the FUSE Festival 2010 – Element worked with the visually impaired community to bring opera and music to the Medway towns and VeloDrone invited musicians, cyclists and the general public to come to Rochester Castle to create a musical concert through cycling activities. Students on the Creative Events programme in Medway engaged in an extended curriculum-based activity involving a guest lecturer workshop and a new digital music and installation group. Three commissions by local artists – Spectators, Society of the Lost Games and RUSH – were well received by the contemporary arts community. Other highlights included, Moving Memory – following from workshops in local residential homes, performances were staged on the Canterbury Labyrinth and Jarman Plaza which brought an age-diverse population to the Canterbury campus and showcased the labyrinth to a number of new audiences. In the next phase, the aim is to attract young people to engage more fully with the Cultural Olympiad through the CCI volunteer programme, by building upon the existing CCI networks to promote even wider community engagement with the London 2012 Games through work with schools, festivals and arts organisations in the Kent region.
The Creative Campus Initiative included Slipstream, an exhibition of performed and visual events staged around Kent, which included Spectators (main picture, left); Moving Memory (middle); and Element opera performances at Rochester Cathedral (top) and the Amphitheatre in Strood (bottom).
Further details are available at: www.creativecampusinitiative.org.uk
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Research
Bacteria used to produce biofuels and vaccines Scientists at the University of Kent and University College Cork have manipulated simple bacteria into constructing internal compartments where biofuels and vaccines can be produced. These micro-compartments eventually occupy almost 70 per cent of the available space in a bacteria cell, enabling segregation of metabolic activities and, in the era of synthetic biology, representing an important tool by which defined micro-environments can be created for specific metabolic functions. Martin Warren, Professor of Biochemistry at Kent’s School of Biosciences, explained: ‘Synthetic biology is really exciting because we can produce some important and useful products that can be difficult and expensive to make using traditional chemistry techniques. Bacteria can make these things very easily and in large quantities if we develop bacteria with the right characteristics to do so efficiently. ‘What we often do is to make sure that the desired product is made within one or more tiny compartments that already exist inside the
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bacteria. This means that the process doesn’t get caught up or slowed down by everything else that is going on in the cell and so is much more efficient.’ It is envisaged that these micro-compartments could be modified for the synthesis of ethanol or even hydrogen gas, which could reduce the human need for many oil-derived products, including certain medicines. The team is currently working on ways to produce new antibiotics within these compartments. Michael Prentice, Professor of Medical Microbiology at University College Cork, said: ‘Using these compartments, simple bacteria like E.coli can make chemicals that would normally be deadly for them. The bacteria are partially protected because the chemicals are being made within compartments inside their cells. We are working on ways to use these ‘factories’ to produce substances that will kill other harmful bacteria.’ The research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Science Foundation Ireland.
Research awards list Some recent research awards Professor Adrian Podoleanu (School of Physical Sciences): €1,999,241 from the European Research Council for ‘Combined time domain and spectral domain coherence gating for imaging and biosensing (COGATIMABIO)’.
Alan Story (Kent Law School): £96,299 from the Leverhulme Trust for ‘The north-to-south transplantation of copyright laws and values’. Dr Balihar Sanghera (School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research): £48,249 from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for ‘Social justice philanthropy: implications for policy and practice’. Dr Caroline Rooney (School of English): £4,806 from the ESRC for ‘The siege of Beirut (1982) and the ethics of representation in literature, art and journalism’. Dr Karen Jones (School of History): £5,313 from the British Academy for ‘Epiphany in the wilderness: hunting and nature in the American west’.
Research
Why donors choose charities
Lecturer launches Middle East research project
A new study from Beth Breeze, a researcher within the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council-funded Centre for Charitable Giving and Philanthropy (CGAP) and co-founder of the University of Kent’s Centre for Philanthropy, Humanitarianism and Social Justice, into charitable giving was launched in June. The study, which involved in-depth interviews with 60 committed donors, has revealed that, despite people’s widespread beliefs that charities exist primarily to help the needy, the majority of donors tend to support organisations that promote their own preferences, help people they feel some affinity with and support causes that relate to their own life experiences. Most people also base decisions on their perception of which charities are competent – including their being ‘well-run’, ‘efficient’ and with ‘low overheads’ – and their attempt to have the greatest impact or get the biggest 'bang for their buck'. Prior to this study, more attention was paid to questions concerning how many donors give, how much they give, what sorts of people give and why people give, but there was little attention paid to the specific question of how donors in the UK choose which charities to support. It is hoped that this report on donors’ meanings and motivations will increase the understanding of the distribution of charitable donations, and provide guidance on what it might take to change those patterns.
Kent lecturer, Dr Rana Jawad, has launched a ground-breaking research project into social policy in the Middle East. The £260,000 project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), will examine the role of religion in social policy and social welfare, with a particular focus on Lebanon, Iran and Turkey.
Beth Breeze said: ‘Donors retain an expectation that charities exist to serve the needy, yet in reality their own giving decisions are driven by many non-needs-based factors. Given the voluntary nature of charitable activity these findings are not actually that surprising, as the freedom to support things that people care most deeply about is what differentiates charitable giving from paying tax. Donors value the control they have over their charitable giving decisions, and expect to distribute their money according to their judgements about what is important and worthwhile. This raises a timely question about the extent to which the coalition government can realistically expect donations to plug any gaps that may result from public spending cuts on charitable activity.’
Dr Jawad believes that her three-year project – which will involve up to 300 faceto-face interviews and focus groups across the region – will reveal more about people’s lives in the Middle East, and how religion acts as a force for social welfare, than has generally been reported in the past. ‘Though my research is about public policy, it will also show the human face of the Middle East region. It will tell a story about people’s struggles for a decent life and their understandings of concepts such as equality, social justice and welfare,’ Dr Jawad said. Dr Jawad is to lead a team of researchers who will be interviewing policy-makers from Middle Eastern governments, as well as representatives of international agencies such as the World Bank and The United Nations Development Programme. Dr Jawad is hopeful that her research – to be presented to international experts on social policy and faith-based welfare at a conference at the end of the project – will influence policy making in the region. More information is at http://blogs.kent.ac.uk/socpolrelme/
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Enterprise
Bulb and Digital Media Hub launch University chosen as showcase Telecare site The University of Kent has been chosen by the South East Health Technology Alliance (SEHTA) as one of three sites to showcase the use of information, communication and sensor technologies in health and social care. With the need to develop Telecare in the UK accelerated by an increasing healthcare burden, the project, set up by SEHTA and SEEDA, aims to draw on the expertise of leading healthcare companies, care providers and academic institutions to create an International Centre for Excellence in Telecare (ICE-T).
Over 50 guests, including the Lord Mayor, attended the re-launch of the Kent Enterprise Hub and the launch of the new Bulb and Digital Media Hub at the Canterbury Innovation Centre on 14 June. Deputy Vice-Chancellor Denise Everitt re-launched the Hub – the University’s business incubation and support unit– with a tree planting ceremony and a speech in which she detailed the strategy for innovation and enterprise development. At the official launch of The Bulb and Digital Media Hub, Professor Peter Jeffries and Carole Barron outlined how this new interactive
New scheme builds student employability A three-month pilot for a new ‘earn while you learn’ scheme aimed at further increasing the employability of Kent graduates is going to be launched in September. The Global Employability Points Card will enable undergraduates to collect points for attending a wide range of extra-curricular and co-curricular events available on campus.
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environment is dedicated to developing enterprising ideas and employability skills. Guests were invited to give feedback at the Reflective CabCam, and Denny J Van Liew, Senior Director of the Strategic Management Group for Pfizer Ltd, summed up the importance of the Bulb for students’ development: ‘The Bulb is great. Critical thinking skills and alternative ways to problem solving are vital skills for students to develop. Whatever your academic training is in, when you enter the business world, there will be things you don’t understand. Being flexible and adaptable is vital.’
The scheme will focus students on building the skills most valued by employers, and provide a useful record of training for job applications. Points are collected via the Kent One Card, and students are awarded points for participating at any level. The scheme has already received support from local businesses including a £5,000 bursary, which has enabled us to offer rewards for high-scoring students, and the offer of a summer internship for the highest scoring student
A special unit is being developed at the Kent Enterprise Hub to demonstrate the use of Telecare and carry out action research. Its aim is to explore how technologies can deliver health and social support to people in residential care homes and domiciliary care, in particular. With world-class research facilities and extensive technical expertise on campus, the University will become a focus for ICE-T projects – drawing on links to social care partners, local authorities and the NHS to evaluate the use of the technology and provide an initial route to market for services that are developed.
With extra-curricular events a firm fixture at Kent, students can participate in a wide range of schemes and workshops already hosted by The Student Learning Advisory Service, Kent Union, The Careers Advisory Service, SSPSSR in Medway and the Kent Enterprise Hub. For more information please email Tracy Crowther, T.S.Crowther@kent.ac.uk
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Among those who received honorary degrees at this summer’s congregations ceremonies in Canterbury and Rochester were actors Orlando Bloom and David Suchet; and three Kent alumni, Professor Ruth Farwell, ViceChancellor and Chief Executive at Buckinghamshire New University, The Honourable Charles Wigoder, telecommunications entrepreneur, and Professor John Harris, Director of the Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation at the University of Manchester. In addition, degrees were awarded to constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bogdanor; poet and critic Molly Mahood; Professor Robert Freedman, a leading researcher in the field of biological sciences; Professor Sir Barry Cunliffe, Emeritus Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford; leading philosopher Professor Colin McGinn; and Martin Sheriff, lead cancer surgeon and clinical lead for the West Kent Urology Cancer Centre. Born and raised in Canterbury, Orlando Bloom has established himself as a lead in a number of Hollywood films. He is a former student of London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and made his professional stage debut in a revival of David Storey’s drama, In Celebration. In 2009 he was named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. David Suchet OBE is one of the country’s bestknown actors. He has become best-known for his range of characterisations in several television series, most notably in the title role of Agatha Christie’s Poirot. He has won, or been nominated for, numerous national and international acting awards. Vernon Bogdanor CBE is Professor of Government at Oxford University, and a Visiting
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Professor of Constitutional History at King’s College, London. One of Britain’s foremost constitutional experts, he has been an adviser to a number of governments, including those of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Kosovo, Israel and Slovakia. In 2008, he was awarded the Sir Isaiah Berlin Award by the Political Studies Association for Lifetime Contribution to Political Studies. The Hon Charles Wigoder is a telecommunications entrepreneur and philanthropist, and a Kent graduate in Accountancy and Law. In 1988, he founded the Peoples Phone Company, which became the UK’s first virtual mobile network. It was acquired by Vodafone in 1996. He subsequently created Telecom Plus PLC as a fully integrated multi-utility supplier, trading under the ‘Utility Warehouse’ brand. In 2006, Telecom Plus PLC was ranked as the fastest growing business in Europe by European Business Magazine. Molly Mahood is a writer and literary critic, whose titles include Poetry and Humanism (1950), Bit Parts in Shakespeare’s Plays (1992) and The Poet as Botanist (2008). The latter was awarded the Rose Mary Crayshaw Prize of the British Academy. She has also published many articles on poets including Shakespeare, Keats, and John Clare. She was Professor of English Literature at Kent between 1967 and 1979 and remains Professor Emeritus at the University. Robert Freedman, Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Warwick, is a researcher in biological sciences, with a particular focus on protein folding in the cell and on folding catalysts. His academic posts have included Head of the Department of Biosciences and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Kent. He is currently working on research projects with colleagues at Warwick, not only in biological science but also in the fields of chemistry, physics and medicine. Sir Barry Cunliffe CBE is Emeritus Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford, where he taught from 1972 until his retirement in 2007. He has excavated widely in Britain, France and Spain, and has published a number of books on the prehistory and early
The Hon Charles Wigoder Molly Mahood Professor Robert Freedman Professor Ruth Farwell Professor John Harris
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history of Europe, most recently Facing the Ocean, Europe Between the Oceans and The Druids. He is a Commissioner for English Heritage and a Fellow of the British Academy. Colin McGinn has lectured in philosophy for 35 years, in both the UK and the USA, at University College London, the University of Oxford, Rutgers University and the University of Miami, where he is currently Professor of Philosophy. He has written 20 books, tackling subjects as diverse as mind and brain, film, Shakespeare and sport, including an autobiography. His latest book, Disgust and Death: A Philosophical Study, integrates philosophy, psychology, biology and cultural studies. Professor Ruth Farwell is Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at Buckinghamshire New University. Since joining the University (then Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College) in 2006, she has led the institution through a successful application for university title, a major campus consolidation and redevelopment programme, and a period of significant growth in applications. Her posts include the chair of higher education representative body GuildHE. Professor John Harris, one of the leading bioethicists in the United Kingdom, is Director of the Institute for Science, Ethics and Innovation at the University of Manchester. He was elected a Fellow of the United Kingdom Academy of Medical Sciences in 2001, the first philosopher to have been elected to Fellowship of this new national academy, and was elected a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts in 2006. He is also the joint Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Medical Ethics, and is the author or editor of 19 books and more than 250 papers. Martin Sheriff was appointed consultant urological surgeon at the Medway Maritime Hospital in 2000, and was until recently the lead urological clinician. He is the lead cancer surgeon and clinical lead for the West Kent Urology Cancer Centre, and is both the founder and director of minimally invasive surgical teaching in Kent.
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Human Resources
Forthcoming policies Human Resources are pleased to announce the launch of a new career break policy for all University staff who meet the qualifying conditions. Alongside the career break policy, a number of other policies will be launched over the summer. For further details please go to the Human Resources website www.kent.ac.uk/hr-staffinformation/ index.html. If you would like to become part of the group that is used to consult on new and revised policies before they are submitted to the JSNCC and Staff Policy Committee, we would like to hear from you. Please contact Helen Taylor at policyfeedback@kent.ac.uk
Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow with Terry Kemp and Angela Lopez-Real who both received the Kent Staff Certificate for Volunteering Gold Award
Staff Development Awards The annual Staff Development Awards Ceremony took place on Monday 5 July in the Grimond Building. Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, the ViceChancellor, presented around 100 awards which ranged from accredited professional qualifications, such as Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) accounting awards to the University in-house award in equality and diversity practice. Two members of staff, Terry Kemp and Angela Lopez-Real received the Kent Staff Certificate for Volunteering Gold Award for completing 100 hours of volunteering.
Voluntary Redundancy/Early Retirement Scheme The University of Kent has introduced a Voluntary Redundancy/Early Retirement Scheme as part of its efforts to be proactive in responding to the challenging financial climate facing Higher Education. The objective of the Scheme is to support a reduction in total expenditure with an emphasis on a permanent reduction of staff numbers.
The recipients were invited to bring guests and they celebrated their achievements with representatives from Staff Development; Equality and Diversity; Admissions and Partnership Services; Safety, Health and Environment; Information Services; Languages for Staff and Personal Development; and the Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching. A special buffet lunch was provided and sponsored by Kent Hospitality. To view photographs of all recipients and see more information about the Staff Development Awards Ceremony please visit the Staff Development website: www.kent.ac.uk/hrstaffdevelopment/awards.html
The University has not taken the decision to launch this scheme lightly and we recognise the value that all staff bring to the University. However the current financial climate makes it increasingly important that we introduce various measures to help control costs and to ensure that we are planning responsibly to sustain the University’s current position. For further information please see www.kent.ac.uk/hr-staffinformation/vrs/index.html
Ensure your voice is heard The Joint Staff Negotiating and Consultation Committee (JSNCC) is the main forum for consultation between the University and its staff. The JSNCC is chaired by Professor Keith Mander, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, and sits once a term to discuss matters such as: • Current and future University plans and proposals • Proposed restructuring plans and possible consequent redundancy issues • Proposed changes to policies and procedures which impact upon staff • The possible impact of university sector developments on the University • The possible impact of legislation on the University. The Committee’s Deputy Chair is Steve Holland, Secretary, University and College Union, and the membership consists of the Director of Human Resources, the Director of Estates, the Director of Commercial Services, a Dean and one other University appointed person, two representatives from the University and College Union (UCU), two representatives from Unison, one Unite representative, one GMB representative and four staff representatives who represent non-union members (two of those being for academic/ research/academic-related staff and two for other members of staff). Unions see the JSNCC as a valuable forum in which to express their members’ views and put forward suggestions for change. There are currently three vacancies for non-union staff representatives on the Committee. For further information please contact Jo Pearsall on J.L.Pearsall@kent.ac.uk, or Canterbury ext 4671.
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KENT Magazine
Academic Division
Managing change
Helen Taylor, on behalf of the University, receives a Certificate of Support from Colonel David Saunders
University rewarded for support for Reservists The University of Kent was presented with a Certificate of Support in April by Colonel David Saunders alongside 16 representatives from Kent organisations. The Certificate was to acknowledge our commitment to support employees who are members of the Volunteer Reserve Forces at a special reception hosted by the Deputy Commander of 2 (South East) Brigade at Dover Castle in April. The Event was organised by SaBRE (Support for Britain’s Reserve Forces and Employers) to thank employers in the region for their continued support, and to emphasise the benefits Reservists can bring to an organisation. The University currently offers Reservists one additional week of paid leave to attend their annual training camp and has formalised this in a policy called Leave for Public Service and Volunteering which outlines staff entitlements to time off when carrying out certain public duties and volunteering activities.
The Academic Division would like to introduce the three Faculty Administration Managers (FAMs); Melissa Bradley (Humanities), Darren Cunningham (Sciences) and Chloé Gallien (Social Sciences), and outline the projects they have been involved with since joining the University a few months ago. The FAM’s role was created in 2009 as part of the University’s Administration Review. The FAMs are currently drafting a three-year strategy for Faculty and Schools administration and as part of this they have identified three key projects which they are focusing on as a group, working collaboratively across the University. The three projects identified are Business Process Mapping, Role Profiles, and Professional Development and it has been agreed that each FAM will take a lead on one particular project. Melissa has worked in UK Higher Education since 2000 in a number of academic administration roles including programme administration, quality assurance and school and faculty administration management. She is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Association of University Administrators (AUA) and is working with the Academic Registrar on raising the profile of the AUA at Kent. At Kent she is also currently involved in projects to develop
role profiles for administration staff, which includes devising role titles, role families and so on and she is working closely with Human Resources. Having embarked on an academic career in the Further Education sector, Darren rapidly progressed in to Higher Education Administrative Management and has a wealth of knowledge gained in senior faculty management positions in both the UK and Australia. At Kent, he is involved in projects that draw on this previous experience to enhance business processes, as well as devising methods to reduce the administrative burden on academic staff. Chloé has come to Kent from the University of St Andrews. Before this, she held academic and managerial positions in France, England, Switzerland and Scotland, where she gained particular expertise in taught postgraduate education, the project-management and validation of international collaborative provision, and of distant learning programmes. Chloé also has extensive experience in the design and production of learning and training programmes and materials in all media. She is particularly looking forward to being involved in the ambitious professional development project which the Academic Division is currently developing at Kent.
KENT Magazine
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Kent in the news
Professional practice
Improving your future The University continues to have a high media profile. Recent coverage included a report by David Roberts (Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology) on the thousands of undiscovered plant species that face extinction. This was featured in The Guardian and attracted significant online coverage, including: TIME, Science Daily, nationalgeographic.com, as well as additional coverage in Argentina, Canada, Germany, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Thailand, UK, USA and Zimbabwe. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow who was appointed DBE in the Queen's birthday honours, received extensive print and online coverage, including: The Times, The Scotsman, The Daily Telegraph, Times Higher Education Supplement and The Independent. Professor Marian Fitzgerald, School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, (SSPSSR) discussed the publication of the British Crime Survey with BBC TV News, BBC Radio London, LBC Radio and BBC Radio Wales. Professor Tim Luckhurst, Head of the Centre for Journalism, appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio 4 (The Media Show), SunTalk, LBC, BBC Radio Kent, BBC South East and ITV’s Meridian News. He has also written for The Independent, The Guardian and The Independent on Sunday. Other national media contributions included: Dr Ellie Lee (SSPSSR) on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and News Quiz; Professor Frank Furedi (SSPSSR) discussed the sexualisation of children on BBC Radio Scotland; Jan MacVarish, Centre for Health Services Studies (SSPSSR) spoke to SunTalk about her research into women choosing to live alone; Dr Nick Hiley (British Cartoon Archive) explained 19th Century cartooning and the McGill postcard censorship cases on BBC4’s Rude Britannia. Dr Mark Hampton’s dive tourism expert workshop gained international coverage via CDNN – the Cyber Diver News Network website. The RIBA nomination for the Jarman Building gained BBC News Online coverage and also featured in Times Higher Education. Regional coverage included: Dr Ellie Lee talking to BBC Radio Kent about male post-natal depression and ‘More and more rules’ about pregnancy. BBC South East featured the honorary degrees awarded to Orlando Bloom and David Suchet; Dr Alex Stevens (SSPSSR) discussing how effective jail terms are for drug dealers; Dr Catherine Waters (School of English) on the translation of Charles Dickens’ work into modern urban slang; and Des Laffey (Kent Business School) on broadband. Professor Nick Grief, Kent Law School, Medway, was interviewed on BBC Radio Kent about the implications of Kent police’s offer of compensation to protestors at Kingsnorth. Other coverage included Kentish Gazette, What’s On Stage, Your Medway, Kent Messenger, Medway News, Kent on Saturday, Kent on Sunday, Kent News, This is Kent and a host of other regional news websites. This is just some of the recent coverage gained by the University. For more information, visit Kent in the news on campus online or contact the Media Office at mediaoffice@kent.ac.uk
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KENT Magazine
BA Applied Professional Practice The BA in Applied Professional Practice (APP) is an ideal programme for those in work who want to gain a degree-level qualification. Run by the Centre for Professional Practice (CPP), the BA in Applied Professional Practice is a part-time programme designed to enable working people to study for an undergraduate qualification using their workplace as a focus for their study. The programme is open to people working at the University and those employed elsewhere – currently we have people who work for the NHS, John Lewis and local authorities studying alongside University of Kent staff. Studying at this level will both enhance your career prospects and give you real personal satisfaction. Current student, Alison Crump has noticed how studying on the programme has affected her: ‘Studying on the APP degree course has changed me. I have become more confident, with better communication skills, for example I am now able to get up in front of a class and complete a 20-minute presentation, something I would not have contemplated beforehand.’ APP is a flexible programme allowing you to study at either the Canterbury or the Medway campus. Studying part-time you have up to six years to gain your degree, but there is also an option that enables you to complete your degree in just four years and one term. We offer flexible seminar times, such as just after work, and allow you to create your own unique study pathway, combining CPP’s
work-based practice modules, such as Professional Relationships, Recognition of Prior Learning, and Managing Change, Managing People, with modules from other schools across the University. This allows you to study subjects in which you have a particular interest, such as law, psychology or a moderen language. We also offer you the opportunity to take modules with a less direct link to your work; for example, our Fiction and Work module gives you the opportunity to explore how characters in fiction deal with the complexities of working life. When asked if she would recommend the programme to others, current student Ruth Cox said: ‘I already have. The course is varied, interesting and flexible. It is a brilliant opportunity to study and work. Why would anyone pass on having the chance to get that fantastic buzz you receive when you hand in an essay on time and receive a pass mark?’ We positively welcome applications for the Applied Professional Practice degree from candidates who do not hold traditional qualifications; you do, though, need a minimum of two years’ work experience. If you are interested in finding out more about the Applied Professional Practice degree, or to simply chat about returning to study, please contact Student Support Officer Sue Brown, S.Brown@kent.ac.uk
Sports
Active August Bat & Trap and Pétanque leagues will run on the first four Tuesday’s and Thursday’s respectively. These great team sports are fantastic fun and can be enjoyed by all standards. You can also have a go at Hulatastic and try Tai Chi classes on the green outside the Templeman Library. As a further incentive to get active, all classes at the Sports Centre will be free to everyone in August and gym staff will be offering personalised fitness programmes. As we head into summer the Sports, Physical Activity & Recreation department are keen to encourage everyone to get active and try something new. Throughout August we will be running Active August, a programme of free activities open to all. Activities will include: Archery, Bat & Trap, Tai Chi, Pétanque and Hulatastic.
Sports Scholar, Sam Perkins, will be running Archery workshops for beginners. Participants will receive an introduction to the sport, be made familiar with the equipment and be able to shoot targets under Sam’s supervision. A maximum of 12 participants will be allowed for this workshop, so make sure to sign up today.
So why not join in and have some fun this August! For further information and details on how to sign up for the Archery Workshops and the Bat & Trap and Petanque leagues, please visit www.kent.ac.uk/sports or email sportsenquiries@kent.ac.uk
Oaks nursery celebrates 40 years Oaks Day Nursery celebrated its 40th birthday on Saturday 10 July with a party, which included a barbecue, face painting, hook a duck, a raffle and music. More than 150 people joined in the fun. The nursery had invited ex-pupil Orlando Bloom to the celebration, but unfortunately he was unable to attend. However, on Monday 14 July, Orlando dropped in to look around the nursery he once attended. He chatted to children and staff, and met June Melrose who remembered looking after Orlando when he was a child.
Small ads Computer maintenance Local computer engineer (Upper Harbledown) offers a variety of services including broadband installation, repairs & upgrades, home networking, virus eradication, etc. Many delighted clients, both on and off campus. Students (NUS) qualify for a discount. Please call Marc: (01227)456955, mob: 07951-023054 or email: marcgj@nildram.co.uk JKF Computer Services PC installation, maintenance, repairs and upgrades. Virus and spyware detection and removal, data recovery and backup, PC’s built to your specification. Phone: 01795 531623 or 07880 602823. Reliable, professional service at realistic prices by certified engineers. Canterbury Licensed Cars. Air Line Taxis Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted. All other destinations quoted for up to 4 people. Bookings confirmed in writing. We now accept UK debit/credit cards 07884 294055/01227 491010. airlinelinetaxi@yahho.com Italy, Le Marche: restored farmhouse apt (sleeps 4-5) near university town of Camerino. Beautiful rural location (own veg, duck eggs, pony), suit family or couple. Ideal for mountains, beaches, culture, great local food and wine. www.palomba.it. Kent Airport Cars. Special discounts for students and staff, eg Gatwick from £63, Heathrow/Stansted from £78. Canterbury City Council licensed and CRB vetted. Established 10 years. 07880 710440 or 01227 282238 www.kentairportcars.co.uk
KENT Magazine
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What’s on
Gulbenkian Theatre highlights Monday 13 September 4.30pm Tuesday 14 September 11am, 1.30pm Tall Stories production of Room on the Broom Wednesday 22 September 7.45pm Paul Zerdin Spongefest on Tour 2010 Talented ventriloquist and comedian, and stand out performer at last year’s Royal Variety Show, comes to the Gulbenkian. Wednesday 29 September, Wednesday 27 October, Wednesday 1 December 8.30pm The Funny Side Comedy Club presented by Barnstormers Comedy Friday 15 October 7.45pm Inspector Sands If That’s All There Is A successful, but desperately average couple, become
unexpectedly entangled with other people, leading to surreal and hilarious territory. Monday 18 October 7.45pm Ballet Black Winners of the Dance Europe Award 2010 for outstanding company Ballet Black provides a wonderful showcase for choreographers and dancers of black and Asian descent. Wednesday 20 October 7.45pm Austen’s Women Friday 22 October 7.45pm Frank Wurzinger’s new solo show The Confetti Maker Saturday 23 October 7.45pm Georgie Fame in Concert Sunday 24 October 2pm New perspectives and Scamp Theatre present Farm Boy, by Michael Morpurgo, a sequel to War Horse.
Saturday 30 October 7.45pm OperaUpClose present La Bohème Transported from 1830s Bohemian Paris to present-day Britain this production makes La Bohème as funny, accessible and engaging for audiences as its first performance in 1896. Tuesday 16 November 7.30pm Theatre Unlimited present Not About Heroes by Stephen MacDonald, the story of the meeting of Siegfried Sassoon and the then unknown Wilfred Owen. Tuesday 30 November 7.45pm Jeremy Hardy, presents ‘not so much a one-man show as an understaffed cavalcade’.
For full details of times please go to www.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian/theatre
Listings Monday 26 July 6pm, Pilkington Lecture Theatre, Medway campus Open lecture series ‘The legacy of the textus’, Michael Wood Saturday 25 September School of History alumni day Canterbury campus Wednesday 27 October 5pm, Grimond LT1, Canterbury campus Distinguished lecture series ‘Making a drama out of a crisis? Speculation, social meanings and system logics.’ John Clarke, Professor of Social Policy, The Open University Professor Clarke presents an idiosyncratic take on recent events, speculating on how politics, economics and social needs have been realigned in the search for solutions. After the lecture a reception will be held in the Grimond foyer.