KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | December 2010
Working to plan Hong Kong and China Portal
Welcome Dear Colleagues, This has been a year of great change. We now have a coalition Government, and are beginning to see cuts in public sector funding. We have also had the outcome of Lord Browne's long-awaited review of England's higher education system, which recommends sweeping changes to the university funding system. Despite such a turbulent environment, the University is in a strong position to respond in a positive way. Our finances are in excellent shape, and we had considerable success in the Government’s recent Research Assessment Exercise. In addition, we continue to attract significant research funding as well as record numbers of applications from prospective students. With our strong teaching and research links with Europe, Kent prides itself on being UK’s European university. We not only have a campus in Brussels, but our campus in Paris is now in its second year with a growing range of unique and innovative crossdisciplinary postgraduate programmes in the Humanities. This year we made a successful bid for funding from the European Commission under the prestigious and highly competitive Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral scheme. The bid was for a transdisciplinary doctoral programme in the Humanities entitled 'TEEME: Text and Event in Early Modern Europe', and was the only successful Humanities application in the 2010 competition, and is the first such programme to be coordinated by a UK institution. This year, we have seen an increase in our international student numbers, many of whom are from China and Hong Kong. Our alumni association in Hong Kong continues to lead the way in raising funds for scholarships, and we have launched our new China and Hong Kong Portal which will bring together a range of University programmes and initiatives and provide a focus for new links between European and Chinese researchers. This is a particularly exciting development in that it brings together many aspects of our internationalisation agenda. Meanwhile, following a range of fundraising activities in the United States, we have now established a fund which is being endowed entirely by alumni who have either come from, or are resident in, the United States. This reflects the immense enthusiasm and commitment to Kent of our US alumni. One implication of the Browne Review is that all universities will need to focus on the student experience. Kent is always rated among the best for student satisfaction in the annual National Student Survey, and this year we saw a number of our schools ranked among the best nationwide including Psychology, Engineering and Digital Arts, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics & Actuarial Science, and Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research. We continue to invest in the University infrastructure and the new School of Arts was completed in January 2010. It is an excellent example of purpose-built accommodation which has allowed the three areas of the school – Film, Drama and Visual Arts – to come together in top quality space. We are also planning to expand our offering of the Visual and Creative Arts in Medway and will be developing the levels of academic provision currently available at Chatham’s Historic Dockyard. This has also been an extremely good year for graduate study at Kent and the Graduate School has made substantial progress towards achieving its mission. One of the highlights has been the launch of the Global Skills Award in October following a successful bid for Ideas Factory Funding. We now have over 200 postgraduate students accepted for a place on the Award programme which is designed to enhance both global awareness and employability skills. Season’s greetings
Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow DBE, CBE Vice-Chancellor
3 News 6 Working to plan 8 Research 10 Enterprise 11 Honorary graduates/Improving the system 12 Human Resources 13 Hong Kong and China Portal launched 14 Kent in the News/Obituary 15 Sports/Register of interests 16 What’s on/Gulbenkian Director retires Special thanks to: Lesley Farr, University Design & Print Centre. Photographs by Robert Berry, Stephen Blakeley, Nick Ellwood, Spencer Scott, Lesley Farr, Simon Jarratt, Tempest
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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
New professors appointed at Medway campus
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 17 January, with a publication date of 9 February.
The University has appointed seven new professors at its Medway campus as it continues to strengthen its research capability at schools based at the historic Chatham maritime site. Welcoming the new professors, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow and Dean of Social Sciences John Wightman said the move represented another clear sign of Kent’s investment in research and teaching at the campus. Pictured (L-R) are: Professor Katie Truss, Kent Business School; Professor Tim Howle, School of Arts; Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow; John Wightman; Professor Alex Stevens and Professor Phil Hubbard (both
School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research); Professor Nick Grief (Kent Law School). Two other new members of the Medway professoriate, Professor Amanda Beech of the School of Arts, and Professor Samuele Marcora, of the Centre for Sports Studies, were not available for the photo-shoot. Plans are currently being developed for improved teaching and research facilities at the maritime campus. These include an expanded presence in the dockyard part of the campus to accommodate the School of Arts and a move into the Compass Centre for Kent Law School and the Centre for Professional Practice. This will free up more space at the University’s Medway building for Kent Business School and Computing.
Vice-Chancellor receives her DBE
KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | December 2010
On 3 November, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow, received her DBE, awarded for services to science in the Queen’s birthday honours list, from the Queen at Buckingham Palace.
Working to plan Hong Kong and China Portal
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Darwin College celebrates its 40th anniversary
quality of our students and the excellent reputation that Kent Law School has within the legal profession.’
The University’s Darwin College celebrated its 40th birthday with an evening reception in the newly refurbished Origins Bar and Restaurant on Friday 12 November to the beat of the Smooth Jazz Quartet.
Light graffiti illuminates interest in Physics
Many staff, students, honorary senior members and friends of Darwin College attended the reception and heard speeches from three former College Masters, Mr John Butler, Eur Ing Bob Eager and Dr Anthony Ward, who reflected on their time at Darwin. Current Master, Nancy Gaffield, who hosted the event, then called upon Pro Vice-Chancellor, John Baldock, to propose the toast to the College before the cutting of the cake. A student party, attended by more than 100 students, ensured the celebrations continued late into the night.
A group of young people from the Canterbury and Sittingbourne branches of Connexions took part in a week of Science and Art activities at the University’s School of Physical Sciences.
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This celebration will be followed, on 16 February 2011, by the 40th annual Darwin Feast. The Feast will be preceded by an Open Lecture, in which Professor Brian Boyd, University Distinguished Professor of English, University of Auckland, will explore the topic of evolution and storytelling.
New Daily Mail scholarship at Centre for Journalism A new annual scholarship funded by Associated Newspapers for a gifted postgraduate multimedia journalism student at Kent will be launched next year. Kent’s Centre for Journalism will offer those winning places on its MA in Multimedia Journalism an opportunity to compete for the Daily Mail Scholarship, worth £10,000 a year. The scholarship winner will have their annual tuition fees covered – and enjoy a work placement at what is generally considered to be the UK’s most successful news-gathering business. A competition will be advertised next spring for postgraduate applicants to the MA, which is an intensive full-time degree. The award for the best entry will be announced shortly after students who have won places join the course in October. The new Daily Mail Scholarship will sit alongside the Bob Friend Memorial Scholarship for undergraduates at Kent’s Centre for Journalism.
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Kent Law Fair 2010 Students from Kent Law School (KLS) made the most of an opportunity to learn more about vacation scheme employment and training contracts with some of the UK’s leading law firms during the Kent Law Fair 2010. The annual Fair, which was held on the Canterbury campus, was organised by KLS’ Kent Student Law Society (KSLS) and featured representatives from a range of major national, local and international firms such as DLA Piper UK LLP, Girlings Solicitors, Freshfields, Ashurst, Trowers and Hamlins LLP, Furley Page LLP, Thompson Snell and Passmore, and Denton Wilde Sapte. Also in attendance were representatives from the University’s Careers Advisory Service. Organiser of the Fair, Rose Sheppard commented: ‘I was overwhelmed by the fantastic turnout at this year’s Law Fair by both the companies and the students. I would especially like to thank the firms for their continuing support – their presence is very reassuring in this uncertain financial climate.’ Professor Joanne Conaghan, Head of KLS, added: ‘The Fair is illustrative of the support and preparation that our students can expect as they prepare for their future careers, and the attraction of Kent as a destination for so many leading law firms speaks volumes about the
The week’s activities formed part of LightTAG, an ambitious youth-led project, which will enable 72 young people, from six communities to build confidence and achievement through a unique science and media art collaboration. The week focused on using light and creative photography to produce light drawings (light graffiti) and light animations. It provided an opportunity for participants to create a high profile, visually engaging outcome, which challenges common perceptions concerning media, science and youth culture. The project will culminate in a celebratory event at the British Film Institute at the Southbank and a touring exhibition which will visit the universities involved in the project. They include University for the Creative Arts and the South East Physics Network (SEPnet); University of Surrey; Royal Holloway; University of Kent; Queen Mary’s College; University of Southampton and the University of Sussex.
Rare bat found in oil palm plantation’s oasis The discovery of a rare bat species in a tiny fragment of rainforest surrounded by an oil palm plantation has demonstrated that even small areas of forest are worth saving. This first record of the Ridley’s leaf-nosed bat in Sumatra follows the publication of a paper in Conservation Letters that suggests retaining forest fragments within oil palm plantations is not an effective strategy for protecting wildlife. Conservationists from Kent’s Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), Queen Mary, University of London and the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) discovered the Ridley’s leafnosed bat in a 300 hectare fragment of forest during a biodiversity survey in West Sumatra, Indonesia.
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Darwin College celebrates its 40th anniversary Light graffiti illuminates interest in Physics Rare bat found in oil palm plantation’s oasis ‘On a Foggy Day’, the winning photograph from the Love your campus competition
To meet the Principles and Criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil relating to biodiversity, member palm oil producers have to identify High Conservation Values within their concession, or that could be affected by their operations, and then implement measures to maintain and enhance these values. The area surveyed in Sumatra is currently managed as a conservation area by the palm oil company, limiting the impact of logging and encroachment on the forest fragment. This survey was led by Dr Matthew Struebig of DICE and Queen Mary, University of London. He said: ‘The findings of our survey suggest that a network of forest fragments may be appropriate for some species of high conservation concern. The scientific community needs to continue to support the business community to find ways in which our threatened wildlife can persist in these managed areas over the long-term.’
Architecture graduates launch design co-operative Two forward-thinking Kent School of Architecture graduates have used the University’s Graduate Internship Scheme as a springboard to launch an exciting new design co-operative which will in turn recruit from the scheme. The scheme enabled Master’s in Architecture graduates, Pier-Luigi del Renzio and Sara Tilley, to join Miles Berkley, an independent creative consultant, for a number of projects in and around the University. This association quickly evolved into Beetroot Design, an equal partnership that aims to provide an intelligent, critical and progressive approach to general design services and community activism. Beetroot Design has a key interest in the improvement of public spaces to enhance social contact and informal learning. Most recently, the partners had discussions with Eastbourne Borough Council to assist in the ‘reimagining of the town’.
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Love your campus As part of the Creative Campus and Kent Union ‘Love Your Campus’ initiative, a photo competition was held earlier this term with the winners announced at a lunchtime event in the Marlowe Foyer, create space, attended by over 300 people. Miles Berkley of Creative Campus said: ‘We were surprised and delighted with the quality of the 200 plus entries, which came mostly from students and featured both the Canterbury and Medway campuses.’ The winners are: 1. Andreas Kafkalias ‘On a Foggy Day’ 2. Mauricio Salazar ‘ Step Forward’ 3. Camilla Howe, ‘School of Arts at the Docks’
Kent joins programme to promote gay equality The University has joined Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme. The programme, run by the gay equality charity, promotes a good working environment for all existing and potential employees and aims to ensure equal treatment for those who are lesbian, gay and bisexual. The University joins employers as diverse as Google, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the Armed Forces on the programme, which reached 600 members this summer.
Elections to the University Council Academic Staff representatives (2 places)
Commendations: Marguerite Bellec, ‘An Enlightening Love’, Carl Ritson, ‘Rutherford Autumn Dawn’, and Sam Westbury, ‘Vertical Garden’. After holding a ‘pop up’ exhibition on the day, an archive of the ‘long list’ of photos has been prepared and can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/beetroot-design/sets A selection of the photographs can be seen now on the ‘On the Buses’ Unibus poster series.
The following members of staff, having been duly nominated and following an election, are declared elected to serve on the Council of the University representing the academic and research staff for the period from 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2013: Professor Paddy Ireland, Professor of Law, Kent Law School; Professor Sarah Vickerstaff Professor of Work and Employment, School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research. Other Staff representative (1 place)
Based at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Beetroot Design aims to recruit a number of Kent graduates, via the Internship Scheme, to a combination of short- and long-term contracts and will add other creative professionals when necessary. For more information about Beetroot Design email info@beetroot-design.com
Currently, Beetroot Designs, who manage the process on behalf of Creative Campus, are busy creating three exhibitions with an interactive element. These will commence in the Bridge Wardens College social space before Christmas and will move to the Crossover Gallery at the Gulbenkian in February. It is intended to invite the photographers and those viewing to form a community as a platform for future initiatives.
The following member of staff, having been duly nominated, is declared elected to serve on the Council of the University representing staff other than academic and academic-related staff for the period from 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2013: Joanna Walpole, Personal Assistant to the Dean of Sciences.
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Feature
Working to plan The University’s Plan for 2009-12 is based around six key messages. In essence, Kent aims to be a leading UK university, with a strong international impact, inspiring student experience and world-leading research. It values innovation, enterprise and creativity, and operates in an effective, efficient, sustainable and professional way. At the latest Council meeting, the Executive Group presented an update on achievements against that plan. Below we summarise the key developments during 2009-10.
Leading UK university Kent has continued to perform strongly in the National Student Survey and has underlined its academic and research excellence with, for example, high quality publications and major grant funding. There has been a small, but significant, increase in the award of larger and cross-disciplinary grants. The University has welcomed distinguished visitors including Professor John Beddington, the
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Government Chief Scientific Adviser and Dr Tadataka Yamada, President of the Global Health Programme at the Gates Foundation. It is also developing partnership activities focusing on areas such as student exchanges and placements, staff links, and research and enterprise interactions. Kent has partnerships with over 100 universities across Europe, spanning European double degrees, staff and student exchanges through the Erasmus scheme and academic and collaborative initiatives with a distinctive European focus. European funding has been received via the prestigious Erasmus Mundus programme, Interreg, Framework programmes, Tempus, Erasmus co-operation window, Marie Curie and the European Research Council.
Kent is the main sponsor of the Brompton Academy, which opened in September 2010 and specialises in teaching science and arts to 11-18 year olds in North Kent. It has also overseen wide-ranging curriculum activities with 19 partner schools and Further Education colleges.
International impact The number of overseas students at Kent continues to grow year-on-year. The University’s latest European campus, the University of Kent at Paris, opened in 2009 and is already meeting its business targets. The international student experience is being enhanced through, for example, improved welcome and induction activities, greater learning and culture support, access to campus facilities over the Christmas/New Year closure, creation of a Kent Union international student committee and launch of Worldfest, a celebration of multiculturalism across campuses.
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The University’s Internationalisation Strategy is being enacted via, for example, its strategy board, the internationalisation task force, annual Faculty roadshows, work on student mobility and actions in response to the International Student Barometer (in which the University was rated highly). Kent has expanded its network of international partners to include a number of new high-status partners. And in another coup for the University, the School of English was awarded the first Erasmus-Mundus inter-university programme grant.
Inspiring students The University’s Student Ambassador scheme, open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, has a significant impact among both ambassadors themselves and, through their work, on partner schools and colleges. Kent has provided new opportunities for volunteering and work experience through its Creative Campus. It has also reviewed the Personal Academic Support System and offered enhanced research training within the Kent Graduate School. Kent has provided more on-line support materials for students covering, for example, assessment, e-learning, personal development planning and placement opportunities. Moodle has replaced webCT as the University’s Virtual Learning Environment, following feedback from staff and student surveys. Kent has promoted student enterprise activities including the Network 612 module, a forum for small business, graduate entrepreneurship and business support, and The Bulb, a dedicated space for student enterprise projects within the Canterbury Innovation Centre. Language tuition for both staff and students has been expanded through the Centre for European and World Languages.
World-leading research The number of research active staff has increased significantly, particularly at the Medway campus. Grant wins are on target to exceed the value for 2008-9 and there has been a significant increase in postgraduate taught registrations, particularly from overseas.
Major research accolades include Professor Adrian Podoleanu, from the School of Physical Sciences, receiving Kent’s first award from the European Research Council and the Centre for Molecular Processing winning its first three major awards.
Innovation, enterprise and creativity The University’s Creative Campus campaign produced over 25 projects engaging staff, students and the local community in activities such as learning and teaching, the arts, environment and estates. A flexible space for both social and creative, informal learning was developed within the foyer of the Marlowe building. The launch of Kent’s Innovation, Creativity and Enterprise (ICE) initiative was attended by 65 companies and has already produced new leads and work. There are now 10 Knowledge Transfer Partnerships within the University – enabling companies to obtain knowledge, technology or skills of strategic competitive importance from the further or higher education sector – and contract values for enterprise activities have doubled to £1.6 million.
Effective operation The University has developed a new HR strategy, focusing on leadership, people management and development, workforce planning, employee communication and consultation, equality and diversity. Planning applications have been approved for new residences at Keynes and the ColyerFergusson Building and plans are being developed for a new college adjacent to Chaucer College. The University has received philanthropic donations, particularly from US-based alumni, to support initiatives including student scholarships and the Colyer-Fergusson Building. Kent has also exceeded its budget performance and increased enterprise income. The University’s accounts for 2009/10 showed a positive operating surplus, reflecting good cost control and income generation across academic schools and professional services. For more information about Kent’s Institutional Plan, see: www.kent.ac.uk/about/plan
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Research
Shedding light on rendition A new research project is to explore how extraordinary rendition and secret detention of terror suspects has developed and whether they are a US-led phenomena. Headed by Dr Ruth Blakeley from the School of Politics and International Relations, the research team will explore three key questions: is the global system of rendition and secret detention US-led, or is it a more diffuse system with distinct and partly autonomous regional sub-systems that serve specific local as well as US interests; are there any regional differences in the ways in which rendition and secret detention have developed and are operated; and can any specific evolutionary moments or shifts in the development and operation of rendition and secret detention be identified.
Sources will include databases of detention facilities and detainees, and the case histories of victims of rendition. The project is being funded by the Economic Social and Research Council’s Small Grants scheme. Dr Sam Raphael from the University of Kingston is co-investigator. Dr Blakeley said: ‘Rendition and secret detention first came to light in 2002 with the detention of over 700 prisoners in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. In 2004, the efforts of avid plane spotters and investigative journalists led to the identification of many repeated flights by a Gulfstream V turbojet with tail number N379P, in and out of countries that included Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the USA, Germany, Sweden, Scotland and Cyprus. The jet was traced back to the CIA and was found to have been used to transfer detainees, kidnapped on behalf of the CIA, to secret detention facilities around the world known as ‘black sites’, where they could be held illicitly for the purposes of interrogation.
‘It therefore became clear that rendition and secret detention extend far beyond Guantánamo. While it is generally assumed that rendition and proxy detention are US-led, early evidence suggests that it may be a much more diffuse phenomenon. It also appears to be operating differently in the three regions most involved – Asia, the Middle East and Africa.’ Dr Blakeley hopes that ‘the findings from this study may challenge public assumptions about rendition and secret detention as a US response to terrorism’. She also hopes that, while the development of a theoretical model to explain rendition will contribute to scholarly debate on security collaborations and state violence, ‘the findings will also be of practical use to those agencies involved in the legal representation of victims of these illicit, yet widespread, phenomenon’.
Research awards list Some recent research awards Dr Ebrahim Soltani (Kent Business School): £80,489 from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for ‘The dynamics of contextual forces, management’s orientations and change management practices: a tracer study of banking and financial institutions’. Professor Douglas MacMillan (School of Anthropology and Conservation): £27,575 from the US Fish and Wildlife Service for ‘The Kinabatangan conservation corridor project, designing living landscapes for endangered apes in Sabah, Malaysia’.
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Professor Mark Smales (Centre for Molecular Processing): £64,000 from Medimmune for ‘Development of predictive tools and formulations for improved stability and delivery of recombinant protein formulations for biotherapeutic use’. Professor Jiangzhou Wang (School of Engineering and Digital Arts): £461,346 from the European Commission for ‘User-centric wireless local-loop (ULOOP)’. Professor Byron Morgan (School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science): £209,481 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for ‘National Centre for Statistical Ecology’.
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• That black people in England and Wales are six times more likely to be arrested, and 11 times more likely to be imprisoned for drug offences than white people. This is despite there being no evidence that black people have higher rates of drug offences; • That the available evidence in this area has repeatedly been ignored, in favour of policies with no evidence which maintain the power and privilege of powerful social groups. Professor Stevens, of the University’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, said: ‘The available evidence suggests that little harm would come from decriminalising the personal possession of drugs. Very little is known about the potential of more ambitious steps towards legalisation, including enabling the legal supply of low strength preparations of cannabis, coca and opium.
Challenge to Government drugs policy The criminalisation of drug users has failed to reduce the illicit use of drugs and the poor are likely to suffer more from drug-related harm, such as imprisonment and death, than richer people despite lower usage. These are among the key findings of a new book by University criminologist Professor Alex Stevens that fundamentally challenges current UK government drugs policy. Based on 15 years of research in the field, the book shows how criminalisation of drug users has not reduced drug-related harm, either in the UK or internationally. It shows that illicit drug use is now widespread, and is actually more common among richer people than the socioeconomically deprived. However, it is the poor who suffer most from drug-related harm, including arrest, imprisonment, illness and death. Among the findings presented in the book, Drugs, Crime and Public Health, are: • That drug prohibition is not an even-handed response to drug problems, but an ideological attack on less privileged groups who use certain types of drugs; • That increased criminalisation does not reduce drug use. Portugal and the Netherlands – two countries with more liberal drug policies – both have lower rates of drug use than the UK and USA;
‘I would argue that we need to be bolder in taking evaluated steps towards more effective, evidence-based policies to increase freedom and reduce drug-related harm.’
Kent software tool wins 2010 Premier Award A University-developed free-to-download software tool that teaches computer programming to children from 14 years upwards has been awarded the 2010 Premier Award for Excellence in Engineering Education Courseware at the Frontiers in Education Conference in Washington DC. Known as Greenfoot, the software tool was one of only two systems to receive the award this year, both having been deemed by Engineering Pathway to be outstanding examples of ‘highquality, engaging, non-commercial learning innovations designed to enhance engineering education.’ The Award was collected by Ian Utting and Davin McCall from the Greenfoot team. Greenfoot was developed and is maintained by an active research project within the Computing Education Research Group at the University’s School of Computing as part of a collaboration with La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.
The case for more feminist judges Legal judgments could end in different outcomes if more senior feminist judges are appointed to the UK’s courts, according to a new study. Feminist scholars re-examined 23 judgments in key English cases such as rape trials, child custody in divorce, samesex marriage, asylum and wearing headscarves in schools. The Feminist Judgments Project, led by the University of Kent and Durham University, found that different outcomes might have been achieved in some cases by applying a feminist perspective to the judgments. More feminist judges were needed to improve decision-making in legal cases and bring greater diversity to the judiciary, the researchers said. There is currently only one woman, Supreme Court Justice Baroness Brenda Hale, on the UK Supreme Court, and only six women have ever sat in the Court of Appeal or House of Lords (now the Supreme Court). Women make up 20 per cent of the judiciary as a whole and, in the senior judiciary, there are 21 women and 161 men, the researchers said. The research findings were officially published on Thursday 11 November in a new book, Feminist Judgments: From Theory to Practice (Hart Publishing). The work was co-ordinated by Professor Rosemary Hunter of Kent Law School, University of Kent and Professor Clare McGlynn and Dr Erika Rackley of Durham Law School, Durham University. It was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. Professor McGlynn said: ‘A more representative judiciary, taking into account the views and perspectives of the whole population, could reach fairer decisions.’
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Enterprise
Space to make new discoveries University and Dstl promote collaboration The Defence Science Technology Lab, Ministry of Defence (Dstl) held its first joint networking event with a university in November at Kent. Academics were informed of the Ministry of Defence’s high priority areas and told how their research could be relevant to the Dstl, ultimately identifying and developing areas of funding and future partnership. For further information regarding the event and its outcomes please email enterprise@kent.ac.uk or call ext 7376.
A dedicated, flexible space is available for staff and students to develop innovative and creative projects, multidisciplinary activities and interactive workshops.
The Bulb. A second-year film student who attended was impressed: ‘The workshop was great, it was really good to be able to talk with other people rather than just listen to a lecture.’
The Bulb, based in the Canterbury Innovation Centre, has already hosted a wide range of activities including an actuarial careers fair run by students from the Invicta Society, Network612 (a partnership between Kent Innovation and Enterprise and Kent Business School) events, Graduate School employability workshops and a series of competitions and workshops.
The Bulb is part of the University’s Student Innovation Zone, which gives like-minded students the opportunity to meet and network with others from different disciplines and develop enterprise and employability skills.
In November, Director of the Centre for Research on Social Climate, Dr Ulrich Weger held an extracurricular workshop ‘Make Things Happen’ at
You can book the innovation space and discuss project ideas with the Student Enterprise Officer, Tracy Crowther on ext 3733 or email T.S.Crowther@kent.ac.uk, or go to the student enterprise website www.kentroundone.co.uk for further information.
New voucher scheme to encourage business ideas Funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Kent Innovation & Enterprise (KIE), the Academic Mentor Voucher Scheme gives postgraduates, undergraduates and staff with innovative and enterprising ideas the opportunity to get advice from academic experts at Kent. Academics will be paid for the time they spend giving technical and expert advice, idea
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evaluation and mentoring to student/staff-led innovations in the form of a ‘voucher’, paid to their school at the rate of £100 per hour. This may then lead to commercial opportunities and further ideas for areas of research. For further information on becoming a mentor or to progress a business idea, please contact ext 4641 or email TheHub@kent.ac.uk.
KTP success with global pharmaceutical company The University has recently gained funding approval for another Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP). The Partnership is between the School of Anthropology and Conservation and the School of Psychology and Pfizer UK Ltd. KTPs help businesses to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance. The KTP with Pfizer will take a social science approach to understanding workplace culture and will help to inform initiatives designed to align culture with business requirements. Apart from the transfer of knowledge from the University to Pfizer, the KTP will provide a valuable opportunity for cross-disciplinary collaboration. It is anticipated that the KTP will provide an exceptional case study that will be compatible with broader economic realities and social science theories. It will provide distinctive study material and wider knowledge for the academic classroom and across disciplines and literatures. For more information on KTPs, please contact Lesley Chater on ext 3802, or email enterprise@kent.ac.uk.
Honorary graduates
At this November’s degree ceremonies held in Canterbury Cathedral, honorary degrees were awarded to distinguished architect David Chipperfield, acclaimed ballet dancer and broadcaster Deborah Bull, internationally-celebrated journalist Patrick Cockburn, and well-known Kent choral musical director Richard Cooke. David Chipperfield established David Chipperfield Architects in 1984. It has since won over 50 national and international competitions, awards and citations for design excellence including the the 2007 Stirling Prize. David Chipperfield has also received numerous personal commendations including being named as an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and an Honorary Member of the Bund Deutscher Architekten. He was also awarded Germany’s Order of Merit – that nation’s highest tribute for services. In 2010, he received a knighthood and was the recipient of the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Royal Gold Medal for Architecture 2011. Deborah Bull is a dancer, writer and broadcaster who gained worldwide fame as a principal with the Royal Ballet. Born in Derby but living for part of her childhood in Kent, she retired from the Royal Ballet in 2001 to become Creative Director of ROH2 at the Royal Opera House, where she had earlier founded the Artists’ Development Initiative (ADI). In 2008, she was made Creative Director of the Royal Opera House.
As well as her dancing career, Deborah Bull lectures on the arts, has published three books and is a regular contributor to the media. She was a member of Arts Council England from 1998-2005 and a Governor of the BBC from 2003-06. In the 1999 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, she was made a CBE. Patrick Cockburn has been a Middle East correspondent since 1979, and is one of the most experienced commentators on Iraq. He has also written three books on Iraq’s history. His journalism has been recognised with a succession of awards, including the Martha Gellhorn Prize and the Orwell Prize for his coverage of Iraq and his son’s schizophrenia. In 2010, he also won a Peace through Media Award from the International Council for Press and Broadcasting at the sixth annual International Media Awards. Born in Ireland in 1950 and raised in County Cork, Patrick Cockburn has also written a memoir, The Broken Boy, which recalled his childhood in 1950s Ireland, and chronicled his own experiences of surviving polio and the wider issue of the way the disease was handled at the time. Richard Cooke marked his 25th anniversary as Music Director of Canterbury Choral Society in June 2009. Under his direction, the choir has given over 130 concerts in Canterbury Cathedral of works composed over four centuries.
David Chipperfield
Debroah Bull
Patrick Cockburn
Richard Cooke
Richard Cooke was born in Cornwall and became a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London at the age of eight. Later, he sang as a Choral Scholar in the choir of King’s College, Cambridge under Sir David Willcocks. His career in conducting began at Cambridge and his training as a professional singer led him to many subsequent appointments as a choral conductor, including Director of Choral Music at Tiffin School in Kingston-on-Thames, and Conductor of The London Philharmonic Choir. He is also in demand as a teacher for young singers, many of whom have gone on to flourishing national and international careers.
Improving the system The ‘University of Kent Process Improvement Centre’ was launched in November and is the next phase of a University wide project led by Darren Cunningham, Faculty Administration Manager (Sciences) as part of the Faculty Administration Managers’ three-year strategy to develop processes, people, connections, and strategic awareness. The Centre is located in Room 35 of the Marlowe Building and offers interested parties the opportunity to make business processes more efficient and effective. Triaster software, known as Process Navigator, is used within the Centre to present processes to end users in a user-friendly format. The Centre intends to produce a series of useful process maps that will collectively form the ‘Kent
Business Process Library’. This library will be accessible to all University staff in early 2011 via Campusonline, and will give users a single point of reference, with the additional benefit of policy documents and template forms being attached to specific parts of a process when required. A mapping policy has also been generated by the Centre to ensure that process maps on the system are of high quality, and each map within the library has a real-time feedback button to ensure that the processes presented are accurate and reliable. So far Triaster have trained 40 University staff in the use of their Process Navigator software and more in-house training will take place shortly. There are now several Business Process
Mapping Champions who are tasked with mapping and re-engineering many of our business processes in various areas of the University. The project is part of the successful modernisation funding bid and is being led by the Academic Division, supported by several key areas of the University such as Human Resources, Finance, Information Services, and the Alumni and Development Office. Anyone interested in knowing more about the Centre or being involved should contact Darren Cunningham on ext 4923 or email him d.cunningham@kent.ac.uk
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Human Resources
Celebrating 25 years at Kent On Thursday 14 October 2010, 13 members of staff who have worked at the University for 25 years, attended a celebratory lunch hosted by Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow at the Darwin Conference Suite. As usual it was an excellent meal and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the event. Back row: Bruce Woodcock, Professor Keith Mander, Marion Peacock, Steven Blay, Professor Richard Jones, Dr Jeremy Ovenden, Professor Bob Newport, Jackie Waller, David Nightingale, Mark Wheadon Front row: Margaret Ayers, Professor Michael Fischer, Ann Fullam, Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, Dr Anthony Ward, Edward Briggs, Lesley Farr
New policies launched A number of new policies have recently been introduced. The new Induction Policy (see ‘Welcoming new staff’ below), guidance on the Working Time Regulations and three policies under the heading of Wellbeing: Special Leave, Alcohol and Substance Misuse and Critical Illness. Special Leave covers most situations where staff may need to take leave outside of their contractual holidays, including time off for bone marrow or organ donation and allowing leave for religious/cultural observances. For further information go to www.kent.ac.uk/ hr-staffinformation/policies/a-z.html
Changing times, changing needs
Welcoming new staff The University recognises that our staff are our most valuable resource. All new staff are invited to welcome events and also receive individual support within their school or department to orient them to the University. Recently, we have also created some additional materials to help make the transition to our complex University easier for both new staff and their managers. If you go to the Induction Policy and Procedure page on our website, you can download the practical induction checklist. We have also developed Good Practice guides to address the specific needs of international staff and academic and research staff. Thanks to everyone who provided input on the draft
documents. If you have any ideas about what to include in future versions, please email Anne Rushworth or Tracey Lamb at stdev@kent.ac.uk.
Supporting women at Kent The University has recently made a commitment to the principles set out in the Athena Swan Charter – www.athenaswan.org.uk. Athena Swan is a membership and awards scheme to promote and recognise good employment practice for women working in science, technology, engineering, medicine and mathematics (STEMM) in higher education and research institutes. We will soon start work on this scheme in the Faculty of Sciences.
Workshops Staff involved in recruitment and selection are invited to attend the following workshops: Recruitment & Selection Part I: Job Descriptions and Person Specifications Two-hour workshop designed for staff with responsibility for drawing up job descriptions and person specifications. Date: Thursday 13 January 2011 9.30am – 12.00pm
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KENT Magazine
Recruitment & Selection Part II: Selection Two-hour workshop designed for those staff involved in the shortlisting and interviewing process. Dates: Thursday 16 December 2010 9.30am – 12.00pm, Thursday 27 January 2011 9.30am – 12.00pm. For further information visit our website at www.kent.ac.uk/hr-staffdevelopment
The need for institutional change has been recognised at all levels within the University. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow wrote in July’s KENT about the need to respond to the changes planned for the sector. She said: ‘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 2008, we introduced the Heads Leadership and Management Programme, for all new heads of academic schools and professional services departments who are also members of the Managers’ Forum. In light of the rapidly changing higher education environment and the feedback from previous participants, we have revised the programme for 2010/11. The revised programme is built around four thematic areas: Financial Management, Strategic Leadership and Planning; Leading People, Teams, and Organisations; and People Management for a Diverse Environment. More practical application of the topics within the sector and the University context has been added and Executive Group members, Deans, and existing Heads will be actively involved in presentations and question and answer sessions. Each module outline will be shared with an existing Head to confirm its relevancy. For example, Head of the School of History Professor Kenneth Fincham reviewed the Strategic Leadership and Planning module and has supported the planned approach and content with the words, ‘Sign me up’. This programme is the first to be developed centrally to address our changing times; programmes to support staff at other levels are also in development.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong and China Portal launched The University has launched a five-year fundraising project aimed at generating £1million to support new scholarship, student exchange and research initiatives involving Hong Kong and China. The exciting project, known as the Hong Kong and China Portal, was announced by Kent ViceChancellor Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow at a reception in Hong Kong in October. Around 60 leading community, government and business leaders as well as academics and Kent alumni met at Hong Kong’s Dynasty Club to hear Dame Julia explain how the University hopes to increase its activity in the region. The Portal will bring together a range of University programmes and initiatives and provide a focus for new links between European and Chinese researchers, she said. She reiterated the importance of student exchange programmes and said that there was a dual value in sending UK students to Hong Kong and China and admitting students from these regions to Kent. These new, ‘unparalleled exchange opportunities’ would help those students taking part to develop cultural understanding as well as providing an excellent learning opportunity. At the heart of the Portal project was Kent’s intention to enhance further the experience of its students, Dame Julia added. The launch attracted widespread media coverage in Hong Kong. Dame Julia’s speech was reported and there were interviews with three of the University’s alumni: Sir David AkersJones, who was Secretary for the New Territories, Hong Kong from 1973-83; Eddy Fong, Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong; and Kennedy Wong, a managing partner in his family’s Hong Kong law firm. Among the daily papers covering the launch were: the Oriental Daily News, Wen Wei Po, Ta Kung Pao,
Ming Pao Daily, Hong Kong Economic Times, and The Sun. During her press conference, Dame Julia said that there are currently around 400 Hong Kong and Chinese students at Kent, studying a variety of courses, from international foundation programmes to PhD level research. Alongside its existing partner institutions such as the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, City University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist University, Kent will continue to expand and strengthen collaborative relationships with internationally renowned institutions in the region, she said. ‘Our new Hong Kong and China Portal will provide a focal point for student, staff and research interaction between Kent and our university partners in Hong Kong and China,’ said Dame Julia. ‘The fundraising side of the project will enable us to strengthen our range of scholarship and study opportunities for students in the region as well as providing a firm underpinning for new areas of research collaboration, geared to economic, social and cultural interaction between Hong Kong, China and Europe.’ During the event, a panel discussion entitled Hong Kong/China/Europe: Intercultural Connections and Cultural Challenge was hosted
by Dame Julia, with prominent speakers Dr Peter Qiu, Ms Maria Castillo Fernandez, Professor Anthony Cheung, Dr William Lo and Mr Peter Upton taking part. Alumnus Dr William Lo characterised himself as a ‘product’ of the intercultural connection between Hong Kong, China and Europe. He was born in Hong Kong, studied at the University of Kent and is now working partly in China. He said that the University offered him a first taste of Europe, thanks to the international culture on its campus. He advised students to develop a global perspective in order to ‘stay competitive in an ever-changing world’. Speaking after the event, Professor Alex Hughes, the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for external relations, said that future developments in the region included new research links. Among these are a new research network, led by Professor Roger Vickerman, Dean of the Brussels School of International Studies, but involving researchers from around the world, which will focus on research exploring the parallels between social, economic and political integration in Europe and those between mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. ‘This promises to be an exciting development for us and one which brings together many aspects of our internationalisation agenda within the new Hong Kong and China Portal,’ she said.
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Kent in the news
University staff and alumni continue to make strong a contribution to international, national and regional news.
Jimmy Rome 1921 – 2010
In October, the launch of the University’s Hong Kong and China Portal attracted widespread media coverage in Hong Kong. Vice-Chancellor Dame Julia M Goodfellow’s speech was reported and there were interviews with three of the University’s alumni: Sir David Akers-Jones, who was Secretary for the New Territories, Hong Kong from 1973-83; Eddy Fong, Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong; and Kennedy Wong, a managing partner in his family’s Hong Kong law firm. Among the daily papers covering the launch were: the Oriental Daily News, Wen Wei Po, Ta Kung Pao, Ming Pao Daily, Hong Kong Economic Times, and The Sun.
Jimmy Rome worked at the University from 1965 until 1984 and has several mentions in From Vision to Reality, Graham Martin’s book about the history of the University. Jimmy had previously worked at Mansion House with David Edwards who was Deputy Registrar (Buildings) at Kent when Jimmy arrived. His first office was in Westgate House, St Dunstans, but he later moved ‘up the hill’ into the ‘temporary’ buildings that had originally housed the library, and which today are occupied by the Maintenance Centre. Jimmy’s dedication to his work meant that he quickly became a wellrespected and integral member of staff.
Over the past few months, there have also been contributions from those in the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR), Kent Law Centre (KLS), the School of Anthropology and Conservation, the School of Biosciences, the School of Economics, Kent Business School (KBS) and the Schools of Arts, Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA), English and Psychology. Among the University’s Canterbury-based staff featured in the media were Dr David Roberts (Anthropology) whose broadcast coverage included a BBC South East interview from the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and his colleague Glenn Bowman in the Economist. Professor Michael Fairhurst (EDA) was interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Click On technology programme. Professor Frank Furedi (SSPSSR) was interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live, LBC and BBC Radio 2 Jeremy Vine Show. Professor Furedi’s print coverage included the Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun and London Evening Standard. Professor Tony Thirlwell (Economics) was featured in The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph and Dr Chris Soloman (SPS) in The Independent and The Times of India and colleague Dr Stephen Lowry was interviewed for the BBC programme The Sky at Night, which has been aired on BBC1, BBC2 and BBC4. Medway-based staff who made a contribution include: Professor Alex Stevens (SSPSSR) in The Guardian and Observer and Professor Tim Luckhurst (Centre for Journalism) in The Independent, BBC Radio Kent and www.Journalism. 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 Press Office at PressOffice@kent.ac.uk
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Obituary
KENT Magazine
As Buildings Superintendent, Jim was responsible for the porters, University security, the mail runs, cleaners (except those in the colleges), congregations (prior to the move down to the Cathedral) and grounds maintenance. Jimmy was a first-class ‘man manager’, and was the contact between the student body and the University authorities during sit-ins and disputes.
After commuting daily from Robertsbridge, East Sussex, Jim and his wife Betty moved into Hackington Hollow where many members of staff enjoyed their wonderful Scottish hospitality and genuine friendship… especially at New Year! Jimmy retired at Christmas 1984, when he and Betty (who sadly died in June 2009) moved back to Scotland to be close to their family. Tending the garden, growing vegetables, keeping and breeding birds, entertaining visitors and even walking their neighbour’s dog made for an active retirement, until recently when ill health forced Jimmy to take things a little easier. Like all who knew Jimmy, I will miss his friendship and remember him as a ‘truly lovely man’. Julie Martin
Sports
Are you up for the cup? Vice-Chancellor’s Cup
Sports scholarship 2010 launch evening
The Vice-Chancellor and the Sport, Recreation and Physical Activity department are pleased to announce the introduction of the VC’s cup, a new inter-departmental competition starting in January 2011. The aim is to establish an interdepartmental staff competition for all abilities to run throughout the year. A variety of sports and challenges will take place during vacation times including: dodgeball, netball, school sports day, rounders, bat & trap, racket sports and a pub quiz. Of the competition, Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow commented: ‘I am delighted that Graham Holmes has developed an innovative way of encouraging members of staff to take part in some regular exercise. It should be fun and non-threatening even to those who are not sports enthusiasts. I know personally how
The University’s sports scholars gathered last month to celebrate the launch of this year’s scheme.
difficult it is to find time to exercise. I hope it is enjoyable to all who take part.’ The VC’s Cup will be a great opportunity for staff at the University to have fun while keeping active, so why not start thinking about encouraging your colleagues to get involved and put together a team. Further information and details of how you can enter will be made available shortly.
The launch took place at The Pavilion on 8 November and was attended by the 56 scholars who were officially welcomed to Kent by VIP’s from the University and the local sporting community. The scholars compete in 21 different sports between them including: trampolining, shooting, boxing, duathlon and wheelchair basketball. Many of the scholars have already had their fitness assessments and are taking advantage of the strength and conditioning sessions and free gym membership available to them.
Register of Interests 2010/2011 Acting in accordance with HEFCE Audit requirements, the University Council agreed some years ago to establish a Register of Interests for members of Council and for all staff. It is at the discretion of individual members of staff what, if any, interests they declare. It should be noted, however, that declaration provides a protection for the University and individuals against any possible allegations of impropriety.
The Register is updated in November each year and members of staff are invited to send declarations* (or subsequently any updates to these) to the Secretary of the Council at any time during the year. For members of the Council, submission of a declaration (including a nil return) before the end of October 2010 is mandatory. The Secretary of the Council** will be pleased to give confidential advice to any individual on this matter.
For the purposes of the Register, an interest is defined to be any financial or other personal interest an individual may have in any relationship or proposed relationship between the University and an external body. This would include consultancy, employment, directorship or other activity within a commercial concern, shareholding, or membership of statutory and public authorities. Other education establishments and companies with which the University has an actual or potential business relationship should also be included.
*The University’s Policy on Confidentiality, Disclosure of Interest and Personal Benefit and a Declaration Form may be accessed at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/censec/ areas-of-work/register_of_interest/declaration-registerinterest.html ** Karen Goffin, email: K.R.Goffin@kent.ac.uk, ext 3397 or Personal Assistant, Janice Hollands at J.R.Hollands@kent.ac.uk, ext 3903.
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KENT Magazine
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What’s on
Music events Saturday 11 December, 7.30pm, Eliot College Hall, Choral and Orchestral Concert, The University of Kent Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, Susan Wanless conductor, Dvor˘ák – Slavonic Dance, Opus 46, No. 2 in E minor, Verdi – Stabat Mater and Te Deum from the Four Sacred Pieces, Dvor˘ák – Symphony No. 8 in G major. Ticket information available at www.kent.ac.uk/music Wednesday 15 December, The Registry Garden, 5.00pm, Carols round the Christmas Tree with the University Student Music Groups and Brass Ensemble. Festive fun, roasted chestnuts and mulled wine. Everyone welcome!
Gulbenkian Theatre highlights Saturday 11 December 7.45pm An audience with Jonathan Miller Monday 13 December – Wednesday 22 December Scamp Theatre present Stick Man for ages 3+ Tuesday 21 December 7.45pm The Albion Band Christmas Show Saturday 15 January, Thursday 20 January 7.45pm, Punt and Dennis, They Should Get Out More
Gulbenkian Director retires Dee Ashworth, Director of The Gulbenkian, has taken early retirement after a remarkable 26 years at the arts venue. During his time at The Gulbenkian, Dee has been the driving force behind the establishment of the venue as the arts hub for the area, putting on an eclectic line-up of events including stand-up comedy, ballet, jazz, opera, folk music, classic theatre, physical theatre, science lectures, amateur productions from local groups and T:24, a University Drama Society performance. Dee has left a fantastic legacy, with the hugely popular current season, with over 22,000 tickets sold since September, one of our most successful yet. Dee’s background is in lighting design and, since leaving the Gulbenkian, he has lit a show at the Barbican in London and plans to light the Marlowe pantomime in Canterbury this year. Dee has been a guiding light at The Gulbenkian – his excitement and enthusiasm for arts of all kinds is astonishing and inspiring. In honour of Dee’s time at The Gulbenkian, there will be a get together on Thursday 16 December at 1pm in the theatre and all are welcome to attend. If you would like to contribute to purchasing Dee a special retirement present, please contact Pam Hardiman, Deputy Director at The Gulbenkian, or call into the Gulbenkian Office.
Friday 21 January 7.45pm Clive Conway presents An Evening with Tony Benn in conversation with Samantha Norman Thursday 27 January 7.45pm Practical Productions present Twelfth Night by William Shakspeare For full details of times please go to www.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian/theatre
Christmas competition Win yourself an extra Christmas present, an Amazon gift voucher worth £25, by answering our Christmas quiz question: 1. Who stole Rupert’s scarf? Answers by email to kentmagazine@kent.ac.uk, please use Christmas competition as your subject heading. Deadline for entries 20 December.