Kent Magazine - February 2012 | University of Kent

KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | February 2012

Creative Campus Email-free zone

Welcome Dear colleagues, Welcome to 2012 – and the Year of the Dragon.

It is amazing that 2012, a year of significant change for the sector, is actually upon us. For the last few years, the University has undergone a period of enormous review in preparation for this time and I am confident we are well-placed to meet the challenges ahead. It may not be a coincidence that Dragon years are generally approached with a degree of trepidation as they are supposed to be exciting but unpredictable.

What is certain is that we are continuing to perform well compared to other UK universities. Over the last year, Kent’s overall undergraduate degree applications are higher than many others in our sector and our applications from international students have continued to rise. We have anticipated fewer, but better qualified, applicants by raising our entry tariff in key oversubscribed subjects such as History and English. Over the last three years, we have also seen a welcome increase in postgraduate students registering with us. We are continuing to develop more postgraduate programmes and Professor Diane Houston, as Dean of Graduate Studies, is investigating how we can introduce more flexible approaches to learning and teaching in this area.

Preparations are also underway for the forthcoming Research Excellence Framework. Following last year’s annual planning, we have been able to invest in more academic posts across the University. I am also pleased that we are attracting such high-quality applicants to posts at Kent.

The start of a new year is clearly a time to look to the future. However, the publication of the latest Annual Review and the recent presentations to Court have given us the opportunity to review last year’s performance. It has been a salutary exercise which has enabled us to see just how successful the University has been across many aspects of our provision – our popularity with students, our research achievements and our financial stability in difficult economic circumstances to name just a few. What really stands out is not just our academic success, but our enduring commitment to be outward facing and to make an economic, social and cultural contribution at a regional, national and international level.

As we go into discussions on our next institutional plan, I hope we will be able to endorse this outward facing role as I believe that it is the combination of academic quality with social responsibility that defines us as an institution.

I wish you all a Happy New Year.

Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow DBE, CBE Vice-Chancellor

3 News 6 Feature: Creative Campus 8 Research 10 Human Resources 11 Enterprise 12 Health/Sport 13 Feature: Email-free zone 14 Kent in the news/Green update 15 Hospitality 16 What’s on Special thanks to: Lesley Farr, University Design & Print Centre. Photographs by Cornish Architects, Creative Campus team and Jim Higham, Simon Jarratt, Katie Prior, Spencer Scott, Matt Wilson, Ben Thomas.

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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, Director of Corporate Communications; Wendy Raeside, Press & Corporate Publications Officer (Corporate Communications); Karen Baxter, Press Assistant, (Corporate Communications), University of Kent.

Next issue: the deadline for the next staff issue is 5 March, with a publication date of 30 March 2012.

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University worth £0.6 billion to the south east economy A new report has highlighted the £0.6 billion economic worth of the University of Kent to the south east – a figure that has doubled over the past five years.

The research by independent consultants shows just how much the region benefits from the impact of the University’s activities – from teaching, research, innovation and enterprise to hosting conferences and other events, and contracting local suppliers.

The massive contribution to the south east comes from both the direct and knock-on effects of the University’s activities and also the spending power of its students, many from outside the area, who contribute £211 million of the total to the region’s economy.

As well as the total financial impact of the University’s activities, the study also highlights that nearly 6,800 jobs in the south east are either

supported directly by the University or are generated by the knock-on effects of its own and its students’ activities.

The University itself supports around 2,550 full-time equivalent jobs as an employer, but the research shows that a further 4,234 jobs in the region result from the impact of University activity and student spending.

The study, titled The Economic Impact of the University of Kent, was carried out by Viewforth Consulting. It studied the impact of the activities of the University of Kent and its students during 2009-10.

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Science teaching excels in new-look labs New £2.5m laboratories will help ensure that the University continues to excel in science teaching.

The new School of Physical Sciences laboratories, in the Ingram Building on the Canterbury campus, were officially opened in December by Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow.

KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | February 2012

Creative Campus Email-free zone

Cover story Creative Campus – dispersing creativity (see p6).

The new-look teaching wing includes four stateof-the-art laboratories, one of which is dedicated to forensic analysis. The refurbishment also features new equipment such as 25 computers, wireless internet access and a data projection system for clearer display of experiment results.

Other new facilities include student lockers, fume cupboards and moveable benches to create a more flexible teaching space.

Cutting the ribbon to the refurbished labs, Dame Julia said: ‘Science is bucking the national trend in university applications and we are seeing a rising demand to study subjects in this area.

These new labs will make a real difference to

students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level when they join us at Kent.’

Professor Mark Burchell, Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, added: ‘Kent is one of the top universities to study science in the country. We continue to excel in this area by having the best staff, the best students and the best facilities.

We’re looking forward to sharing our new space with students in forensic science, forensic chemistry and physics, staff and the wider community.’

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News

A particular success story is the Kent students working for Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking, based in San Jose, California.

Cisco selected four students – Phil Styles, Zach Antonas, Sergios Charalambous and Paul Wozniak – to spend a year working on cuttingedge technology in Silicon Valley. Next year, the number of students at Cisco is likely to be at least double.

A Brussels first for the UK’s European university Kent has become the first UK institution to be registered as a higher education provider in Flanders with the accreditation of its Brussels campus.

Kent is the only UK university with a campus in Brussels and the quality of its Masters programmes in international relations, law and economics has now been recognised officially within the Flemish Community.

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Professor Roger Vickerman, Dean of the Brussels campus, said: ‘The postgraduate degree programmes at our Brussels School of International Studies have always been recognised under the UK’s quality assurance regime. While this assures recognition throughout the European Union, there are additional benefits to students in demonstrating that our degrees meet the local requirements of the country in which they are taught. The strong quality message contained in the accreditation panel’s report has given us great confidence that we have programmes which meet the highest international standards.’

The Flemish Government gave final approval for the registration following a rigorous accreditation process that included a visit by a panel of experts to look at all aspects of course content and delivery.

Top of the league for undergraduate journalism The University has been recognised as top of the league for undergraduate journalism education by the UK’s journalists training body.

Kent’s BA in Journalism and the News Industry was shown to be the country’s best of its kind at the Journalism Skills Conference in Belfast. The National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) awarded the accolade to the University as part of its annual recognition of its best accredited courses.

The University topped the undergraduate table with more of its BA students achieving the NCTJ gold standard than on any other similar course during 2010-11 – even though its students were the first to graduate from the degree, which was launched three years ago.

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Joanne Butcher, Chief Executive of the NCTJ, said: ‘To top the NCTJ league with the very first graduating cohort is evidence of real professional excellence. Our standards are high and Kent has performed exceptionally to deliver such fine results. This is a very good degree for students who have the aptitude and determination to succeed as journalists in the multimedia era.’

Industrial placements attract record number of students Kent‘s School of Computing is celebrating record numbers of students on its industrial placement programme.

Almost 100 students are currently on placement with a range of businesses – from global institutions to smaller specialist companies – in the UK and overseas. The placements were secured following rigorous assessment and competition against students throughout the country.

‘Last year, we had 59 Kent students on industrial placements,’ said Katie Van Sanden, one of the Industrial Placement Co-ordinators in the School of Computing. ‘This year, despite the tough economic climate, 96 students are working with organisations from Disney, Microsoft, Accenture and IBM to creative design agencies and the 2012 Olympics Organising Committee.’

Katie added: ‘Now, more than ever, students need more than a degree to embark on a meaningful graduate career. Our Year in Industry programme, available to undergraduate and Master’s students studying computing-related degrees, gives them the edge that employers are looking for.’

‘The feedback we’ve had from Cisco has been fabulous,’ said Katie. ‘Our students have made a huge positive impact already and are excellent ambassadors for both the University and the School of Computing.’

To hear about the Kent students’ experiences at Cisco, visit: http://www.youtube.com/ embed/9fum8sUwfJs.

CBE for Professor Jim Mansell Jim Mansell, Emeritus Professor of Learning Disability at the Tizard Centre, has been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to people with intellectual disabilities.

Professor Mansell started his career in the field of intellectual disabilities when, as a student at the University of Cardiff, he set up a student charity and worked with other students to support people with intellectual disabilities to move out of a large long-stay hospital where conditions were very poor. He later helped set up homes for people with severe and complex needs. In 1983, he founded the Tizard Centre, which is now recognised as the leading UK centre for university teaching in intellectual disability.

Professor Mansell has also led an extensive programme of consultancy and research focused on improving the quality of services for people with intellectual disabilities. He is an adviser to the British government and also to government and non-government agencies abroad. He recently appeared in the BBC’s Panorama exposé of abuse at a residential home for people with intellectual disabilities and autism, calling for it to be closed down. In November 2011, he was presented with the Social Care Institute for Excellence Knowledge Award for Outstanding Contribution to knowledge in social care.

News

1 LEGO League regional finals 2 The University’s Studio 3 Gallery

Schools compete in LEGO League regional finals

Law students help villagers save a treasured footpath

Twenty two schools competed in the regional finals of the First LEGO League Challenge at the University’s Canterbury campus.

Students at the Kent Law Clinic have helped villagers in Shipbourne save a treasured footpath as a public right of way.

First LEGO League is an international programme designed to bring science to life for schoolchildren aged nine to 16 through themed activities including a hands-on robot challenge and scientific research.

Running from the kissing gate at St Giles’ Church in Shipbourne towards Ightham Mote (the 14thcentury manor house owned by the National Trust), the footpath provides views over the local countryside. The decision in favour of the villagers came on 17 November, with the Public Inquiry Inspector deciding not to confirm (and thereby overturn) a Public Path Diversion Order made by Kent County Council in April 2010.

This year’s theme was food safety and teams of seven to ten players explored causes of food contamination and innovative ways to combat them. Teams were judged across four different challenges – a scientific project, teamwork, technical design and programming a fully autonomous robot.

The regional finals were organised by the University’s Partnership Development Office and School of Computing, supported by the Medway Education Business Partnership and the BCS – The Chartered Institute for IT. Overall winners (taking part in the National Finals on 28 January) were Reigate St Mary’s Preparatory and Choir School and The Norton Knatchbull School, Ashford.

Medway expert raises global awareness of end-of-life care A Kent expert on palliative medicine helped raise awareness of end-of-life care for people with motor neurone disease when he spoke at a global conference for neurologists.

Dr David Oliver, Honorary Reader at the University’s Chatham Maritime-based Centre for Professional Practice and Consultant in Palliative Medicine at Rochester’s Wisdom Hospital, was the only hospice physician among more than 3,000 neurologists at the 20th World Congress of Neurology in Morocco.

Dr Oliver, who is Chair of the European Taskforce on Palliative Care and Neurology, said: ‘This was a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of the issues of palliative care and end-of-life care for neurological patients. I am sure we are increasing discussions about end-of-life issues within the medical world and I look forward to continuing to build on these links with neurologists and other specialists.’

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Mellon Grant for Studio 3 Gallery The University’s Studio 3 Gallery has been awarded a £4,500 Curatorial Research Grant by the prestigious Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art. The grant will support the development of an exhibition, Alfred Drury and the New Sculpture, which is scheduled for the Gallery in 2013.

The exhibition will review the art and life of the English sculptor Alfred Drury (1856-1944), considering the formative influences on his sculptural practice and his role in the New Sculpture movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The grant will enable a series of research trips to archives in London and around the UK, and also a photographic campaign to document the public work of Alfred Drury.

Animations bring science to life Dr Peter Klappa from the School of Biosciences is helping to bring biochemistry to life in an exciting collaboration with the University for the Creative Arts (UCA).

Recent graduates of the BA (Hons) CG Arts & Animation degree at UCA Rochester were asked to create a series of entertaining computergenerated films to explain biological processes in a fun and easy-to-understand way.

Scenarios such as ‘how our bodies fight infections’ and ‘the lifecycle of a mushroom’ were commissioned by UCA and Biosciences for a joint research project into the role that CG arts and animation can play in biological research.

A group of law students led by third-year Kerry O’Connor worked on the case. They were Hilary Goodman, Josh Vuglar, Ewelina Ochab, Marta Konieczna, Tom Barker and Vivian Chan. At the Public Inquiry, barrister Ned Westaway and Professor John Fitzpatrick from the Law Clinic appeared for Shipbourne Parish Council.

Poetry anthology to aid charity A new poetry anthology in aid of charity was launched at Kent on 6 December.

Not Only the Dark: 160 poems on the theme of survival was published as part of the University’s Creative Writing Tuesday Readings. The anthology, edited by Kent poets Jo Field and Nicky Gould, was put together by WordAid.org, a group of local writers who publish books and organise events to raise money for charity. Sales of Not Only the Dark will benefit Shelterbox, an international disaster relief charity.

Not Only the Dark is the fifth book from the WordAid collective, whose members are Patricia Debney (Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at the University and organiser of the Creative Writing Tuesday Readings), Nicky Gould (Creative Writing Master’s student), Jen Kahawatte (former Creative Writing Master’s student), Jo Field and Vicky Wilson.

For copies of the book, send a cheque (£10 each, £25 for three, plus £2 p&p) to Categorical Books, 70 Margate Road, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 7BH or by credit card/PayPal at www.wordaid.org.uk

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Feature

Creative Campus Creative Campus has acted as a catalyst for new creative projects on campus that support learning and teaching, the arts and development of the campus environment.

Since its launch in 2008, Creative Campus has resulted in over 50 projects engaging more than 1,500 staff, students and members of the local community.

Creative Campus has also sparked wider engagements with the local community. Kent Union’s People and Planet Society, for example, ran a ‘Don’t Bin it’ campaign at the end of the summer term to distribute unwanted clothes and goods to local charities. Kent has joined 13 other universities in the south east to support the Cultural Olympiad 2012. It has also taken part in the ‘100M’ touring exhibition of creative projects and hosted a wood donation day for ‘The Boat Project’, an innovative scheme to build a seaworthy vessel from wooden objects donated by people across the south east.

During 2011/12, the Creative Campus team will focus on projects to increase student engagement and enhance their learning experience. The ‘Soundtrack to your Life’ photographic competition in the autumn term received over 70 entries. The best are being displayed in the Crossover Gallery this term. At Medway, there are exciting new developments for the Rochester Building and Bridge Wardens College emerging from our Social Hubs Survey.

Student interns are acting as champions for various creative projects and working towards recognition through the Kent Student Volunteering and Employability Points schemes.

Creative Campus will also continue to promote staff and student engagement with the University’s Green Impact programme, both through the curriculum and wider development of outdoor spaces on campus.

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Highlights over the past year have included: • the Love your Campus campaign with Kent Union with regular events in the CREATE space [2] in the Marlowe Foyer, including sessions in support of GoGreen week and Transport and Wellbeing days • showcasing creative talent in the sciences and arts through exhibitions in the Crossover Gallery in the Gulbenkian (Canterbury campus) and the ‘On the Buses’ advertising campaigns [3] • staff and student volunteers helping the Green Impact team to develop the campus kitchen garden [1] and nature trail • working with students from the Conservation Society to create a new outdoor learning and teaching space, Quercus genius, carved from a fallen oak tree [4]

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‘As a campus-wide creativity initiative guided by a multi-disciplinary team, the project has been a force for positive cultural and social change by improving learning and social spaces, promoting wellbeing, as well as showcasing creative talent.’

Dr Louise Naylor Director, Unit for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching

Feature

‘I think it is important that students feel part of the campus landscape and can leave their mark. When I go back to the benches, I feel like it is partly my work, and that is very satisfying.’

Jules Roberti-de-Winghe Creative Campus Champion (2011)

Spotlight on…

Community Pathways The Labyrinth project has taken off in many directions in recent months.

Hundreds of Quakers visited the Canterbury Labyrinth last summer during their Annual Gathering, and a workshop in the Canterbury Festival witnessed adults and children drawing, running and walking its path.

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Victoria Tedder, a PhD student in the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, trained as a labyrinth facilitator and is a Creative Campus intern this year. She commented: ‘I’m excited to see use of the labyrinth developing within student communities, making full use of our resources.’ Creative Writing students, for example, are visiting the labyrinth regularly to develop their ideas.

The Partnership Development Office hosted visits by local schools and community groups, with story-telling workshops and reflective exploration of life journeys. Kent Day School participants created a temporary labyrinth from chickenfeed and the University’s portable, hand-painted canvas labyrinth was featured at two national conferences and the Saffron Walden Maze Festival, where it was walked by over 100 people.

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For further information, contact J.G.Sellers@kent.ac.uk

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Research

Two-year-old becomes 2,000th recruit for Kent Child Development Unit The Kent Child Development Unit (KCDU) at the University's Canterbury campus is celebrating its 2,000th recruit – two-year-old James Clark.

KCDU was established in 2010 to study child development from the age of 18 months through to school ages and beyond, with a particular emphasis on language, cognitive and social development. Individual studies include: the ways children learn words for actions; bilingual versus monolingual language development; children's conversational skills during the preschool period; pre-schoolers' musicality; how children learn from others; and mother-daughter attitudes.

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Two-year-old James, who was accompanied throughout by his mother, participated in a short eye-tracking study, the aim of which is to see how young children learn to comprehend basic sentences.

As with all young visitors to the Unit, James was welcomed into a relaxing child-friendly environment before moving on to the study – all at his own pace. His mother Kate said: ‘James is a very sociable little boy and it was clear from his reactions that he had an enjoyable time. He enjoyed the warm-up exercises, which consisted of playing and naming toys, as well as a cartoon DVD. ‘Afterwards he spoke about his experience, merrily talking about the day and his time at the University. Personally, I would like to thank everyone at the Kent Child Development Unit and I wish them every success with their research.’

Dr Kirsten Abbot-Smith, a lecturer in psychology and Co-Director of KCDU, commented: ‘The response we have received from parents has been encouraging and supportive – without their help and participation few of these important studies could have taken place. I still find it incredible that, in just over a year, we are working with our 2,000th volunteer. However, we desperately need around five times as many parents and children to participate as our studies are often focused on very narrow age ranges. For example, the study in which James took part was only looking at children aged 28 months.’

Find out more about KCDU at www.kent.ac.uk/ psychology/childdevelopmentunit or www.facebook.com/groups/192461030842398/

Research

brings together new perspectives on the Roman city and creates a new paradigm – a history of mobility.

Drama may be key to helping autistic children A new research project exploring how dramabased activities may play a key role in helping autistic children communicate, socialise and play imaginatively has been launched at Kent.

The 30-month Imagining Autism project will see performers working with three different special schools in Kent to create magical sensory environments using puppetry, objects, light, sound and digital media. Children at the schools will be encouraged to dream, play, explore and, hopefully, find new ways of connecting with the world around them.

The research, which has received £350k in grant funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), will see collaboration between the University’s schools of Arts and Psychology as well as its Tizard Centre and Gulbenkian Theatre. Results could lead to a full-scale trial and may also prompt changes in approaches to other communication disorders in children.

Senior lecturers in Drama Dr Nicola Shaughnessy and Dr Melissa Trimingham will lead the project, together with autism expert Dr Julie Beadle-Brown of the Tizard Centre, and cognitive psychologist Dr David Wilkinson of the School of Psychology.

Did traffic jams exist 2,000 years ago?

Did the first traffic jams occur in Roman cities?

A new book, co-edited by a University historian, takes a fresh look at the way people got around 2,000 years ago.

Rome was the first place in history where one could travel for miles without seeing any countryside, but this startling fact has ony begun to be appreciated over the past decade or so.

Rome, Ostia, Pompeii: Movement and Space, co-edited by Professor Ray Laurence from the School of European Culture and Languages,

Professor Laurence said: ‘The first decade of the 21st century saw a new focus in the study of mobility in ancient Rome. How did people get around? Where did they park the cart? Were there one-way systems? Was there such a thing as a traffic jam 2,000 years ago? By studying Pompeii, Ostia and Rome, we can begin to develop a full understanding of the buzz of ancient streets.’

Lower jaw shape reflects dietary differences University research suggests that many of the common orthodontic problems experienced by people in industrialised nations are due to their soft modern diet causing the jaw to grow too short and small relative to the size of their teeth.

The research, by Dr Noreen von CramonTaubadel from the School of Anthropology and Conservation, tested the long-debated theory that the transition from a largely hunter-gatherer to an agricultural subsistence strategy across many parts of the world has had a knock-on effect on the growth and development of the human skull and lower jaw.

Dr von Cramon-Taubadel, a lecturer in Biological Anthropology, compared the shape of the cranium (skull) and mandible (lower jaw) of 11 globally distributed populations against models of genetic, geographic, climatic and dietary differences. She found that lower jaw shape, and to some extent the shape of the upper palate, was related to the dietary behaviour of populations, while the cranium was strongly related to the genetic relationships of the populations.

In particular, the lower jaw reflects whether populations are primarily hunter-gatherer or agriculturalist in nature, irrespective of what part of the world they come from. This therefore suggests that chewing behaviour causes the lower jaw to grow and develop differently in different subsistence groups, while the skull is not affected in the same way.

Overall, the hunter-gatherer groups had longer and narrower mandibles, indicating more room for the teeth to erupt correctly, while the agriculturalists had generally shorter and broader mandibles, increasing the likelihood of dental crowding.

New research into sight loss A research project into what it means to live with sight loss is underway in the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR).

The five-year study, jointly funded by a bursary from sight-loss charity Thomas Pocklington Trust and SSPSSR, will focus on 'embodiment' – an area of growing interest that explores the interactions of mind and body and how they affect a person's experiences and relationships.

Researcher Martina Leeven will use in-depth interviews to gather the everyday experiences of people who begin to lose their sight in later years. Her research will go beyond the purely practical impact of sight loss, looking at more intimate reactions such as self-image, body language and changes in appearance.

Research awards list Some recent research awards Dr Anneli Albi (Kent Law School): £1,057,760 from the European Research Council for ‘The role and future of national constitutions in European and global governance’.

Dr Karen Jones (School of History): £22,986 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for ‘Epiphany in the wilderness: hunting and nature in the American West’.

Ania Bobrowicz (School of Engineering and Digital Arts): £31,500 from Kent County Council for ‘Supporting the use of social networks by young people to address concerns around anti-social behaviour – Phase 2’.

Professor Alistair Mathie (Medway School of Pharmacy): £200,253 from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council for ‘The structural mechanism of K2P channel gating’.

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Human Resources

Strategy update Kent’s HR Strategy, developed in 2011, sets out how the HR team can help deliver the University’s plans and support people across the organisation to achieve their goals.

The strategy is structured around four themes: • Developing leadership and organisational capabilities • Enhancing people management, resourcing and communication

• Promoting equality and diversity • Building efficient and effective HR systems and supporting workforce planning Key areas of current work are shown below.

Appraisal

Operational Services Team

The HR appraisal project is learning more about appraisal systems used across the HE sector, as well as Kent’s own ideas on revamping existing appraisal methods and documents. A separate project led by Melissa Bradley, is looking at how we can use the Association of University Administrators’ national competency framework.

Policies Project

During 2011, the HR policies team wrote, consulted on and published 18 policies and procedures on, for example, special leave, career breaks and time off for public duties. All our documents were Developing approved by our stakeholder group, leadership capabilities comprising trade union and staff representatives. If you are interested in The University continues to prioritise joining the group, contact Alison Whelan – developing leadership and management a.j.whelan@kent.ac.uk To view our skills with, for example, the Heads’ policies, see: www.kent.ac.uk/hrLeadership and Management Programme staffinformation/ (HLMP) and the grade 8 Leadership Programme for Professional Service Managers (LPPSM).

Mediation A new programme, Leadership for Areas of Significant Responsibility (LASR), designed In 2011, the University for academic and professional services introduced the idea of a mediation New HR/Payroll staff between the Heads and the service for dispute resolution among LPPSM programme, will launch in System Plans staff. Our new internal group of mediators spring 2012. will receive externally accredited training in The University has allocated funding for February and we are confident that the a new HR/Payroll system to replace our mediation service will be live in mid-2012.

12-year-old system, providing self-service and improved reporting capabilities. Project manager Chris Wootton is working closely Equality and with a steering committee and colleagues Diversity Review from Finance, IS and HR. The Equality Act 2010 with its new ‘public sector duties’ gives us an opportunity to undertake an external review of our current provision and practice.

Our review is being carried out in partnership with colleagues from the Diversity Research Centre at Oxford Brookes University. Findings will be published in March 2012.

A review of administrative responsibilities and processes within HR led to the creation, in April 2011, of a HR Operational Services Team. The team is responsible for delivering core HR administrative processes and advises on HR policies and procedures, particularly relating to contracts, contractual entitlements/benefits and promotions.

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Enterprise

TSB funds route to global sustainability A project developed by Professor Darren Griffin from the School of Biosciences has been awarded almost £1m funding by the Technology Strategy Board (TSB).

Professor Darren Griffin

The TSB runs regular competitions to encourage collaboration between universities and industry.

This spring, it has announced three calls so far, on Sustainable Manufacturing, Marine Energy and Low Carbon Vehicles, with a total funding value of £35 million. More calls are expected during the course of the year.

The project aims to introduce a sustainable alternative to this practice through IVF technology. Transport of IVF embryos would involve a fraction of these costs and adverse impacts. The project may also adapt noninvasive pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) technology, currently used in human IVF treatment, to improve pig genetic stock.

There are also regular Knowledge Exchange calls from the Research Councils to help fund collaborative activity with private, public and third sector organisations.

The whole project is worth a total of nearly £1m including industrial contribution, approximately half of which will come to the University over four years.

To find out more about the TSB or any other Innovation and Enterprise funding, contact Brian Lingley on 01227 827572 or by emailing entfunding@kent.ac.uk

Ideas Factory funding Ideas Factory funding was introduced to stimulate ideas that can be taken forward to commercial exploitation. The following schools have been awarded funding for one or more projects in the last funding call: • Anthropology & Conservation – £10,000, Dr Nicholas Newton-Fisher • Biosciences – £29,448, Dr Campbell Gourlay, Dr Mark Howard, Professor Mark Smales • Engineering and Digital Arts – £31,952, Dr Gareth Howells, Dr John Batchelor, Dr Richard Guest, Professor Sarah Spurgeon

The pilot Employability Points Scheme engaged over 1,000 students and 30 corporate sponsors. Now in its second year, the scheme is on course to increase the number of participating students and businesses – as well as the rewards on offer.

Students taking part develop work-related skills alongside academic studies, and collect points for their extra-curricular experiences. These can include events on campus, part-time work, volunteering, work placements, international study and exchanges.

Professor Griffin’s team, in collaboration with two commercial partners, JSR Genetics and The Bridge Centre (a leading IVF clinic), were successful in a competition to improve sustainable protein production. Their winning project was entitled ‘Pig IVF and genetics: a route to global sustainability’.

JSR Genetics is among world leaders in the supply of genetically superior pig breeding stock. This routinely involves stocking nucleus pig farms in developing markets by shipping up to 1,000 pigs at a time using chartered planes.

It leads to high associated costs, environmental pollution and animal welfare concerns.

Points make prizes for enterprising students

• Psychology – £421, Dr Mario Weick • School of European Culture and Languages – £4,248, Professor Ray Laurence • Centre for Sports Studies – £6,029, Dr Karen Hambly • School of Physical Sciences – £6,207, Dr Stuart Gibson The next call for Ideas Factory funding proposals is expected to take place in autumn 2012.

For more information, contact Lucy Druesne by emailing ideasfactory@kent.ac.uk

Points are turned into rewards ranging from vouchers to work experience, professional training and internships. During its pilot year, 70 students received rewards from business sponsors for their outstanding efforts – and three were offered full-time positions after impressing internship companies.

The need for a scheme of this type is highlighted by over 70 applicants for every graduate job advertised in 2011. In today’s challenging knowledge-based economy and employment landscape, it is vital to gain an edge – and ensure students graduate with the skills they need to succeed.

This year’s Employability Points Scheme partners and sponsors will be offering a range of internships, company tours, work experience, service vouchers and training as prizes for students who excel in developing their skill-set. Sponsors on board for this year include Tesco, Chaucer Global Consulting, the National Trust, Skanska and the KM Group.

Students can join the scheme as soon as they have completed registration for the University of Kent. Email Co-ordinator Kasia Senyszyn (k.e.senyszyn@kent.ac.uk) to sign up and start collecting points.

Staff can invite Scheme Co-ordinators to talk to their students about the benefits of getting involved, and link departmental events to Employability Points. Email Kasia, as above, for more information.

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Sport

Health

Medical Centre on our doorstep

Fitness Fest As part of the University’s Worldfest celebrations, for one night only Kent Sport invites you to join the fitness team and special guest instructors to sample a unique world flavour of fitness.

Fitness Fest will include a range of masterclasses from around the world on Thursday 23 February. Come along to the main sports hall from 5-8pm and join in as many, or as few, masterclasses as you wish.

Easter Sports Academy Do your children love playing sport and would they enjoy some professional coaching in cricket, football or hockey?

Kent Sport’s Easter Sports Academy for 7- to 14-year-olds returns in 2012 from Tuesday 10 April to Friday 13 April, 9am to 3pm, for just £80 for four days or £25 a day. Children will need to bring a packed lunch; late pick-ups are available for an extra charge.

The University Medical Centre is an NHS general practice based at the Canterbury campus. The premises are purposedesigned and well-equipped to offer a full range of services to staff and students.

The practice is staffed by seven full- and parttime general practitioners supported by a nurse practitioner, practice nurses and psychiatric liaison nurses, as well as visiting clinicians, counsellors and ancillary staff.

The practice offers a full range of general medical services, including chronic disease management, health education, cervical screening and health checks. We also provide comprehensive contraceptive services (including emergency contraception), travel clinics, liquid nitrogen clinics and a sexual health clinic (known as the Mercury Clinic).

The practice is easily accessible – behind Woodlands on Giles Lane – and opening hours cater for both staff and students: Monday to Fridays – 8.30am to 6pm Tuesdays and Thursdays (term time, plus Easter vacation) – 6 to 9pm The practice offers: • On-line advance booking of appointments available to staff and their families.

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• Appointment reminder system available by text to your mobile phone.

• Liaison with University of Kent – we work closely with the University especially in relation to health promotion and engagement in health events. All patient contact is, however, entirely confidential.

• Training practice – the University Medical Centre is an accredited Training Practice and we believe that involvement in the education and training of future GPs is beneficial for the practice as a whole.

• The practice has been accredited with Provider Status by the Primary Care Trust, enabling us to provide services such as our easily accessible Physiotherapy Clinic (based at the Innovation Centre, University Road).

• Quality Practice – we promote continuity of care to our patients and quality of service, as shown by our record of high achievement in the Government’s Quality and Outcomes Target Framework.

• Patient Participation Group – a virtual patient participation group is being developed to encourage patients to provide suggestions and comments on our services, and to help us develop the practice.

University staff and their families who live within three miles of the Medical Centre are eligible to register, as well as students who live within a sixmile radius. To register, follow the links at www.kent.ac.uk/medical

The academy includes four days’ professional coaching in football, hockey or cricket with a coaching session from a professional player and a trip to a sporting venue on the Friday.

Full details and a booking form will be available on our website soon – www.kent.ac.uk/sports

Kent Sport at Medway Kent Sport will be holding weekly drop-in sessions at Medway for staff and students to come and meet the Kent Sport team. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and make suggestions about sport services at Medway.

Come and meet us on Mondays at the No 1 Bistro from 11am to 1pm.

Wellness Day Kent Sport is hosting a Wellness Day on Friday 30 March at Eliot College from 11am to 2pm. Come along and find out how to improve your health and wellbeing.

Feature

Email-free zone Soul-crushing email causes stress and slows work. Oliver Double, Director of Drama and Theatre Studies at Kent, suggests how to cut the burden.

I spend up to four hours of my working day dealing with email, and I can’t help wondering whether it really is time well spent.

Email is probably the biggest source of stress in my life. It’s the treacle I have to wade through before getting to more important – and rewarding – aspects of my job. Email makes you react instead of just act. You clear your in-box, but still it keeps dripping back in. Drip, drip, drip…

I regularly rant to friends and colleagues about how much I hate email, and they all feel the same. Everybody hates it – but there’s nothing to be done about it, right?

Wrong. If we all work together, we can try to reduce its corrosive effects. For a start, let’s agree that the following types of messages, demands and behaviours should never get as far as the ‘Send’ button: • There’s a new policy that means you all have to do exactly what I tell you, immediately • I need everybody in the entire university to check something for me, immediately – even though there’s already a system in place for checking this

• Here’s a book-length essay about something that annoys me, and it’s clearly unsuited to and inappropriate for the medium of email.

But still, please take several hours to read my rant • I’m copying you into a massive email chain that’s already been doing the rounds for a few weeks. Now it’s your turn to get involved • I’m going to copy about eight people into this email even though only one person needs to know this • Better still, I’m going to copy it to a list with hundreds of recipients because I really enjoy splashing my views about willy-nilly • I enjoy delighting everyone with provocative emails that are guaranteed to provoke several outraged responses, all of which will be copied to everyone and help to keep their in-boxes nice and full • Everybody must be congratulated publicly.

Rather than send someone an individual email to compliment them or – God forbid – say it in person, I’ll copy everybody into the message so everyone can see how generous I am with my praise Now, if you read any of those and thought to yourself, ‘But wait a minute, I do that’, then you’re part of the problem. Why not become part of the solution and stop sending out that type of email?

But individuals can only do so much. Here are some policies that universities could implement to improve efficiency and – let’s face it – the quality of all of our lives:

• Email-free Fridays • Email-free evenings and weekends • 30-email limit. Nobody may send more than 30 emails a day, and each recipient counts as one email • 30-email limit (alternative version). Staff are forbidden from dealing with more than 30 emails a day • 150-word limit. No email may be more than 150 words long. Try a letter, phone call or face-to-face conversation instead • Go nuclear. Up to 1997 or so, people ran universities using phones, printed memos, letters and meetings. It worked for decades.

Why not go back to it and ban email altogether? I have a sneaking suspicion that without the medium of email, many of the more annoying aspects of our job would just evaporate These rules would apply only to internal emails; they wouldn’t interfere with activities that require emailing people outside the University. However, a more draconian version would make them apply to all email.

One final thought. I finally cleared my email in-box at about noon today, having waded into it at 8.45am. It’s now 1.15pm, and I have 34 emails waiting for my attention. Drip, drip, drip…

This is a version of Oliver Double’s memo to Drama colleagues and an article published in the THES (8 December 2011).

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Kent in the news

Green Kent team win national award for green innovation

Kent staff continue to make a strong contribution to international, national and regional news. There have been contributions from, among others, the schools of Politics and International Relations, Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, Economics, European Culture and Languages, and Psychology.

International and national broadcast coverage included Professor Richard Whitman, of Politics and International Relations, who was interviewed on YLE from Finland on UK/EU relations. Dr Beth Breeze, of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, was interviewed on BBC Radio 4 on her research into philanthropic giving, while Professor Roger Vickerman, of Economics, appeared on the same channel to discuss high-speed rail.

Regional broadcast coverage included Professor Ray Laurence, of European Culture and Languages, who was interviewed by BBC Radio Kent on his research on Roman traffic jams, and Professor Peter TaylorGooby, of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, who was interviewed on the situation in North Korea.

National newspaper and online coverage included Professor Dominic Abrams, of Psychology, who was quoted in www.Stuff on ageism in the UK, and Dr Karen Douglas, of the same school, who was quoted in the Daily Telegraph on her research into conspiracy theories.

Regional newspaper coverage included Kent Business School’s research into what constitutes competitive edge in Kent Business, and Simon Raby, who featured in the Herne Bay Gazette providing advice on business growth. The University’s £0.6 billion contribution to the regional economy featured in www.kent.news.

Kent to host Erasmus Staff Training Week International Development is hosting an Erasmus Staff Training Week from 20 to 24 February.

Administrative and other non-teaching staff at our Erasmus partner universities have been invited to take part in this interactive programme of workshops and presentations with the emphasis on developing an insight into the practices of higher education institutions across Europe.

The Training Week will include a general overview of higher education in the UK, as well as Kent-specific presentations on the international student experience and internationalisation.

In line with Kent’s Internationalisation Strategy, the Training Week will provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen links with our strategic partners and to discuss best practice. For further information, contact Primrose Paskins in International Development, email P.M.A.Paskins@kent.ac.uk

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Professor Sarah Spurgeon and Jo Scamp from EDA, with David Brown from Office Depot and Jo Kemp, National Green Impact Project Manager.

The success of Kent’s Green Impact scheme has been underlined with a national award for one of the departments taking part.

The School of Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA) has received the National Office Depot Innovation Award. Judges were impressed by the wide-ranging green projects available to EDA students – from creating a poster on an environmental theme, to monitoring the performance of solar panel technologies and developing intelligent battery chargers. The School was also commended for its enterprising support of local companies, including a networked power controller for Medway-based Energy Solutions Ltd. Professor Sarah Spurgeon, Head of EDA, said: ‘The green agenda is at the heart of engineering and technology at the moment, and we are delighted that our efforts to embed this agenda within all facets of the life of our School have been recognised by this national award.’

Kent’s Greener Living Assistant Emily Crockford commented: ‘I was extremely proud to see a University team achieve success at this level.

I congratulate all involved at EDA and everyone else who has achieved so much as part of Green Impact teams across the Canterbury and Medway campuses.’

Kent has been running the Green Impact environmental accreditation scheme for three years. The scheme encourages individuals to make positive environmental behaviour changes within their departments and work towards a Bronze, Silver or Gold standard.

To date, over 30 Kent departments have taken part and implemented over 1,000 positive green actions – contributing to 19,500 green actions by universities across the country. A number of special awards have also been made to celebrate innovative achievements and congratulate environmental heroes. EDA was entered for the national award after winning the Office Depot award at Kent during the University’s annual Green Impact awards ceremony.

Hospitality What’s new at the Gulbenkian Liz Moran has recently joined the Gulbenkian as Commercial Manager. Liz has a strong background in the arts, including running an arts venue based at Stirling University. She has her sights firmly set on pushing the Gulbenkian forward on a local, national and international level. Here are just a few of the highlights coming soon.

LIVE performance broadcasts The Gulbenkian Cinema is to transmit live performances from the Royal Opera House.

Staff awards ceremony Kent Hospitality’s achievements during 2011 were celebrated at its annual awards ceremony.

Achievements, highlighted by Director of Commercial Services Simon Westerman, included being voted Best University Accommodation for Groups for the fourth successive year. The department also achieved a 5* food hygiene rating in many catering outlets and over 40% of its staff gained nationally accredited qualifications.

Awards were presented by Deputy ViceChancellor Denise Everitt, who said staff had succeeded not only in terms of training but also in the high levels of customer service. This was evidenced by the 96% satisfaction rating for ‘the living experience’ at Kent in the Student Barometer 2011, and was essential to the University’s continuing success in the new fees era.

Award recipients included Tessa Mangiavacchi (Hospitality Assistant, Darwin ‘flying squad’) for

achieving consistent excellence in customer service, and Chris Scrutton (Housekeeping Supervisor, Keynes College), named as Kent Hospitality’s learner of the year.

Looking through the keyhole Kent Hospitality has launched new virtual tours of accommodation and catering outlets across the Canterbury campus. The tours should prove an invaluable marketing tool for students and visitors alike.

Potential students are now able to have a good look at all the options – including our newest flats and townhouses at Keynes College – before making their accommodation choices.

External visitors can take a tour of accommodation and other facilities available across campus, including the revamped and extended Dolche Vita.

To start the season, the Gulbenkian will be screening Romeo and Juliet performed by The Royal Ballet on 22 March, followed by Rigoletto performed by The Royal Opera on 17 April. Screenings will start at 7.15pm and the performance commences at 7.30pm.

Kids’ screenings in the Cinema From February, we are expanding our offering to our younger audience by programming family-friendly films in our cinema on Saturday afternoons. Don’t miss seeing Puss in Boots 3D, Charlotte’s Web and Dolphin Tale 3D. Big kids won’t be disappointed either with a chance to see Star Wars Episode I – this time in breathtaking 3D! Find out more at www.thegulbenkian.co.uk or call our Booking Office 01227 769075.

Find out more at www.kent.ac.uk/ accommodation/ or www.kent.ac.uk/conferences/

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KENT Magazine

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What’s on

Music Friday 24 February, 7.30pm, The Crypt, Canterbury Cathedral, From Morn to Midnight featuring pieces by Monteverdi, Brahms, Whitacre and Chopin performed by the University of Kent Chamber Choir, Daniel Harding and Steph Richardson conductors and Susan Li solo piano.

Saturday 10 March, 7.30pm, Canterbury Cathedral Nave, The Colyer-Fergusson Cathedral Concert. Haydn – The Creation (sung in English) featuring the University of Kent Chorus and Symphony Orchestra, Jeremy Ovenden leader, Susan Wanless conductor, Olivia Robinson soprano, Andrew Macnair tenor and David Stout baritone.

Wednesday 21 March, 5pm, Gulbenkian Theatre Foyer, Jazz @ 5. Admission free.

Friday 23 March, 7.30pm, Gulbenkian Theatre, The Brodsky Quartet perform Wolf – Italian Serenade, Gershwin – Lullaby, Korngold – String Quartet No 2 and Beethoven – String Quartet No 15 in A Minor, Opus 132. Daniel Rowland and Ian Belton violin, Paul Cassidy viola and Jacqueline Thomas cello.

Monday 26 March, 1.10pm, Gulbenkian Theatre, Lunchtime Concert by the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble. Admission free with a suggested £3 donation.

Gulbenkian Theatre highlights Wednesday 22 – Friday 24 February, 7.45pm, T:24 presents The Country Wife by William Wycherley. A farcical romp about sex, politics and class set in the 1980s.

Saturday 25 February, 7.45pm, Elixir. This second work from Sadhana Dance sees choreographer and artistic director Subathra Subramaniam continuing to navigate the confluence of arts and science. A Café Scientifique follows with Quentin Cooper, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Material World, chairing a discussion between the show’s artists, scientists and the audience.

Tuesday 28 February, 7:45pm, Show + Tell present John Peel’s Shed by John Osborne. This smash hit at the Edinburgh Festival is an ode to radio, those records and anyone who's ever sought solace in wireless.

Wednesday 29 February, 7.45pm, An Evening with Lesley Garrett.

Friday 2 March, 7.45pm, Juan Martin Flamenco Dance Ensemble.

Saturday 3 March, 7.45pm, Theatre Action present Phoenix Rising: D.H Lawrence – Son & Lover. Written and directed by Campbell Kay with Paul Slack as DH Lawrence.

Friday 16 March, 7.45pm, The Table. Puppet innovators Blind Summit Theatre present their new show about a puppet stuck on a table.

Saturday 17 March, 2.30pm, Chatback Comedy Club’s Kids’ Hour, a stand-up show especially for kids.

Monday 5 March, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (18) Friday 9 – Sunday 11 March, Like Crazy (12A) Friday 9 –Thursday 15 March, Carnage (15) Saturday 10 March, Monster in Paris 3D (U) Monday 12 March, Underworld Awakening (15TBC) Friday 16 – Sunday 18 March, L’Atalante (PG) Friday 16 – Monday 19 March, A Dangerous Method (15) Saturday 17 and Monday 19 March, Star Wars Episode I 3D (U) For full details of times and ticket availability, please go to www.thegulbenkian.co.uk

Gulbenkian Cinema highlights Friday 17 – Tuesday 21 February, Margin Call (15) Friday 17 and Saturday 18 February, The Help (12A) Saturday 18 February, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked 3D (U) Sunday 19 and Monday 20 February, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (12A) Wednesday 22 February, Despair (15) Thursday 23 February, A Useful Life (Cert TBC) Friday 24 and Monday 27 February, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (12A) Friday 24 February – Thursday 1 March, The Artist (PG) Saturday 25 February, Puss in Boots 3D (U) Friday 2 – Sunday 4 March, W.E. (15) Friday 2 – Thursday 8 March, War Horse (12A) Saturday 3 March, Charlotte’s Web (U)

WORLD FE ST 2012

RY 23-26 FEBRUA

Worldfest is a four-day event celebrating diversity and multiculturalism at the University running from 23 to 26 February. The celebrations kick off on Thursday with a Zumba night hosted by Kent Sport.

On Friday, the Worldfest festival tent has language taster classes and workshops during the day and a programme of international music acts in the evening. The finale of the celebrations is on Sunday at the International Student Showcase in the Gulbenkian, a colourful international spectacle by Kent’s student societies. For more information, see the Worldfest website www.kent.ac.uk/worldfest

WORLDFE