Kent Magazine December 2010

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KENT The Magazine for the University of Kent | December 2010 Working to plan Hong Kong and China Portal

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Magazine for staff and alumni

Transcript of Kent Magazine December 2010

Page 1: Kent Magazine December 2010

KENTThe Magazine for the University of Kent | December 2010

Working to plan

Hong Kong and China Portal

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Dear Colleagues,

This has been a year of great change. We now have a coalition Government, and are beginning to see cuts in public sectorfunding. We have also had the outcome of Lord Browne's long-awaited review of England's higher education system, whichrecommends 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 inexcellent 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 havea campus in Brussels, but our campus in Paris is now in its second year with a growing range of unique and innovative cross-disciplinary postgraduate programmes in the Humanities. This year we made a successful bid for funding from the EuropeanCommission under the prestigious and highly competitive Erasmus Mundus Joint Doctoral scheme. The bid was for atransdisciplinary doctoral programme in the Humanities entitled 'TEEME: Text and Event in Early Modern Europe', and was theonly successful Humanities application in the 2010 competition, and is the first such programme to be coordinated by a UKinstitution.

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 newChina and Hong Kong Portal which will bring together a range of University programmes and initiatives and provide a focus fornew links between European and Chinese researchers. This is a particularly exciting development in that it brings together manyaspects of our internationalisation agenda.

Meanwhile, following a range of fundraising activities in the United States, we have now established a fund which is beingendowed entirely by alumni who have either come from, or are resident in, the United States. This reflects the immenseenthusiasm 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 ratedamong the best for student satisfaction in the annual National Student Survey, and this year we saw a number of our schoolsranked 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 anexcellent example of purpose-built accommodation which has allowed the three areas of the school – Film, Drama and VisualArts – to come together in top quality space. We are also planning to expand our offering of the Visual and Creative Arts inMedway 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 progresstowards achieving its mission. One of the highlights has been the launch of the Global Skills Award in October following asuccessful bid for Ideas Factory Funding. We now have over 200 postgraduate students accepted for a place on the Awardprogramme which is designed to enhance both global awareness and employability skills.

Season’s greetings

Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow DBE, CBEVice-Chancellor

Welcome

Special thanks to: Lesley Farr, University Design & Print Centre. Photographs by Robert Berry, Stephen Blakeley, Nick Ellwood, Spencer Scott, Lesley Farr,Simon Jarratt, Tempest

3 News 6 Working to plan 8 Research 10 Enterprise 11 Honorarygraduates/Improving the system 12 Human Resources 13 Hong Kong andChina Portal launched 14 Kent in the News/Obituary 15 Sports/Registerof interests 16 What’s on/Gulbenkian Director retires

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New professors appointed atMedway campus

Vice-Chancellor receivesher DBEOn 3 November, Vice-Chancellor, ProfessorDame Julia M Goodfellow, received her DBE,awarded for services to science in the Queen’sbirthday honours list, from the Queen atBuckingham Palace.

KENTWe have set up a readers’ panelfor staff. Please get in touch if youwould like to become a member. Weare keen to have your feedback andletters are welcome from all our readers.Simply email the editorial team [email protected]

Kent is also available online atwww.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 nextissue is 17 January, with a publicationdate of 9 February.

KENTThe Magazine for the University of Kent | December 2010

Working to plan

Hong Kong and China Portal

The University has appointed seven newprofessors at its Medway campus as itcontinues to strengthen its researchcapability at schools based at the historicChatham maritime site.

Welcoming the new professors, Vice-ChancellorProfessor Dame Julia M Goodfellow and Dean ofSocial Sciences John Wightman said the moverepresented another clear sign of Kent’sinvestment in research and teaching at thecampus.

Pictured (L-R) are: Professor Katie Truss, KentBusiness School; Professor Tim Howle, School ofArts; Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame Julia MGoodfellow; John Wightman; Professor AlexStevens and Professor Phil Hubbard (both

School of Social Policy, Sociology and SocialResearch); Professor Nick Grief (Kent LawSchool). Two other new members of the Medwayprofessoriate, Professor Amanda Beech of theSchool of Arts, and Professor Samuele Marcora,of the Centre for Sports Studies, were notavailable for the photo-shoot.

Plans are currently being developed forimproved teaching and research facilities at themaritime campus. These include an expandedpresence in the dockyard part of the campus toaccommodate the School of Arts and a moveinto the Compass Centre for Kent Law Schooland the Centre for Professional Practice. This willfree up more space at the University’s Medwaybuilding for Kent Business School andComputing.

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Darwin College celebrates its40th anniversaryThe University’s Darwin College celebrated its40th birthday with an evening reception in thenewly refurbished Origins Bar and Restaurant onFriday 12 November to the beat of the SmoothJazz Quartet.

Many staff, students, honorary senior membersand friends of Darwin College attended thereception and heard speeches from three formerCollege Masters, Mr John Butler, Eur Ing BobEager and Dr Anthony Ward, who reflected ontheir time at Darwin. Current Master, NancyGaffield, who hosted the event, then called uponPro Vice-Chancellor, John Baldock, to proposethe toast to the College before the cutting of thecake. A student party, attended by more than100 students, ensured the celebrationscontinued late into the night.

This celebration will be followed, on 16 February2011, by the 40th annual Darwin Feast. The Feastwill be preceded by an Open Lecture, in whichProfessor Brian Boyd, University DistinguishedProfessor of English, University of Auckland, willexplore the topic of evolution and storytelling.

New Daily Mail scholarship atCentre for JournalismA new annual scholarship funded by AssociatedNewspapers for a gifted postgraduatemultimedia journalism student at Kent will belaunched next year.

Kent’s Centre for Journalism will offer thosewinning places on its MA in MultimediaJournalism an opportunity to compete for theDaily Mail Scholarship, worth £10,000 a year. Thescholarship winner will have their annual tuitionfees covered – and enjoy a work placement atwhat is generally considered to be the UK’s mostsuccessful news-gathering business.

A competition will be advertised next spring forpostgraduate applicants to the MA, which is anintensive full-time degree. The award for the bestentry will be announced shortly after studentswho have won places join the course in October.

The new Daily Mail Scholarship will sit alongsidethe Bob Friend Memorial Scholarship forundergraduates at Kent’s Centre for Journalism.

quality of our students and the excellentreputation that Kent Law School has within thelegal profession.’

Light graffiti illuminates interestin PhysicsA group of young people from the Canterburyand Sittingbourne branches of Connexions tookpart in a week of Science and Art activities at theUniversity’s School of Physical Sciences.

The week’s activities formed part of LightTAG, anambitious youth-led project, which will enable 72young people, from six communities to buildconfidence and achievement through a uniquescience and media art collaboration. The weekfocused on using light and creative photographyto produce light drawings (light graffiti) and lightanimations. It provided an opportunity forparticipants to create a high profile, visuallyengaging outcome, which challenges commonperceptions concerning media, science andyouth culture.

The project will culminate in a celebratory eventat the British Film Institute at the Southbank anda touring exhibition which will visit the universitiesinvolved in the project. They include University forthe Creative Arts and the South East PhysicsNetwork (SEPnet); University of Surrey; RoyalHolloway; University of Kent; Queen Mary’sCollege; University of Southampton and theUniversity of Sussex.

Rare bat found in oil palmplantation’s oasisThe discovery of a rare bat species in a tinyfragment of rainforest surrounded by an oil palmplantation has demonstrated that even smallareas of forest are worth saving.

This first record of the Ridley’s leaf-nosed batin Sumatra follows the publication of a paper inConservation Letters that suggests retainingforest fragments within oil palm plantations is notan effective strategy for protecting wildlife.

Conservationists from Kent’s Durrell Institute ofConservation and Ecology (DICE), Queen Mary,University of London and the Zoological Societyof London (ZSL) discovered the Ridley’s leaf-nosed bat in a 300 hectare fragment of forestduring a biodiversity survey in West Sumatra,Indonesia.

Kent Law Fair 2010Students from Kent Law School (KLS) made themost of an opportunity to learn more aboutvacation scheme employment and trainingcontracts with some of the UK’s leading lawfirms during the Kent Law Fair 2010.

The annual Fair, which was held on theCanterbury campus, was organised by KLS’Kent Student Law Society (KSLS) and featuredrepresentatives from a range of major national,local and international firms such as DLA PiperUK LLP, Girlings Solicitors, Freshfields, Ashurst,Trowers and Hamlins LLP, Furley Page LLP,Thompson Snell and Passmore, and DentonWilde Sapte. Also in attendance wererepresentatives from the University’s CareersAdvisory Service.

Organiser of the Fair, Rose Sheppardcommented: ‘I was overwhelmed by the fantasticturnout at this year’s Law Fair by both thecompanies and the students. I would especiallylike to thank the firms for their continuing support– their presence is very reassuring in thisuncertain financial climate.’

Professor Joanne Conaghan, Head of KLS,added: ‘The Fair is illustrative of the support andpreparation that our students can expect as theyprepare for their future careers, and theattraction of Kent as a destination for so manyleading law firms speaks volumes about the

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1 Darwin College celebrates its 40th anniversary2 Light graffiti illuminates interest in Physics3 Rare bat found in oil palm plantation’s oasis4 ‘On a Foggy Day’, the winning photograph from

the Love your campus competition

To meet the Principles and Criteria of theRoundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil relating tobiodiversity, member palm oil producers have toidentify High Conservation Values within theirconcession, or that could be affected by theiroperations, and then implement measures tomaintain and enhance these values.

The area surveyed in Sumatra is currentlymanaged as a conservation area by the palm oilcompany, limiting the impact of logging andencroachment on the forest fragment.

This survey was led by Dr Matthew Struebig ofDICE and Queen Mary, University of London. Hesaid: ‘The findings of our survey suggest that anetwork of forest fragments may be appropriatefor some species of high conservation concern.The scientific community needs to continue tosupport the business community to find ways inwhich our threatened wildlife can persist in thesemanaged areas over the long-term.’

Architecture graduates launchdesign co-operativeTwo forward-thinking Kent School of Architecturegraduates have used the University’s GraduateInternship Scheme as a springboard to launchan exciting new design co-operative which will inturn recruit from the scheme.

The scheme enabled Master’s in Architecturegraduates, Pier-Luigi del Renzio and Sara Tilley,to join Miles Berkley, an independent creativeconsultant, for a number of projects in andaround the University. This association quicklyevolved into Beetroot Design, an equalpartnership that aims to provide an intelligent,critical and progressive approach to generaldesign services and community activism.

Beetroot Design has a key interest in theimprovement of public spaces to enhance socialcontact and informal learning. Most recently, thepartners had discussions with EastbourneBorough Council to assist in the ‘reimagining ofthe town’.

Based at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham,Beetroot Design aims to recruit a number of Kentgraduates, via the Internship Scheme, to acombination of short- and long-term contractsand will add other creative professionals whennecessary. For more information about BeetrootDesign email [email protected]

Love your campusAs part of the Creative Campus and Kent Union‘Love Your Campus’ initiative, a photocompetition was held earlier this term with thewinners announced at a lunchtime event in theMarlowe Foyer, create space, attended by over300 people.

Miles Berkley of Creative Campus said: ‘Wewere surprised and delighted with the quality ofthe 200 plus entries, which came mostly fromstudents and featured both the Canterbury andMedway 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’

Commendations: Marguerite Bellec, ‘AnEnlightening Love’, Carl Ritson, ‘RutherfordAutumn Dawn’, and Sam Westbury, ‘VerticalGarden’.

After holding a ‘pop up’ exhibition on the day, anarchive of the ‘long list’ of photos has beenprepared and can be found athttp://www.flickr.com/photos/beetroot-design/sets

A selection of the photographs can be seen nowon the ‘On the Buses’ Unibus poster series.

Currently, Beetroot Designs, who manage theprocess on behalf of Creative Campus, are busycreating three exhibitions with an interactiveelement. These will commence in the BridgeWardens College social space before Christmasand will move to the Crossover Gallery at theGulbenkian in February. It is intended to invite thephotographers and those viewing to form acommunity as a platform for future initiatives.

Kent joins programme topromote gay equalityThe University has joined Stonewall’s DiversityChampions programme. The programme, run bythe gay equality charity, promotes a goodworking environment for all existing and potentialemployees and aims to ensure equal treatmentfor those who are lesbian, gay and bisexual.

The University joins employers as diverse asGoogle, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the ArmedForces on the programme, which reached 600members this summer.

Elections to the UniversityCouncilAcademic Staff representatives (2 places)

The following members of staff, having been dulynominated and following an election, aredeclared elected to serve on the Council of theUniversity representing the academic andresearch staff for the period from 1 August 2010to 31 July 2013:

Professor Paddy Ireland, Professor of Law, KentLaw School; Professor Sarah VickerstaffProfessor of Work and Employment, School ofSocial Policy, Sociology and Social Research.

Other Staff representative (1 place)

The following member of staff, having been dulynominated, is declared elected to serve on theCouncil of the University representing staff otherthan academic and academic-related staff forthe period from 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2013:

Joanna Walpole, Personal Assistant to the Deanof Sciences.

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Government Chief Scientific Adviser and DrTadataka Yamada, President of the GlobalHealth Programme at the Gates Foundation. It isalso developing partnership activities focusingon areas such as student exchanges andplacements, staff links, and research andenterprise interactions.

Kent has partnerships with over 100 universitiesacross Europe, spanning European doubledegrees, staff and student exchanges throughthe Erasmus scheme and academic andcollaborative initiatives with a distinctiveEuropean focus. European funding has beenreceived via the prestigious Erasmus Mundusprogramme, Interreg, Framework programmes,Tempus, Erasmus co-operation window, MarieCurie and the European Research Council.

Kent is the main sponsor of the BromptonAcademy, which opened in September 2010 andspecialises in teaching science and arts to 11-18year olds in North Kent. It has also overseenwide-ranging curriculum activities with 19partner schools and Further Education colleges.

International impactThe number of overseas students at Kentcontinues to grow year-on-year. The University’slatest European campus, the University of Kentat Paris, opened in 2009 and is already meetingits business targets.

The international student experience is beingenhanced through, for example, improvedwelcome and induction activities, greaterlearning and culture support, access to campusfacilities over the Christmas/New Year closure,creation of a Kent Union international studentcommittee and launch of Worldfest, a celebrationof multiculturalism across campuses.

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 andprofessional way.

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At the latest Council meeting, the ExecutiveGroup presented an update on achievementsagainst that plan. Below we summarise the keydevelopments during 2009-10.

Leading UK universityKent has continued to perform strongly in theNational Student Survey and has underlined itsacademic and research excellence with, forexample, high quality publications and majorgrant funding. There has been a small, butsignificant, increase in the award of larger andcross-disciplinary grants.

The University has welcomed distinguishedvisitors including Professor John Beddington, the

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The University’s Internationalisation Strategy isbeing enacted via, for example, its strategy board,the internationalisation task force, annual Facultyroadshows, work on student mobility and actionsin response to the International Student Barometer(in which the University was rated highly).

Kent has expanded its network of internationalpartners to include a number of new high-statuspartners. And in another coup for the University,the School of English was awarded the firstErasmus-Mundus inter-university programmegrant.

Inspiring studentsThe University’s Student Ambassador scheme,open to both undergraduate and postgraduatestudents, has a significant impact among bothambassadors themselves and, through theirwork, on partner schools and colleges. Kent hasprovided new opportunities for volunteering andwork experience through its Creative Campus. Ithas also reviewed the Personal AcademicSupport System and offered enhanced researchtraining within the Kent Graduate School.

Kent has provided more on-line supportmaterials for students covering, for example,assessment, e-learning, personal developmentplanning and placement opportunities. Moodlehas replaced webCT as the University’s VirtualLearning Environment, following feedback fromstaff and student surveys.

Kent has promoted student enterprise activitiesincluding the Network 612 module, a forum forsmall business, graduate entrepreneurship andbusiness support, and The Bulb, a dedicatedspace for student enterprise projects within theCanterbury Innovation Centre.

Language tuition for both staff and students hasbeen expanded through the Centre for Europeanand World Languages.

World-leading researchThe number of research active staff hasincreased significantly, particularly at theMedway campus. Grant wins are on target toexceed the value for 2008-9 and there has beena significant increase in postgraduate taughtregistrations, particularly from overseas.

Major research accolades include ProfessorAdrian Podoleanu, from the School of PhysicalSciences, receiving Kent’s first award from theEuropean Research Council and the Centre forMolecular Processing winning its first three majorawards.

Innovation, enterprise andcreativityThe University’s Creative Campus campaignproduced over 25 projects engaging staff,students and the local community in activitiessuch as learning and teaching, the arts,environment and estates. A flexible space forboth social and creative, informal learning wasdeveloped within the foyer of the Marlowebuilding.

The launch of Kent’s Innovation, Creativity andEnterprise (ICE) initiative was attended by 65companies and has already produced newleads and work. There are now 10 KnowledgeTransfer Partnerships within the University –enabling companies to obtain knowledge,technology or skills of strategic competitiveimportance from the further or higher educationsector – and contract values for enterpriseactivities have doubled to £1.6 million.

Effective operationThe University has developed a new HR strategy,focusing on leadership, people managementand development, workforce planning, employeecommunication and consultation, equality anddiversity.

Planning applications have been approved fornew residences at Keynes and the Colyer-Fergusson Building and plans are beingdeveloped for a new college adjacent toChaucer College.

The University has received philanthropicdonations, particularly from US-based alumni, tosupport initiatives including student scholarshipsand the Colyer-Fergusson Building.

Kent has also exceeded its budget performanceand increased enterprise income. TheUniversity’s accounts for 2009/10 showed apositive operating surplus, reflecting good costcontrol and income generation across academicschools and professional services.

For more information about Kent’s InstitutionalPlan, see: www.kent.ac.uk/about/plan

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A new research project is toexplore how extraordinaryrendition and secret detention ofterror suspects has developed andwhether they are a US-ledphenomena.

Headed by Dr Ruth Blakeley from the School ofPolitics and International Relations, the researchteam will explore three key questions: is theglobal system of rendition and secret detentionUS-led, or is it a more diffuse system with distinctand partly autonomous regional sub-systemsthat serve specific local as well as US interests;are there any regional differences in the ways inwhich rendition and secret detention havedeveloped and are operated; and can anyspecific evolutionary moments or shifts in thedevelopment and operation of rendition andsecret detention be identified.

Sources will include databases of detentionfacilities and detainees, and the case histories ofvictims of rendition. The project is being fundedby the Economic Social and Research Council’sSmall Grants scheme. Dr Sam Raphael from theUniversity of Kingston is co-investigator.

Dr Blakeley said: ‘Rendition and secret detentionfirst came to light in 2002 with the detention ofover 700 prisoners in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. In2004, the efforts of avid plane spotters andinvestigative journalists led to the identification ofmany repeated flights by a Gulfstream V turbojetwith tail number N379P, in and out of countriesthat included Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Dubai,Azerbaijan, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt,Jordan, the USA, Germany, Sweden, Scotlandand Cyprus. The jet was traced back to the CIAand was found to have been used to transferdetainees, kidnapped on behalf of the CIA, tosecret detention facilities around the worldknown as ‘black sites’, where they could be heldillicitly for the purposes of interrogation.

Shedding light onrendition

Research awards list

Some recent research awards

Dr Ebrahim Soltani (Kent Business School):£80,489 from the Economic and SocialResearch Council (ESRC) for ‘The dynamicsof contextual forces, management’sorientations and change managementpractices: a tracer study of banking andfinancial institutions’.

Professor Douglas MacMillan (School ofAnthropology and Conservation): £27,575from the US Fish and Wildlife Service for ‘TheKinabatangan conservation corridor project,designing living landscapes for endangeredapes in Sabah, Malaysia’.

‘It therefore became clear that rendition andsecret detention extend far beyond Guantánamo.While it is generally assumed that rendition andproxy detention are US-led, early evidencesuggests that it may be a much more diffusephenomenon. It also appears to be operatingdifferently in the three regions most involved –Asia, the Middle East and Africa.’

Dr Blakeley hopes that ‘the findings from thisstudy may challenge public assumptions aboutrendition and secret detention as a US responseto terrorism’. She also hopes that, while thedevelopment of a theoretical model to explainrendition will contribute to scholarly debate onsecurity collaborations and state violence, ‘thefindings will also be of practical use to thoseagencies involved in the legal representation ofvictims of these illicit, yet widespread,phenomenon’.

Professor Mark Smales (Centre for MolecularProcessing): £64,000 from Medimmune for‘Development of predictive tools andformulations for improved stability and deliveryof recombinant protein formulations for bio-therapeutic use’.

Professor Jiangzhou Wang (School ofEngineering and Digital Arts): £461,346 from theEuropean Commission for ‘User-centric wirelesslocal-loop (ULOOP)’.

Professor Byron Morgan (School ofMathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science):£209,481 from the Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council (EPSRC) for‘National Centre for Statistical Ecology’.

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Challenge to Governmentdrugs policyThe criminalisation of drug users has failed toreduce the illicit use of drugs and the poor arelikely to suffer more from drug-related harm,such as imprisonment and death, than richerpeople despite lower usage. These are amongthe key findings of a new book by Universitycriminologist Professor Alex Stevens thatfundamentally challenges current UKgovernment drugs policy.

Based on 15 years of research in the field, thebook shows how criminalisation of drug usershas not reduced drug-related harm, either in theUK or internationally. It shows that illicit drug useis now widespread, and is actually morecommon among richer people than the socio-economically deprived. However, it is the poorwho 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-handedresponse to drug problems, but an ideologicalattack on less privileged groups who usecertain types of drugs;

• That increased criminalisation does notreduce drug use. Portugal and theNetherlands – two countries with more liberaldrug policies – both have lower rates of druguse than the UK and USA;

• That black people in England and Wales aresix times more likely to be arrested, and 11times more likely to be imprisoned for drugoffences than white people. This is despitethere being no evidence that black peoplehave higher rates of drug offences;

• That the available evidence in this area hasrepeatedly been ignored, in favour of policieswith no evidence which maintain the powerand privilege of powerful social groups.

Professor Stevens, of the University’s School ofSocial Policy, Sociology and Social Research,said: ‘The available evidence suggests that littleharm would come from decriminalising thepersonal possession of drugs. Very little isknown about the potential of more ambitioussteps towards legalisation, including enablingthe legal supply of low strength preparations ofcannabis, coca and opium.

‘I would argue that we need to be bolder intaking evaluated steps towards more effective,evidence-based policies to increase freedomand reduce drug-related harm.’

Kent software tool wins 2010Premier AwardA University-developed free-to-downloadsoftware tool that teaches computerprogramming to children from 14 years upwardshas been awarded the 2010 Premier Award forExcellence in Engineering EducationCourseware at the Frontiers in EducationConference in Washington DC.

Known as Greenfoot, the software tool was oneof only two systems to receive the award thisyear, both having been deemed by EngineeringPathway to be outstanding examples of ‘high-quality, engaging, non-commercial learninginnovations designed to enhance engineeringeducation.’

The Award was collected by Ian Utting andDavin McCall from the Greenfoot team.

Greenfoot was developed and is maintained byan active research project within the ComputingEducation Research Group at the University’sSchool of Computing as part of a collaborationwith La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.

The case for morefeminist judgesLegal judgments could end in differentoutcomes if more senior feminist judgesare appointed to the UK’s courts, accordingto a new study.

Feminist scholars re-examined 23judgments in key English cases such asrape trials, child custody in divorce, same-sex marriage, asylum and wearingheadscarves in schools.

The Feminist Judgments Project, led by theUniversity of Kent and Durham University,found that different outcomes might havebeen achieved in some cases by applyinga feminist perspective to the judgments.

More feminist judges were needed toimprove decision-making in legal cases andbring greater diversity to the judiciary, theresearchers said.

There is currently only one woman,Supreme Court Justice Baroness BrendaHale, on the UK Supreme Court, and onlysix women have ever sat in the Court ofAppeal or House of Lords (now theSupreme Court). Women make up 20 percent of the judiciary as a whole and, in thesenior judiciary, there are 21 women and161 men, the researchers said.

The research findings were officiallypublished on Thursday 11 November in anew book, Feminist Judgments: FromTheory to Practice (Hart Publishing).

The work was co-ordinated by ProfessorRosemary Hunter of Kent Law School,University of Kent and Professor ClareMcGlynn and Dr Erika Rackley of DurhamLaw School, Durham University. It wasfunded by the Economic and SocialResearch Council.

Professor McGlynn said: ‘A morerepresentative judiciary, taking into accountthe views and perspectives of the wholepopulation, could reach fairer decisions.’

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The Bulb. A second-year film student whoattended was impressed: ‘The workshop wasgreat, it was really good to be able to talk withother people rather than just listen to a lecture.’

The Bulb is part of the University’s StudentInnovation Zone, which gives like-mindedstudents the opportunity to meet and networkwith others from different disciplines and developenterprise and employability skills.

You can book the innovation space and discussproject ideas with the Student Enterprise Officer,Tracy Crowther on ext 3733 or [email protected], or go to the studententerprise website www.kentroundone.co.uk forfurther information.

KTP success with globalpharmaceutical companyThe University has recently gained fundingapproval for another Knowledge TransferPartnership (KTP). The Partnership is betweenthe School of Anthropology and Conservationand the School of Psychology and Pfizer UK Ltd.

KTPs help businesses to improve theircompetitiveness, productivity and performance.The KTP with Pfizer will take a social scienceapproach to understanding workplace cultureand will help to inform initiatives designed toalign culture with business requirements.

Apart from the transfer of knowledge from theUniversity to Pfizer, the KTP will provide avaluable opportunity for cross-disciplinarycollaboration. It is anticipated that the KTP willprovide an exceptional case study that will becompatible with broader economic realities andsocial science theories. It will provide distinctivestudy material and wider knowledge for theacademic classroom and across disciplines andliteratures.

For more information on KTPs, please contactLesley Chater on ext 3802, or [email protected].

A dedicated, flexible space is available for staffand students to develop innovative and creativeprojects, multidisciplinary activities andinteractive workshops.

The Bulb, based in the Canterbury InnovationCentre, has already hosted a wide range ofactivities including an actuarial careers fair runby students from the Invicta Society, Network612(a partnership between Kent Innovation andEnterprise and Kent Business School) events,Graduate School employability workshops and aseries of competitions and workshops.

In November, Director of the Centre for Researchon Social Climate, Dr Ulrich Weger held an extra-curricular workshop ‘Make Things Happen’ at

Space to makenew discoveries

Funded by the Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council (EPSRC) and KentInnovation & Enterprise (KIE), the AcademicMentor Voucher Scheme gives postgraduates,undergraduates and staff with innovative andenterprising ideas the opportunity to get advicefrom academic experts at Kent.

Academics will be paid for the time they spendgiving technical and expert advice, idea

evaluation and mentoring to student/staff-ledinnovations in the form of a ‘voucher’, paid totheir school at the rate of £100 per hour. Thismay then lead to commercial opportunities andfurther ideas for areas of research.

For further information on becoming a mentoror to progress a business idea, please contactext 4641 or email [email protected].

New voucher scheme to encourage business ideas

University and Dstl promotecollaborationThe Defence Science Technology Lab,Ministry of Defence (Dstl) held its first jointnetworking event with a university inNovember at Kent. Academics wereinformed of the Ministry of Defence’s highpriority areas and told how their researchcould be relevant to the Dstl, ultimatelyidentifying and developing areas of fundingand future partnership.

For further information regarding the eventand its outcomes please [email protected] or call ext 7376.

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Honorary graduates

At this November’s degree ceremoniesheld in Canterbury Cathedral, honorarydegrees were awarded to distinguishedarchitect David Chipperfield, acclaimedballet dancer and broadcaster DeborahBull, internationally-celebrated journalistPatrick Cockburn, and well-known Kentchoral musical director Richard Cooke.

David Chipperfield established DavidChipperfield Architects in 1984. It has since wonover 50 national and international competitions,awards and citations for design excellenceincluding the the 2007 Stirling Prize.

David Chipperfield has also received numerouspersonal commendations including beingnamed as an Honorary Fellow of the AmericanInstitute of Architects and an Honorary Memberof the Bund Deutscher Architekten. He was alsoawarded Germany’s Order of Merit – thatnation’s highest tribute for services. In 2010, hereceived a knighthood and was the recipient ofthe Royal Institute of British Architects’ RoyalGold Medal for Architecture 2011.

Deborah Bull is a dancer, writer and broadcasterwho gained worldwide fame as a principal withthe Royal Ballet. Born in Derby but living for partof her childhood in Kent, she retired from theRoyal Ballet in 2001 to become Creative Directorof ROH2 at the Royal Opera House, where shehad earlier founded the Artists’ DevelopmentInitiative (ADI). In 2008, she was made CreativeDirector of the Royal Opera House.

As well as her dancing career, Deborah Bulllectures on the arts, has published three booksand is a regular contributor to the media. Shewas a member of Arts Council England from1998-2005 and a Governor of the BBC from2003-06. In the 1999 Queen’s Birthday HonoursList, she was made a CBE.

Patrick Cockburn has been a Middle Eastcorrespondent since 1979, and is one of themost experienced commentators on Iraq. He hasalso written three books on Iraq’s history. Hisjournalism has been recognised with asuccession of awards, including the MarthaGellhorn Prize and the Orwell Prize for hiscoverage of Iraq and his son’s schizophrenia. In2010, he also won a Peace through MediaAward from the International Council for Pressand Broadcasting at the sixth annualInternational Media Awards.

Born in Ireland in 1950 and raised in CountyCork, Patrick Cockburn has also written amemoir, The Broken Boy, which recalled hischildhood in 1950s Ireland, and chronicled hisown experiences of surviving polio and the widerissue of the way the disease was handled at thetime.

Richard Cooke marked his 25th anniversary asMusic Director of Canterbury Choral Society inJune 2009. Under his direction, the choir hasgiven over 130 concerts in Canterbury Cathedralof works composed over four centuries.

Richard Cooke was born in Cornwall andbecame a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral,London at the age of eight. Later, he sang as aChoral Scholar in the choir of King’s College,Cambridge under Sir David Willcocks. His careerin conducting began at Cambridge and histraining as a professional singer led him to manysubsequent appointments as a choral conductor,including Director of Choral Music at TiffinSchool in Kingston-on-Thames, and Conductorof The London Philharmonic Choir. He is also indemand as a teacher for young singers, many ofwhom have gone on to flourishing national andinternational careers.

David Chipperfield Debroah Bull

Patrick Cockburn Richard Cooke

The ‘University of Kent Process ImprovementCentre’ was launched in November and is thenext phase of a University wide project led byDarren Cunningham, Faculty AdministrationManager (Sciences) as part of the FacultyAdministration Managers’ three-year strategy todevelop processes, people, connections, andstrategic awareness. The Centre is located inRoom 35 of the Marlowe Building and offersinterested parties the opportunity to makebusiness processes more efficient and effective.

Triaster software, known as Process Navigator,is used within the Centre to present processes toend users in a user-friendly format. The Centreintends to produce a series of useful processmaps that will collectively form the ‘Kent

Business Process Library’. This library will beaccessible to all University staff in early 2011 viaCampusonline, and will give users a single pointof reference, with the additional benefit of policydocuments and template forms being attachedto specific parts of a process when required. Amapping policy has also been generated by theCentre to ensure that process maps on thesystem are of high quality, and each map withinthe library has a real-time feedback button toensure that the processes presented areaccurate and reliable.

So far Triaster have trained 40 University staff inthe use of their Process Navigator software andmore in-house training will take place shortly.There are now several Business Process

Mapping Champions who are tasked withmapping and re-engineering many of ourbusiness processes in various areas of theUniversity. The project is part of the successfulmodernisation funding bid and is being led bythe Academic Division, supported by several keyareas of the University such as HumanResources, Finance, Information Services, andthe Alumni and Development Office.

Anyone interested in knowing more about theCentre or being involved should contact DarrenCunningham on ext 4923 or email [email protected]

Improving the system

Page 12: Kent Magazine December 2010

12 KENT Magazine

Human Resources

Changing times, changing needsThe need for institutional change has beenrecognised at all levels within the University. TheVice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Julia MGoodfellow wrote in July’s KENT about the needto respond to the changes planned for the sector.She said: ‘In the light of inevitable change, it isthis balance – that of our core activities againstour ‘public good’ role – that I, together with mycolleagues, will be considering very carefullythroughout the next academic year.’

In 2008, we introduced the Heads Leadershipand Management Programme, for all newheads of academic schools and professionalservices departments who are also members ofthe Managers’ Forum. In light of the rapidlychanging higher education environment and thefeedback from previous participants, we haverevised the programme for 2010/11.

The revised programme is built around fourthematic areas: Financial Management, StrategicLeadership and Planning; Leading People, Teams,and Organisations; and People Management fora Diverse Environment. More practical applicationof the topics within the sector and the Universitycontext has been added and Executive Groupmembers, Deans, and existing Heads will beactively involved in presentations and questionand answer sessions. Each module outline willbe shared with an existing Head to confirm itsrelevancy. For example, Head of the School ofHistory Professor Kenneth Fincham reviewed theStrategic Leadership and Planning module andhas supported the planned approach andcontent with the words, ‘Sign me up’.

This programme is the first to be developedcentrally to address our changing times;programmes to support staff at other levels arealso in development.

New policies launchedA number of new policies have recentlybeen introduced. The new Induction Policy(see ‘Welcoming new staff’ below), guidanceon the Working Time Regulations and threepolicies under the heading of Wellbeing:Special Leave, Alcohol and SubstanceMisuse and Critical Illness. Special Leavecovers most situations where staff may needto take leave outside of their contractualholidays, including time off for bone marrowor organ donation and allowing leave forreligious/cultural observances.

For further information go to www.kent.ac.uk/hr-staffinformation/policies/a-z.html

Staff involved in recruitment and selection areinvited to attend the following workshops:

Recruitment & Selection Part I: JobDescriptions and Person SpecificationsTwo-hour workshop designed for staff withresponsibility for drawing up job descriptionsand person specifications.Date: Thursday 13 January 20119.30am – 12.00pm

Recruitment & Selection Part II: SelectionTwo-hour workshop designed for those staffinvolved in the shortlisting and interviewingprocess.Dates: Thursday 16 December 20109.30am – 12.00pm,Thursday 27 January 2011 9.30am – 12.00pm.

For further information visit our website atwww.kent.ac.uk/hr-staffdevelopment

Welcoming new staffThe University recognises that our staff are ourmost valuable resource. All new staff are invitedto welcome events and also receive individualsupport within their school or department toorient them to the University. Recently, we havealso created some additional materials to helpmake the transition to our complex Universityeasier for both new staff and their managers.If you go to the Induction Policy and Procedurepage on our website, you can download thepractical induction checklist. We have alsodeveloped Good Practice guides to addressthe specific needs of international staff andacademic and research staff. Thanks toeveryone who provided input on the draft

Celebrating 25 years at KentOn Thursday 14 October 2010, 13 members of staff who have worked at the University for 25 years, attended acelebratory lunch hosted by Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow at the Darwin Conference Suite. As usual it was anexcellent 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 WheadonFront row: Margaret Ayers, Professor Michael Fischer, Ann Fullam, Professor Dame Julia Goodfellow, Dr AnthonyWard, Edward Briggs, Lesley Farr

documents. If you have any ideas about what toinclude in future versions, please email AnneRushworth or Tracey Lamb at [email protected].

Supporting women at KentThe University has recently made a commitmentto the principles set out in the Athena SwanCharter – www.athenaswan.org.uk. Athena Swanis a membership and awards scheme topromote and recognise good employmentpractice for women working in science,technology, engineering, medicine andmathematics (STEMM) in higher education andresearch institutes. We will soon start work onthis scheme in the Faculty of Sciences.

Workshops

Page 13: Kent Magazine December 2010

The University has launched afive-year fundraising project aimedat generating £1million to supportnew scholarship, studentexchange and research initiativesinvolving Hong Kong and China.The exciting project, known asthe Hong Kong and China Portal,was announced by Kent Vice-Chancellor Professor Dame JuliaM Goodfellow at a reception inHong Kong in October.

Around 60 leading community, government andbusiness leaders as well as academics and Kentalumni met at Hong Kong’s Dynasty Club to hearDame Julia explain how the University hopes toincrease its activity in the region. The Portal willbring together a range of University programmesand initiatives and provide a focus for new linksbetween European and Chinese researchers,she said.

She reiterated the importance of studentexchange programmes and said that there wasa dual value in sending UK students to HongKong and China and admitting students fromthese regions to Kent. These new, ‘unparalleledexchange opportunities’ would help thosestudents taking part to develop culturalunderstanding as well as providing an excellentlearning opportunity. At the heart of the Portalproject was Kent’s intention to enhance furtherthe experience of its students, Dame Juliaadded.

The launch attracted widespread mediacoverage in Hong Kong. Dame Julia’s speechwas reported and there were interviews withthree of the University’s alumni: Sir David Akers-Jones, who was Secretary for the New Territories,Hong Kong from 1973-83; Eddy Fong, Chairmanof the Securities and Futures Commission, HongKong; and Kennedy Wong, a managing partnerin his family’s Hong Kong law firm. Among thedaily papers covering the launch were: theOriental Daily News, Wen Wei Po, Ta Kung Pao,

Ming Pao Daily, Hong Kong Economic Times,and The Sun.

During her press conference, Dame Julia saidthat there are currently around 400 Hong Kongand Chinese students at Kent, studying a varietyof courses, from international foundationprogrammes to PhD level research. Alongside itsexisting partner institutions such as theUniversity of Hong Kong, Chinese University ofHong Kong, City University of Hong Kong andHong Kong Baptist University, Kent will continueto expand and strengthen collaborativerelationships with internationally renownedinstitutions in the region, she said.

‘Our new Hong Kong and China Portal willprovide a focal point for student, staff andresearch interaction between Kent and ouruniversity partners in Hong Kong and China,’said Dame Julia.

‘The fundraising side of the project will enable usto strengthen our range of scholarship and studyopportunities for students in the region as well asproviding a firm underpinning for new areas ofresearch collaboration, geared to economic,social and cultural interaction between HongKong, China and Europe.’

During the event, a panel discussion entitledHong Kong/China/Europe: InterculturalConnections and Cultural Challenge was hosted

13KENT Magazine

Hong Kong

Hong Kong and ChinaPortal launched

byDame Julia, with prominent speakers Dr PeterQiu, Ms Maria Castillo Fernandez, ProfessorAnthony Cheung, Dr William Lo and Mr PeterUpton taking part.

Alumnus Dr William Lo characterised himself asa ‘product’ of the intercultural connectionbetween Hong Kong, China and Europe. He wasborn in Hong Kong, studied at the University ofKent and is now working partly in China. He saidthat the University offered him a first taste ofEurope, thanks to the international culture on itscampus. He advised students to develop aglobal perspective in order to ‘stay competitive inan ever-changing world’.

Speaking after the event, Professor Alex Hughes,the University’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for externalrelations, said that future developments in theregion included new research links. Amongthese are a new research network, led byProfessor Roger Vickerman, Dean of theBrussels School of International Studies, butinvolving researchers from around the world,which will focus on research exploring theparallels between social, economic and politicalintegration in Europe and those betweenmainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

‘This promises to be an exciting development forus and one which brings together many aspectsof our internationalisation agenda within the newHong Kong and China Portal,’ she said.

Page 14: Kent Magazine December 2010

14 KENT Magazine

ObituaryKent in the news

University staff and alumni continue to make strong a contribution tointernational, national and regional news.

In October, the launch of the University’s Hong Kong and China Portalattracted widespread media coverage in Hong Kong. Vice-ChancellorDame Julia M Goodfellow’s speech was reported and there were interviewswith three of the University’s alumni: Sir David Akers-Jones, who wasSecretary for the New Territories, Hong Kong from 1973-83; Eddy Fong,Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, Hong Kong; andKennedy 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.

Over the past few months, there have also been contributions from those inthe School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR), KentLaw Centre (KLS), the School of Anthropology and Conservation, theSchool of Biosciences, the School of Economics, Kent Business School(KBS) and the Schools of Arts, Engineering and Digital Arts (EDA), Englishand Psychology.

Among the University’s Canterbury-based staff featured in the media wereDr David Roberts (Anthropology) whose broadcast coverage included aBBC South East interview from the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, and hiscolleague 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 coverageincluded the Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph, The Sun and London EveningStandard. Professor Tony Thirlwell (Economics) was featured in TheGuardian and The Daily Telegraph and Dr Chris Soloman (SPS) in TheIndependent and The Times of India and colleague Dr Stephen Lowry wasinterviewed for the BBC programme The Sky at Night, which has beenaired on BBC1, BBC2 and BBC4.

Medway-based staff who made a contribution include: Professor AlexStevens (SSPSSR) in The Guardian and Observer and Professor TimLuckhurst (Centre for Journalism) in The Independent, BBC Radio Kent andwww.Journalism.

This is just some of the recent coverage gained by the University. For moreinformation, visit Kent in the News on Campus Online or contact the PressOffice at [email protected]

Jimmy Rome1921 – 2010Jimmy Rome worked at theUniversity from 1965 until 1984 andhas several mentions in From Visionto Reality, Graham Martin’s bookabout the history of the University.Jimmy had previously worked atMansion House with DavidEdwards who was Deputy Registrar(Buildings) at Kent when Jimmyarrived. His first office was inWestgate House, St Dunstans, buthe later moved ‘up the hill’ into the‘temporary’ buildings that hadoriginally housed the library, andwhich today are occupied by theMaintenance Centre. Jimmy’sdedication to his work meant thathe quickly became a well-respected and integral member ofstaff.

As Buildings Superintendent, Jimwas responsible for the porters,University security, the mail runs,cleaners (except those in thecolleges), congregations (prior tothe move down to the Cathedral)and grounds maintenance. Jimmywas a first-class ‘man manager’,and was the contact between thestudent body and the Universityauthorities during sit-ins anddisputes.

After commuting daily fromRobertsbridge, East Sussex, Jimand his wife Betty moved intoHackington Hollow where manymembers of staff enjoyed theirwonderful Scottish hospitality andgenuine friendship… especially atNew Year!

Jimmy retired at Christmas 1984,when he and Betty (who sadly diedin June 2009) moved back toScotland to be close to their family.Tending the garden, growingvegetables, keeping and breedingbirds, entertaining visitors and evenwalking their neighbour’s dog madefor an active retirement, untilrecently when ill health forcedJimmy to take things a little easier.

Like all who knew Jimmy, I will misshis friendship and remember himas a ‘truly lovely man’.Julie Martin

Page 15: Kent Magazine December 2010

15KENT Magazine

Vice-Chancellor’s CupThe Vice-Chancellor and the Sport,Recreation and Physical Activitydepartment are pleased to announcethe introduction of the VC’s cup, anew inter-departmental competitionstarting in January 2011.

The aim is to establish an inter-departmental staff competition for allabilities to run throughout the year. Avariety of sports and challenges willtake place during vacation timesincluding: dodgeball, netball, schoolsports day, rounders, bat & trap,racket sports and a pub quiz.

Of the competition, Professor DameJulia M Goodfellow commented: ‘I amdelighted that Graham Holmes hasdeveloped an innovative way ofencouraging members of staff totake part in some regular exercise. Itshould be fun and non-threateningeven to those who are not sportsenthusiasts. I know personally how

difficult it is to find time to exercise.I hope it is enjoyable to all who takepart.’

The VC’s Cup will be a greatopportunity for staff at the Universityto have fun while keeping active, sowhy not start thinking aboutencouraging your colleagues to getinvolved and put together a team.

Further information and details ofhow you can enter will be madeavailable shortly.

Sports

Are you up forthe cup?

Sports scholarship2010 launch eveningThe University’s sports scholarsgathered last month to celebrate thelaunch of this year’s scheme.

The launch took place at ThePavilion on 8 November and wasattended by the 56 scholars whowere officially welcomed to Kent byVIP’s from the University and thelocal sporting community.

The scholars compete in 21different sports between themincluding: trampolining, shooting,boxing, duathlon and wheelchairbasketball. Many of the scholarshave already had their fitnessassessments and are takingadvantage of the strength andconditioning sessions and free gymmembership available to them.

Acting in accordance with HEFCE Audit requirements,the University Council agreed some years ago toestablish a Register of Interests for members of Counciland for all staff. It is at the discretion of individualmembers of staff what, if any, interests they declare. Itshould be noted, however, that declaration provides aprotection for the University and individuals against anypossible allegations of impropriety.

For the purposes of the Register, an interest is defined tobe any financial or other personal interest an individualmay have in any relationship or proposed relationshipbetween the University and an external body. This wouldinclude consultancy, employment, directorship or otheractivity within a commercial concern, shareholding, ormembership of statutory and public authorities. Othereducation establishments and companies with which theUniversity has an actual or potential businessrelationship should also be included.

The Register is updated in November each year andmembers of staff are invited to send declarations* (orsubsequently any updates to these) to the Secretary ofthe Council at any time during the year. For members ofthe Council, submission of a declaration (including a nilreturn) before the end of October 2010 is mandatory.The Secretary of the Council** will be pleased to giveconfidential advice to any individual on this matter.

*The University’s Policy on Confidentiality, Disclosure ofInterest and Personal Benefit and a Declaration Formmay be accessed at: http://www.kent.ac.uk/censec/areas-of-work/register_of_interest/declaration-register-interest.html

** Karen Goffin, email: [email protected], ext 3397or Personal Assistant, Janice Hollands [email protected], ext 3903.

Register of Interests 2010/2011

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Page 16: Kent Magazine December 2010

What’s on

Music eventsSaturday 11 December, 7.30pm, Eliot CollegeHall, Choral and Orchestral Concert, TheUniversity of Kent Chorus and SymphonyOrchestra, Susan Wanless conductor, Dvor̆ák –Slavonic Dance, Opus 46, No. 2 in E minor, Verdi– Stabat Mater and Te Deum from the FourSacred Pieces, Dvor̆ák – Symphony No. 8 in Gmajor. Ticket information available atwww.kent.ac.uk/music

Wednesday 15 December, The Registry Garden,5.00pm, Carols round the Christmas Tree withthe University Student Music Groups and BrassEnsemble. Festive fun, roasted chestnuts andmulled wine. Everyone welcome!

Gulbenkian TheatrehighlightsSaturday 11 December 7.45pmAn audience with Jonathan Miller

Monday 13 December – Wednesday 22DecemberScamp Theatre present Stick Man forages 3+

Tuesday 21 December 7.45pmThe Albion Band Christmas Show

Saturday 15 January, Thursday 20January 7.45pm, Punt and Dennis, TheyShould Get Out More

ChristmascompetitionWin yourself an extra Christmas present,an Amazon gift voucher worth £25, byanswering our Christmas quiz question:

1. Who stole Rupert’s scarf?

Answers by email [email protected], please useChristmas competition as your subjectheading. Deadline for entries 20December.

Friday 21 January 7.45pmClive Conway presents An Evening withTony Benn in conversation with SamanthaNorman

Thursday 27 January 7.45pmPractical Productions present TwelfthNight by William Shakspeare

For full details of times please go towww.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian/theatre

Gulbenkian Director retiresDee Ashworth, Director of The Gulbenkian, has taken early retirement after a remarkable 26 yearsat the arts venue. During his time at The Gulbenkian, Dee has been the driving force behind theestablishment of the venue as the arts hub for the area, putting on an eclectic line-up of eventsincluding stand-up comedy, ballet, jazz, opera, folk music, classic theatre, physical theatre, sciencelectures, 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 soldsince 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 theBarbican in London and plans to light the Marlowe pantomime in Canterbury this year. Dee has beena guiding light at The Gulbenkian – his excitement and enthusiasm for arts of all kinds is astonishingand inspiring.

In honour of Dee’s time at TheGulbenkian, there will be a gettogether on Thursday 16December at 1pm in thetheatre and all are welcome toattend. If you would like tocontribute to purchasing Deea special retirement present,please contact Pam Hardiman,Deputy Director at TheGulbenkian, or call into theGulbenkian Office.