University of Kent: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Campus shops - UKC.JPG|thumb|right|The shops at the Canterbury campus, with the Kent Union offices housed in the offices above.]] |
[[File:Campus shops - UKC.JPG|thumb|right|The shops at the Canterbury campus, with the Kent Union offices housed in the offices above.]] |
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The Gulbenkian arts complex acts as the front door to the Canterbury campus. The building includes a foyer and cafe bar and is a meeting place for students, staff and the general public. The foyer also includes the small stage which hosts monthly comedy nights as well as occasional shows such as Jazz at Five and The Chortle Student Comedy Awards. The Gulbenkian Theatre seats 340 and presents student, professional and amateur shows throughout the year. The theatre was opened in 1969 and was named after the [[Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation]] which helped fund its construction. The Gulbenkian complex also hosts a cafe/ bar and restaurant facility open to students, staff and the general public. |
The Gulbenkian arts complex acts as the front door to the Canterbury campus. The building includes a foyer and cafe bar and is a meeting place for students, staff and the general public. The foyer also includes the small stage which hosts monthly comedy nights as well as occasional shows such as Jazz at Five and The Chortle Student Comedy Awards. The Gulbenkian Theatre seats 340 and presents student, professional and amateur shows throughout the year. The theatre was opened in 1969 and was named after the [[Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation]] which helped fund its construction. The Gulbenkian complex also hosts a cafe/ bar and restaurant facility open to students, staff and the general public. |
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In December 2012 the Colyer-Fergusson Building opened adjacent to the Gulbenkian. Designed by architect Tim Ronalds, with acoustics by Arup Acoustics, it includes an adaptable format concert / rehearsal hall with retractable seating and variable acoustics and practice rooms. |
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The Gulbenkian Cinema is an independent cinema in the Gulbenkian complex open to students and the general public. It is Kent's regional film theatre showing new mainstream and non mainstream releases as well as archive and foreign language films not otherwise available in the region. In the daytime the cinema is used as a lecture theatre for University students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian/ |title=What's on - Gulbenkian |publisher=Kent.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-04-12}}</ref> |
The Gulbenkian Cinema is an independent cinema in the Gulbenkian complex open to students and the general public. It is Kent's regional film theatre showing new mainstream and non mainstream releases as well as archive and foreign language films not otherwise available in the region. In the daytime the cinema is used as a lecture theatre for University students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kent.ac.uk/gulbenkian/ |title=What's on - Gulbenkian |publisher=Kent.ac.uk |date= |accessdate=2010-04-12}}</ref> |
Revision as of 18:22, 9 December 2012
File:Arms of the University of Kent.png | |
Motto | Cui servire regnare est (literal translation: 'whom to serve is to reign') (Book of Common Prayer translation: 'whose service is perfect freedom')[1] |
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Type | Public |
Established | 4 January 1965 |
Endowment | £10.06 million (at 31 July 2011)[2] |
Chancellor | Sir Robert Worcester KBE DL |
Vice-Chancellor | Julia Goodfellow[3] |
Visitor | The Archbishop of Canterbury ex officio |
Students | 19,665[4] |
Undergraduates | 16,825[4] |
Postgraduates | 2,840[4] |
Location | |
Campus | Rural |
Colours | Kent Blue and Kent Red |
Affiliations | ACU Universities UK EUA Santander Network Universities at Medway |
Website | http://www.kent.ac.uk/ |
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The University of Kent (formerly the University of Kent at Canterbury, abbreviated as Cantuar. for post-nominals[5]) is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1965 and is regarded as one of the UK's "plate glass universities".
The University of Kent's main site is a rural campus just north of Canterbury situated within 300 acres of park land, which houses over 4,300 students. The university has additional UK sites in Medway and Tonbridge, and postgraduate centres in Brussels and Paris. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise the University of Kent was placed 24th out of 118 participating institutions in terms of the best, or 4*, research in a ranking produced by Times Higher Education.
The University of Kent is frequently ranked in the top 30 in rankings of British universities. In 2010 just under 30,000 students applied to the University of Kent through UCAS and 5,242 accepted offers of places.[6] The average UCAS points offer given for 2011/12 was 349 or ABB-AAB.[7] Kent is a member of the Santander Network of European universities encouraging social and economic development.[8]
Name
The university's original name, chosen in 1962, was the University of Kent at Canterbury, reflecting the fact that the campus straddled the boundary between the county borough of Canterbury and Kent County Council.[9] At the time it was the normal practice for universities to be named after the town or city whose boundaries they were in, with both "University of Kent" and "University of Canterbury" initially proposed. The name adopted reflected the support of both the city and county authorities, as well as the existence of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, which officially opposed the use of a name too similar to its own.[10] The abbreviation UKC became a popular abbreviation for the university.[11]
Part of the original reasoning for the name disappeared when local government reforms in the 1970s resulted in the Canterbury campus falling entirely within the City of Canterbury, which no longer has county borough status, and Kent County Council. In 2003 the name of the university was shortened to the University of Kent.[12]
History
Origins
A university in the ancient city of Canterbury was first considered in 1947, when an anticipated growth in student numbers led several localities to seek the creation of a new university, including Kent. However, the plans came to nothing.[13] A decade later both population growth and greater demand for university places led to new considerations. In 1959 the Education Committee of Kent County Council explored the creation of a new university,[9] formally accepting the proposal unanimously on 24 February 1960.[14] Two months later the Education Committee agreed to seek a site at or near Canterbury, given the historical associations of the city, subject to the support of Canterbury City Council.[15] By 1962 a site was found at Beverley Farm, straddling the then boundary between the City of Canterbury and the administrative county of Kent.[16]
1965 to 2000
The University of Kent at Canterbury was granted its Royal Charter on 4 January 1965 and the first students arrived in the October of that year. On 30 March 1966 Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent was formally installed as the first Chancellor.[17]
The University was envisaged as being a collegiate establishment, with most students living in one of the colleges on campus, and as specialising in inter-disciplinary studies in all fields.[18] Over the years, changing demands have largely destroyed this original concept, leading to the present state, which is nearer the norm for a British University. However, the four original colleges - Darwin, Eliot, Keynes and Rutherford - remain, each with their own Master, and new college, Woolf, opened in 2008.
The university grew at a rapid rate throughout the 1960s, with three colleges and many other buildings on campus being completed by the end of the decade.[19] The 1970s saw further construction, but the university also encountered the biggest physical problem in its history.[20] The university had been built above a tunnel on the disused Canterbury and Whitstable Railway. In July 1974 the tunnel collapsed, damaging part of the Cornwallis Building, which sank nearly a metre within about an hour on the evening of 11 July.[21] Fortunately, the university had insurance against subsidence, so it was able to pay for the south-west corner of the building to be demolished and replaced by a new wing at the other end of the building.[22]
In 1982 the university opened the University Centre at Tonbridge (now the University of Kent at Tonbridge) for its School of Continuing Education, helping to enhance the availability of teaching across the county.[23]
During the 1990s and 2000s the University expanded beyond its original campus, establishing campuses in Medway, Tonbridge and Brussels, and partnerships with Canterbury College, West Kent College, South Kent College and MidKent College.
2000 to present
In the 2000s the university entered a collaboration named Universities at Medway with the University of Greenwich, MidKent College and Canterbury Christ Church University to deliver university provision in the Medway area.[24] This led to the development of the University of Kent at Medway, opened from 2001. Initially based at Mid-Kent College, a new joint campus opened in 2004.[24] As a consequence of the expansion outside Canterbury the university's name was formally changed to the University of Kent on 1 April 2003.[24]
In 2007 the university was rebranded with a new logo and website. The logo was chosen following consultation with existing university students and those in sixth forms across the country.[25]
The University of Kent is to set its tuition fees for UK and European Union undergraduates at £9,000 for new entrants in 2012. The fee level has been approved by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA). The University’s proposed fee of £9000 was approved by Council on 1 April 2011 and was confirmed by OFFA in July 2011.
The proposed changes to UK and EU undergraduate tuition fees will not apply to international student fees.
Campuses
Canterbury campus
The main Canterbury campus covers 300 acres (1.2 km2) and is in an elevated position just over two miles (3 km) from the city centre. It currently has approximately 12,000 full-time and 6,200 part-time students and some 600 academic and research staff.
Facilities
The Gulbenkian arts complex acts as the front door to the Canterbury campus. The building includes a foyer and cafe bar and is a meeting place for students, staff and the general public. The foyer also includes the small stage which hosts monthly comedy nights as well as occasional shows such as Jazz at Five and The Chortle Student Comedy Awards. The Gulbenkian Theatre seats 340 and presents student, professional and amateur shows throughout the year. The theatre was opened in 1969 and was named after the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation which helped fund its construction. The Gulbenkian complex also hosts a cafe/ bar and restaurant facility open to students, staff and the general public.
In December 2012 the Colyer-Fergusson Building opened adjacent to the Gulbenkian. Designed by architect Tim Ronalds, with acoustics by Arup Acoustics, it includes an adaptable format concert / rehearsal hall with retractable seating and variable acoustics and practice rooms.
The Gulbenkian Cinema is an independent cinema in the Gulbenkian complex open to students and the general public. It is Kent's regional film theatre showing new mainstream and non mainstream releases as well as archive and foreign language films not otherwise available in the region. In the daytime the cinema is used as a lecture theatre for University students.[26]
Additionally, a £1.5 million sports facility called the Sport Centre was completed in 2003. Its facilities include tennis and squash courts, hockey and football pitches, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, a cardio theatre, a dance studio, a multi-purpose sports hall and a Fairtrade cafe.
There are eight dining areas on campus Woody's (pub food), Dolce Vita (fusion), Mungo's (burgers, salads and waffles), Rutherford Bar (tapas and mediterranean), Gulbenkian Cafe (lunch, theatre and themed menus), Origin's Bar & Bistro (Tex-Mex), Templeman Library Cafe (snacks, hot and cold drinks), and The Beagle (local specialities). In addition to these main eating outlets there are many vending machines and some bars.
In 2010 the campus nightclub The Venue, was refurbished and modernised. The upstairs area was transformed into a live music venue, formerly known as The Lighthouse and now called The Attic. Both established and local bands and DJs are featured throughout the term. The Venue is open Wednesday- Saturday, The Attic is open Monday- Saturday.
The Canterbury innovation centre launched at Kent in 2010.[27]
Transport and access
Despite its rural location, the Canterbury Campus is in easy reach for local, national and international visitors. Canterbury is the transport hub of East Kent and numerous bus services, including the dedicated 'UniBus' (operated by Stagecoach East Kent) which connects the campus with Canterbury bus station and other locations.
The closest railway station to the campus is Canterbury West which is, as of 2009, served by Southeastern High Speed trains. High Speed trains connect Canterbury with London St Pancras International in 56 minutes. These services stop at Ashford International en route, thus providing a direct connection to Eurostar services to France and Belgium. Standard Southeastern services also connect Canterbury West and Canterbury East Stations with London Victoria and Charing Cross. Both of the Canterbury stations can be accessed by the UniBus service.
The campus is also served by two National Express coach services (Route 007) to/from London each day, with further services operating from Canterbury bus station
Medway campus
In 2000 the University joined with other educational institutes to form the "Universities for Medway" initiative, aimed at increasing participation in higher education in the Medway Towns.[24] The following year the University of Kent at Medway formally opened, initially based at Mid-Kent College.[24] By 2004 a new campus for the university had been established in the old Chatham Dockyard,[24] sharing a campus with Canterbury Christchurch University and University of Greenwich.
The campus accommodation was finished in late 2009 (called Liberty Quays), and caters for over 600 students. The accommodation building includes a Tesco Metro, Subway, and Domino's Pizza.
The University of Kent and Medway Park Leisure Centre have gone into a multi-million pound partnership to provide high quality leisure facilities for university students and the general public. Medway Park was re-opened in 2011 by Princess Anne for use as a training venue for the 2012 London Olympics as a training venue for the Egyptian and Congo National teams.
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View from Pier Road
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Liberty Quays accommodation
Tonbridge campus
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008) |
In 1982 the university established the School of Continuing Education in Tonbridge, aiming to make teaching available across the entire county of Kent.[28] Development of the campus has continued almost constantly, with many new buildings added in the 1980s and 1990s.[23] The campus is now called the University of Kent at Tonbridge.
Organisation and administration
Faculties, departments and schools
The University is divided into three faculties:
- Humanities
- Social Sciences
- Sciences (formerly known as the faculty of Science, Technology and Medical Studies, or STMS)
The original plan was to have no academic sub-divisions within the three faculties (initially Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences) and to incorporate an interdisciplinary element to all degrees through common first year courses ("Part I") in each faculty, followed by specialist study in the second and final years ("Part II").[18] The lack of Departments encouraged the development of courses that crossed traditional divides, such as Chemical Physics, Chemistry with Control Engineering, Biological Chemistry and Environmental Physical Science.[29]
However the interdisciplinary approach proved increasingly complex for two reasons. The levels of specialisation at A Levels meant that many students had not studied particular subjects for some years and this made it impossible to devise a course that both covered areas unstudied by some and did not bore others. This proved an especial problem in Natural Sciences, where many Mathematics students had not studied Chemistry at A Level and vice versa.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Kent_Business_School_-_UKC.jpg/220px-Kent_Business_School_-_UKC.jpg)
Additionally many subjects, particularly those in the Social Sciences, were not taught at A Level and required the first year as a grounding in the subject rather than an introduction to several different new subjects. Problems were especially encountered in the Faculty of Natural Sciences where the differing demands of Mathematics and physical sciences led to two almost completely separate programmes and student bases.[29] In 1970 this led to the creation of the School of Mathematical Studies, standing outside the Faculties.[30] The addition of other subjects led to increased pressure on common Part I programmes and increasingly students took more specialised Part I courses designed to prepare them for Part II study.[29]
The University now has the Faculties further divided into 18 Departments and Schools, ranging from the School of English to the Department of Biosciences, and from the Kent Law School to the Department of Economics. Also of note is the University's Brussels School of International Studies, located in Brussels, Belgium. The School offers Master's degrees in international relations theory and international conflict analysis, along with an LLM in international law. In 2005 a new department, The Kent School of Architecture, began teaching its first students. In 2008, Wye College came under Kent's remit, in joint partnership with Imperial College London.
Colleges
The University is divided into five colleges, each named after distinguished scholars. In chronological order of construction they are:
- Eliot (1965; named after the poet T. S. Eliot)[9]
- Rutherford (1966; named after the physicist Ernest Rutherford)[9]
- Keynes (1968; named after the economist John Maynard Keynes)[9]
- Darwin (1970; named after the biologist Charles Darwin)[30]
- Woolf (2008; named after the writer Virginia Woolf; accommodates only postgraduate and mature students)[31][32]
There are also two associate colleges: Chaucer and Wye.
There was much discussion about the names adopted for most of the colleges with the following alternative names all in consideration at one point or another: for Eliot: Caxton, after William Caxton; for Keynes: Richborough, a town in Kent; Anselm, a former Archbishop of Canterbury; and for Darwin: Anselm (again); Attlee, after Clement Attlee, the post war Prime Minister; Becket, after Thomas Becket, another former Archbishop (this was the recommendation of the college's provisional committee but rejected by the Senate); Conrad; Elgar, after Edward Elgar; Maitland; Marlowe, after Christopher Marlowe; Russell, after Bertrand Russell (this was the recommendation of the Senate but rejected by the Council); Tyler, after both Wat Tyler and Tyler Hill on which the campus stands. The name for the College proved especially contentious and was eventually decided by a postal ballot of members of the Senate, choosing from: Attlee, Conrad, Darwin, Elgar, Maitland, Marlowe and Tyler.[33] (Both Becket and Tyler were eventually used as the names for residential buildings on campuses and the building housing both the Architecture and Anthropology departments is named Marlowe.)
Each college has residential rooms, lecture theatres, study rooms, computer rooms and social areas. The intention of the colleges was that they should not be just Halls of Residence, but complete academic communities. Each college has its own bar, all rebuilt on a larger scale, and originally its own dining hall (only Rutherford still has a functioning dining hall; Darwin's is hired out for conferences and events; Keynes's was closed in 2000 and converted into academic space, but in 2011 Dolche Vita was expanded and became the dining hall for Keynes students in catered accommodation after Keynes' expansion in 2011; and Eliot's was closed in 2006). It was expected that each college (more were planned) would have around 600 students as members, with an equivalent proportion of staff, with half the students living within the college itself and the rest coming onto campus to eat and study within their colleges. Many facilities, ranging from accommodation, tutorials and alumni relations, would be handled on a college basis. With no planned academic divisions below the Faculty level, the colleges would be main focus of students' lives and there would be no units of a similar or smaller size to provide a rival focus of loyalties.
This vision of a collegiate university has increasingly fallen away. The funding for colleges did not keep pace with the growth in student numbers, with the result that only four colleges were built. In later years when there was heavy student demand for scarce accommodation in Canterbury the solution was found in building additional on-campus accommodation but not in the form of further colleges. The hopes that students living off campus would stay around to eat dinner in their colleges were not met, whilst the abolition of college amenities fees removed students' direct stake in their colleges. With the growth of specialist subject departments as well as of other university wide facilities, more and more of the role of colleges was transferred to the central university. Accommodation and catering were transferred to the centralised University of Kent at Canterbury Hospitality (UKCH).[34]
Today the University does not operate as a traditional collegiate university - applications are made to the University as a whole, and many of the colleges rely on each other for day-to-day operation. Academic departments have no formal ties to colleges other than those that are located within particular college buildings due to availability of space, with lectures, seminars and tutorials taking place wherever there is an available room rather than on a college basis. Many students are allocated accommodation in their respective college, but some are housed in developments with no defined collegiate link whilst others are housed in different colleges.
Despite this the five College Student Committees, volunteer groups made up of elected officers and supporting volunteers, have retained a reasonably strong presence on campus. They run fundraising events and welfare campaigns throughout the academic year, and organise student events for their colleges during Welcome Week. Every student in the University retains a college affiliation to either Keynes, Eliot, Rutherford, Darwin or Park Wood even if they do not live in college accommodation. Students are encouraged to stay engaged with their College Committees throughout their time at the University.
Finances
In the financial year ended 31 July 2011, the University of Kent had a total income (including share of joint ventures) of £182.3 million (2009/10 – £173.0 million) and total expenditure of £166.9 million (2009/10 – £157.9 million).[2] Key sources of income included £69.1 million from tuition fees and education contracts (2009/10 – £62.1 million), £67.4 million from Funding Council grants (2009/10 – £66.6 million), £12.7 million from research grants and contracts (2009/10 – £13.6 million) and £0.8 million from endowment and investment income (2009/10 – £0.6 million).[2] During the 2010/11 financial year the University of Kent had a capital expenditure of £15.2 million (2009/10 – £15.3 million).[2]
At year end the University of Kent had endowment assets of £10.1 million (2009/10 – £6.9 million) and total net assets of £152.2 million (2009/10 – £133.6 million).[2]
Coat of arms and logo
The University of Kent's coat of arms was granted by the College of Arms in September 1967.[9] The white horse of Kent is taken from the arms of the County of Kent (and can also be seen on the Flag of Kent). The three Cornish choughs, originally belonging to the arms of Thomas Becket, were taken from the arms of the City of Canterbury. The Crest depicts the West Gate of Canterbury with a symbolic flow of water, presumably the Great Stour, below it. Two golden Bishops' Crosiers in the shape of a St. Andrews Cross are shown in front of it. The supporters - lions with the sterns of golden ships - are taken from the arms of the Cinque Ports.[35]
The Coat of Arms is now formally used only for degree certificates, degree programmes and some merchandise, as a result of the University seeking a consistent identity branding.[25]
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The University logo pre-2007
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The University logo post-2007
Academics
Research
![]() | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (October 2010) |
In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise the University of Kent was placed 24th out of 118 participating institutions in terms of the proportion of best, or 4*, research (according to the RAE league tables in The Times Higher Education Supplement).
The University had a total research income of £12.66 million in 2011.[36]
Rankings
National rankings | |
---|---|
Complete (2025)[37] | 33 |
Guardian (2024)[38] | 22 |
Global rankings | |
QS (2025)[39] | 383 |
THE (2024)[40] | 351-400 |
The 2012 Guardian newspaper University League Tables (published in 2012) placed Kent's ranking at 22nd in the UK, while The Times Good University Guide 2011 (published 2010) puts Kent in 39th place. The Independent (published in 2012) puts Kent in 33rd place nationally.[41] (There are some 125 ranked university institutions in the UK). According to many sources, the requirements to get into The University of Kent have increased dramatically, ranging from AAA (Applied Psychology and Actuarial Science) to AAB (Law, English and History), and within the Business School, requirements changing from points based to grades based with the average for Business at ABB[42] and Economics AAB.[43] The Complete University Guide shows that the average number of tariff points to get in are around 329 UCAS points (ABB-AAB) in 2012.[44] An overwhelming majority of Kent's 33 subjects are placed nationally within the top 30 (82%), with 7 subject areas in the top 10 and 6 subject areas in the top 20.[45]
The National Student Survey in 2011 placed Kent in 3rd in London and the South-East for student satisfaction. In addition, Kent has been voted into a top 20 position for the majority of its subjects and has 14 subjects in the top 10 based on overall student satisfaction nationally.[46]
According to The Guardian University of Kent is ranked 9th in the UK[47] for Business and Economics, 10th for Anthropology,[48] 12th for Architecture,[49] 14th for Modern Languages.[50] In addition, The Complete University Guide - in association with The Independent 2011 found that Kent ranked 19th for Accounting and Finance,[51] and in 2012 13th for Psychology.[52] Furthermore, The Times Good University Guide ranked the University of Kent 20th for English in 2011[53]
Library
The Templeman Library (named after Dr Geoffrey Templeman, the University's first Vice-Chancellor) contains over a million items in stock including books, journals, videos, DVDs, and archive materials (for example, a full text of The Times from 1785 onwards), yet it is still only half its planned size. It has a materials fund of approximately £1million a year, and adds 12,000 items every year. It is open every day in term time. It receives 800,000 visits a year, with approximately half a million loans per annum.
It also houses the British Cartoon Archive,[54] (established 1975[30]) a national collection of, mainly, newspaper cartoons, with over 90,000 images catalogued.
Franco-British programme
The bilingual Franco-British double-degree programme combines subjects in one degree and is taught in two countries. The first year is spent at the Institut d'études politiques de Lille (IEP), the second and third years at the University of Kent, the fourth year at the IEP of Lille and the fifth is spent in Canterbury, Brussels or Lille.
The students of the Franco-British double-degree programme receive, at the end of the fourth year, the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University of Kent, the Diplôme by the IEP of Lille and, at the end of the fifth year, either the Master of Arts (MA) degree in Canterbury or in Brussels or the Master delivered by the IEP of Lille, chosen between 14 parcours de formation by the IEP of Lille.[55][56]
Student life
This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2012) |
The student population is quite mixed, with approximately 22% of students coming from overseas.[57] No fewer than 128 different nationalities are currently represented. The female to male ratio is 55 women to every 45 men.[57]
Students' Union
The Students' Union, officially known as "Kent Union", is the student representative body for students at the university. It is led by five elected full-time officers (the 'sabbatical team'), a Board of trustees, part-time student officers and 'lay' members of the local community and business selected for their specialist expertise. Kent Union has an influence at all levels of the University.
The union runs four shops on campus, Essentials (all-purpose food and essentials), Parkwood Essentials (ditto, but in student village Parkwood), Extras (off-licence) and "Unique" (a clothing shop). The Union also runs the Parkwood bar Woody's, "Rutherford bar" (Rutherford) and nightclub The Venue.
In 1998 a substantial construction programme was completed that included a successful multi-purpose shop (Essentials) and nightclub The Venue,[58] this was in addition to the bar operated in the on-campus student village, known as "Woody's", which opened in 1994.[58] The Venue is a 1,500 person capacity nightclub operated by Kent Union which was opened in 2000. It is the only nightclub on campus. In 2010, the Venue was renovated and divided into two outles for the first time, establishing 'The Attic' as a brand new live music bar and social space. In its first year of opening The Attic played host to a number of acts including Zane Lowe & Kissy Sell Out. The Venue has played host to a huge range of acts in the past including Zane Lowe, Ministry of Sound, 5ive, Nero, Vengaboys, Pendulum, Coolio, Reggie Yates, B*Witched, Edith Bowman, S Club, and X Factor Stars.[59]
Demonstrations
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a1/Kent_Union_Banner.jpg/220px-Kent_Union_Banner.jpg)
In early March 1970 a General Meeting of the University of Kent at Canterbury Students' Union voted to occupy the Cornwallis Building as part of a national student movement to open personal records to individual student scrutiny.[60] The occupation lasted about two weeks, with a majority vote ending the occupation on March 18. Approximately 400 students marched out of the Cornwallis Building to present a set of demands that were handed by Union President David Lawrence to the University Registrar Mr Eric Fox. The demands had been drawn up and debated by groups of up to 300 students at a time in meetings and seminars held throughout the occupation.[61]
In the early to mid 1970s, along with other plate-glass universities, the Union had a reputation for revolutionary politics, leading to demands for law changes from some staff trade unionists.[62] It was active in anti-poll tax, anti-student loans and anti-racism campaigns as well as safety campaigns on campus in the late 1980s.
In 2003, ahead of the 'Top Up Fees' vote, the Union took 300 students to take part in the NUS UK Student Demonstrations on three double decker buses. The Union covered all the transport costs to the demonstration. In 2010, ahead of a parliamentary vote on issues concerning raising tuition fees, the Union took part in the national demonstrations. The union heavily subsidised the transport for 500 students to get to London.
In recent years Kent Union has changed significantly, shifting its focus away from campaigning and towards running commercial services. This change in emphasis was partly due to campaigns in the late 1980s and early 1990s for the students' union to have its own Union Building with its own venue and to run campus bars.
Student media
CSR 97.4FM
University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University, as well as their associated Student Unions, fund Canterbury's only student and community radio station—CSR 97.4FM. The radio station is broadcasting from studios at both universities 24 hours a day, with live broadcasting from 7 am - 12 am.
inQuire Media group
The University has a student newspaper named inQuire and an online news website inQuirelive[63] (launched in January 2008). The newspaper is published every two weeks and is edited by a group of student volunteers. While the newspaper and website are funded by the Students' Union, they are independent in content.
Chaplaincy
Whilst the University is secular, there is a strong chaplaincy consisting of permanent Anglican and Catholic priests and a Pentecostal minister, as well as part-time chaplains from other denominations and faiths.
The chaplaincy runs the annual Carol Service that takes place every year in the Cathedral at the end of Autumn Term.
Student housing
In addition to the student housing in the colleges, the University also has the following student housing:
- Darwin Houses, a set of 26 student houses next to Darwin College, opened in 1989[28]
- Becket Court, next to Eliot College, opened in 1990[58]
- Tyler Court, three blocks of halls of residence. Block A was opened in 1995[58] mostly for postgraduates; Blocks B and C were completed in 2004[64] for undergraduates.
- Parkwood, a mini student village comprising 262 two-storey houses and a recently built apartment complex, about 10 minutes walk from the main campus. The initial houses were opened in 1980.[28] A large addition to the Parkwood area was completed in 2005, comprising a number of en-suite fitted rooms grouped into four, five and six bedroom flats.
Notable alumni
Notable alumni of the University of Kent include:
- Sir David Akers-Jones - Former acting Governor of Hong Kong, 1986/87
- Fu Ying - Vice Foreign Minister of People's Republic of China
- Michael Baigent - author
- Valerie Bloom – poet
- Ivo H. Daalder Senior Fellow of the Brookings Institution
- Alan Davies - English comedian and actor
- Gavin Esler - BBC journalist and author
- David Fulton - Cricketer, former Captain of Kent CCC
- Ellie Goulding - Singer and Songwriter
- Charlotte Green - BBC Radio 4 Presenter and Newsreader
- Jane Hutt - Welsh Labour politician and Minister in the Welsh Assembly since 1999.
- Kazuo Ishiguro - writer (Remains of the Day)
- Andrew S.I.D. Lang - mathematical physicist
- Rebecca Lenkiewicz - playwright
- Carolyn McCall OBE - EasyJet Chief Executive Officer
- Mark Mardell - BBC North America Editor
- David Mitchell - writer (Cloud Atlas)
- Sir Hugh Orde OBE - former Chief Constable of Northern Ireland
- Kevin Porée, Record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, recording engineer and lecturer in theatre studies
- Howard Read - Perrier nominated comedian
- Crown Prince Shwebomin - Exiled Crown Prince of Burma
- Robert Wade – screenwriter
- Sarah Waters - writer (Tipping the Velvet)
- Tom Wilkinson OBE - actor, Oscar nominee
- Nick Wilton - actor, screenwriter
- Christopher Wrench - Shanter Publisher's Writer of the Year 2009
- Patrick Wright - journalist and author
- Roys Poyiadjis - Entrepreneur and financier
- E. L. James - writer (Fifty Shades of Grey)
References
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) page 36 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6 As Martin notes "Our former Information Officer has ventured the opinion that Cranmer would not have got very high marks had this phrase appeared in an O-Level Latin paper!"
- ^ a b c d e "Financial Statements 2011" (PDF). University of Kent. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ^ "Vice-Chancellor - About Kent". Kent.ac.uk. 2010-03-18. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ a b c http://www.kent.ac.uk/about/keykentfacts.html
- ^ http://www.degreepedia.com/
- ^ O'Hare, Sean (20 June 2011). "University of Kent guide". The Daily Telegraph. London.
- ^ "University league table". The Guardian. London. 21 May 2012.
- ^ http://www.sgroup.be/glowna.html
- ^ a b c d e f "About Kent - History - 1959–1969". University of Kent. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ^ "Second University Sponsor Resigns". The Times. 17 October 1962.
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) pages 29-30 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ While Canterbury ceased to be a county borough in the 1970s, Medway is now a unitary authority - the modern form of a county borough. However the current overall title of the University does not reflect this.
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) page 14 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ "Step Towards Kent University". The Times. 25 February 1960.
- ^ "Siting Of A Kent University - Canterbury Area Recommended". The Times. 26 April 1960.
- ^ "Site Of University For Kent". The Times. 1 February 1962.
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) pages 11-36 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ a b "University Of Kent Sets Out To Be Different - Emphasis On Collegiate-Based Life". The Times. 4 April 1963.
- ^ "Kent Life" in Kent: The Magazine for The University of Kent Spring 2005 No. 44 page 4
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) pages 225-231 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) page 228 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) page 231 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ a b "Kent Life" in Kent: The Magazine for The University of Kent Spring 2005 No. 44 page 5
- ^ a b c d e f "About Kent - History - 2000–2006". University of Kent. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ^ a b "Our visual identity (pdf)" (PDF). University of Kent. 14 March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2007.
- ^ "What's on - Gulbenkian". Kent.ac.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ "Canterbury Innovation Centre". Canterbury Innovation Centre. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ a b c "About Kent - History - 1980–1989". University of Kent. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ^ a b c Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) pages 39-54 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ a b c "About Kent - History - 1970–1979". University of Kent. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
- ^ "Virginia Woolf". University of Kent. 23 November 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
- ^ "Woolf College". University of Kent. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 10 January 2008.
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) pages 122–126 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ Graham Martin, From Vision to Reality: the Making of the University of Kent at Canterbury (University of Kent at Canterbury, 1990) pages 33-36 ISBN 978-0-904938-03-6
- ^ "Wealth check: Financial data for UK higher education institutions, 2010–11" (PDF). Times Higher Education. 12 April 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
- ^ "Complete University Guide 2025". The Complete University Guide. 14 May 2024.
- ^ "Guardian University Guide 2024". The Guardian. 9 September 2023.
- ^ "QS World University Rankings 2025". Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd. 4 June 2024.
- ^ "THE World University Rankings 2024". Times Higher Education. 28 September 2023.
- ^ http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings
- ^ "Business Studies - Top UK University Subject Tables and Rankings 2012". Complete University Guide. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ^ "Economics - Top UK University Subject Tables and Rankings 2012". Complete University Guide. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ^ "Top UK University League Tables and Rankings 2012". Complete University Guide. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ^ http://www.kent.ac.uk/news/homepagestories/22nd-in-2013-guardian-guide/2011
- ^ http://www.kent.ac.uk/news/homepagestories/kent-voted-third-in-london-and-southeast-for-overall-student-satisfaction/2011
- ^ "University guide 2011: Economics". The Guardian. London. 8 June 2010.
- ^ "University guide 2013: Anthropology". The Guardian. London. 22 May 2012.
- ^ "University guide 2011: Architecture". The Guardian. London. 8 June 2010.
- ^ "University guide 2011: Modern languages and linguistics". The Guardian. London. 8 June 2010.
- ^ "The Complete University Guide - Viewing Subject Table for Accounting & Finance". Tables.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-11-28.
- ^ "Psychology - Top UK University Subject Tables and Rankings 2012". Complete University Guide. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ^ Sadie Gray June 24, 2011 12:39 pm. "The Times | UK News, World News and Opinion". Extras.thetimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "British Cartoon Archive website". Library.kent.ac.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ "14 parcours de formation". 195.83.2.11. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ Official Site of the Franco-British course at the IEP of Lille and at the University of Kent at Canterbury - French and English
- ^ a b "Table 0a - All students by institution, mode of study, level of study, gender and domicile 2005/06". Higher Education Statistics Agency online statistics. Retrieved 6 August 2007. There are 18,220 total students. 15,270 are United Kingdom students (3,385 postgraduates and 11,885 undergraduates), a total of 83.8%. 10,095 students are female (2165 postgraduates and 7390 undergraduates), a total of 55.4%.
- ^ a b c d "About Kent - History - 1990-1999". University of Kent. 2007-01-11. Retrieved 2007-08-05. Cite error: The named reference "about90" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ http://www.kentunion.co.uk/goingout/thevenue/about
- ^ a Staff Reporter (March 8, 1970). "Students sit in at four universities". The Guardian. p. 3.
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(help) - ^ Staff Reporters (March 19, 1970). "Kent students end sit-in with no demand met". The Guardian. p. 6.
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(help) - ^ "Trade unionists want law to curb student militants". The Times. February 2, 1974.
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(help) - ^ "inQuire Live". inQuire Live. 2010-04-08. Retrieved 2010-04-12.
- ^ "About Kent - History - 2000–2006". University of Kent. 11 January 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2007.