Members News

The University of Kent confirmed as

research powerhouse of the region

The University of Kent’s position as the leading research institution in the county has been recognised in its outstanding Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 results.

The REF, led by Research England every seven years, informs where the Government allocates around £2 billion each year in funding to support research and provides a means by which anyone can compare the quality of research within higher education institutions.

The University submitted 1,700 research examples showcasing our exemplary research, with seventy-eight of these demonstrating the social, cultural, and economic impact of Kent’s research beyond academia. The majority of our examples were rated as being world leading or internationally excellent.

The University has risen eleven places to 38th in the Times Higher Education’s (THE) ranking for overall research quality in the REF. The School of History, Kent Law School and School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research were ranked as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the UK respectively, recognising Kent’s world-leading expertise in the areas of creativity, culture and heritage, social justice, and social care and wellbeing.

Professor Shane Weller, DVC of Research, and Innovation at the University of Kent, said of the results, “The University’s outstanding results in REF 2021 demonstrate both the world-leading quality of much of our research and the significant positive impact of that research across the breadth of our portfolio, from the arts and humanities to the sciences and social sciences. Among the University’s particular strengths, it is very encouraging to see this confirmation of how our research is benefiting communities in a wide range of sectors, working closely with private, public, and third-sector organisations. We look forward to building on this achievement in various ways, particularly through further partnerships with businesses in the region and beyond.”

Jo James, Chief Executive of the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce

A new addition to the Kent

business community

DemonSkinz based in Crowborough and has been serving the Kent market since 2010 and is a new addition to the Kent business community. DemonSkinz is owned and run by local man Paul Marden who has been in the marketing industry for over 35 years and who, alongside the DSZ team, designs and supplies printed and cut vinyl branded products to businesses helping them stand out from the crowd.

Using his knowledge of sales and marketing Paul will grow the various arms of DemonSkinz (design, printing, cut and fit) into a company that will continue to support local businesses in Crowborough, East Sussex, and Kent, allowing him to follow his other passion within the CSR (corporate social responsibility) arena.

From small individual die-cut stickers to large printed and cut graphics for vehicles, premises, and shop windows DemonSkinz offer a comprehensive range of products and services to satisfy all promotional and display requirements.

applauded the successful results. “The Chamber has a long-standing relationship with the University of Kent and have seen first-hand the fantastic work the University does to ensure that their research makes an impact, especially within the local business community. We are delighted to see this recognised formally and look forward to continuing our work with them, as Patrons of the Chamber, to meet the region’s needs.

Overall, the results reflect the strong and diverse portfolio of cutting-edge research across the arts and humanities, sciences, and social sciences at Kent, which advances knowledge and drives innovation locally, nationally, and internationally. When combined with the networks, funding, and student talent that the University has to offer, it forms a backbone of support to help businesses innovate and grow.

Contact the University’s Business and Innovation Gateway team at

businessrelationships@kent.

ac.uk or visit their website at

www.kent.ac.uk/knowledge-

exchange-innovation to find out how their highly acclaimed research and expertise can drive business and economic growth.

Whether you require promotional and display materials for a one-off exhibition or sale, a major brand overhaul, internal and external displays for a retail outlet, advertising materials or even just promotional stickers, DemonSkinz can improve the visual impact of your business and the all-important image that it portrays.

Paul is thrilled to be part of the Kent Invicta Chamber. If you have any questions about the range of DemonSkinz products visit

www.demonskinz.co.uk

Kenward thrilled to be back on

Chamber map again

Kenward Place, in Yalding Kent, offers visiting companies 15 acres of beautiful and tranquil countryside.

The venue can hold conferences, be used for awaydays and team building - including alpaca trekking, archery and an ever popular 18hole disc or ‘frisbee’ golf course. But where Kenward really excels is as a home for recovery, ultimately the charitable Kenward Trust saves lives.

We offer residential rehabilitation for those with alcohol and drug addiction issues, as well as supporting family and friends of those affected by addiction. We are proud to have an 86% recovery success rate. As a charity we rely wholly on funding and fundraising. The activities and offering we provide at Kenward Place directly supports our charity work.

Meet R.

R has a long history of drinking. He started drinking socially as a teenager but then alcohol became a big part of his life. Whilst R has been at Kenward Trust, he has focused on his recovery well and been selfmotivated to remain sober. He has also learned a lot about himself and the person he wants to be. “I would highly recommend Kenward. You’ve got addicts here who understand each other, and that is a big thing. You have to put the work in, which I’m quite proud to say I’m doing. If people can get here, I would 100% encourage it.” Kenward Place is the subsidiary of Kenward Trust, we hope and look forward to members and the Chamber making use of our facilities whilst supporting our charitable work here in Kent.

For more information on Kenward Trust https://kenwardtrust.org.uk/