THE UNIVERSITY OF KENT REGIONAL IMPACT
www.kent.ac.uk
INTRODUCTION
I am delighted to be introducing this report on the social, cultural and economic benefit of the University of Kent. This University has a strong academic performance both in its provision of teaching and learning at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and in its outstanding research and research training across our three faculties. We sometimes forget, however, that universities such as Kent contribute so much more. Everything we do is based on a strong sense of social responsibility. We support the region through our campuses at Canterbury and Medway; a lot of our research leads to benefits and outcomes which are positive for the UK; and we have strong international connections not only as the UK’s European university, but with our partnerships around the world. A recent report on our economic impact by Viewforth Consulting has highlighted the £0.6 billion per annum economic worth of the University of Kent to the south east – a figure that has doubled over the past five years. This massive contribution to the south east comes from both the direct and ‘knock-on’ effects of the University’s activities. It includes the spending power of our students, many from outside the area, who alone contribute some £211million to the region’s economy. The research also shows that nearly 6,800 jobs in the south east are either supported directly by the University of Kent or generated by the ‘knock-on’ effects of our activities.
As an employer, the University supports around 2,500 full-time equivalent jobs, and a further 4,234 jobs in the region result from the impact of our activity and student spending. Furthermore, it is not just the University’s economic impact that is significant. We also have a major cultural and social impact on the south east region through, for example, our investment in music, theatre and art. The opening of our new Colyer-Fergusson Music Building in summer 2012 will help us bring music to an even larger audience. We also have extensive sports facilities which are well-used by local schoolchildren and other groups. Our staff and particularly our students also help us to contribute to the local community through their volunteering for local charities such as Porchlight. I hope you have a chance to look through this booklet and see the enormous positive impact that the University has in the region, not forgetting the strength of our outreach around the world.
Professor Dame Julia M Goodfellow Vice-Chancellor
1
2
University of Kent / Regional Impact
THE UNIVERSITY AND THE ECONOMY Universities are important to their regions, providing income as well as education. Income The principal aims of the University of Kent are naturally academic: offering an inspiring student experience; producing innovative, world-leading research; and enabling innovation, enterprise and creativity. But it is also a substantial, efficiently run business, with a total revenue of £173m earned from a variety of educational and related services. The bulk of the University’s income, 82%, is from tuition fees, research income and some government funding. But it also earns from a range of other sources, including consultancy, residential and catering services, conferences and facilities hire. With strong academic and business links across Europe and the rest of the world, a significant amount of the University’s revenue is from international sources. Fees paid by international students, income from international research and consultancy, and services for international customers such as conference accommodation bring in an estimated £34.72m.
Added to that, the off-campus expenditure of international students is estimated at £30.42m. Combined with international revenue, this amounts to a figure of £65.14m, making an important contribution to the UK balance of trade.
Expenditure The University’s total expenditure in 2009/10 was just over £158m. Staff costs account for 60% of this. This expenditure generates economic activity throughout many industries. The University itself buys goods and services from books and stationery to legal services, and from laboratory equipment to catering supplies. Studies of universities in the UK show that they have a relatively high propensity to spend in the UK rather than buy imported goods and services, developing strong ties with businesses in their region. Having been established for nearly 50 years, the University of Kent has long-established links to businesses in the area and makes a considerable impact on the local community. In addition to its own spending, the University has a ‘knock-on’ effect on the economy. Its suppliers in turn must make purchases, and its employees and students buy goods and services, all creating income for other businesses.
It is estimated that this generates an additional £218.66m for UK industries, £187.89m of which is in the south east, particularly in the areas immediately surrounding the Canterbury and Medway campuses. As a non-profit institution, expenditure would normally be close to income. However, in this year a financial surplus of over £15m was planned as part of the University’s aim to invest in student facilities.
Keeping it local Wherever possible, the University uses suppliers from the local region. This is particularly evident in the Gulbenkian Café Bar, a showcase for local produce. Eggs are from Canterbury, cakes from Rochester, ice cream from Ashford, bread and other bakery products from Whitstable, meat from Brogdale and beers and lagers from Shepherd Neame in Faversham. Many of its bulk catering suppliers take pride in using local produce themselves, including Kent Frozen Foods which works with Produced in Kent to promote local and seasonal produce.
LEE MOORE, OWNER, THE BUTCHER OF BROGDALE ‘I take pride in personally inspecting all the farms producing our meat. All the animals are raised traditionally in natural, stressfree environments and treated with care at all times. We also have our own herd of pigs and raise free-range turkeys. ‘We were really pleased when we were approached to supply the Gulbenkian, shortly after we opened for business about four years ago. We provide the Café with fresh meat, particularly
local beef and pork, as well as sausages and cooked hams – last year this amounted to £22,500 worth of business. ‘Not only do we have a good relationship with the University of Kent but, because it was so impressed by the quality of our produce, word spread and now we supply a number of colleges around the south east.’
www.kent.ac.uk
In 2009/10, the University and its students generated ÂŁ0.6bn for the south east region.
3
4
University of Kent / Regional Impact
STUDENT SPENDING POWER The University of Kent has nearly 20,000 students studying in Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris and Athens. Many are potential customers for Kent businesses and services. While 82% of our students are from the UK, of which 39% are from the south east, 7% are from EU countries outside the UK, and 11% from the rest of the world – the University attracts students from over 120 countries.
The spending of those from outside the UK makes a direct contribution to the UK economy, while students from elsewhere within the UK boost regional and local economies. It can be argued that local students from the south east do not make an additional contribution to the economy but, by providing university places for them close to their homes, the University helps to retain their expenditure within the region. Despite the increased growth in online shopping, students spend a great deal in the local area, buying goods and services which in turn generate output and employment in the south east and beyond. As well as private rental landlords, local coffee shops, pubs and clubs, cafés and restaurants all benefit from student customers, as well as taxis, hairdressers and other services.
3,572 students from outside the UK spent an estimated £30.4m off campus. This generated £42.71m of output, of which £36.81m was in the south east, and over 404 fulltime jobs in the UK, of which 360 were in the south east. 8,387 students from outside the south east spent an estimated £74.5m. This generated £90.19m of output in the south east and over 882 jobs. 7,665 local students spent £69.2m, generating £83.81m of output and more than 820 jobs.
www.kent.ac.uk
VISITOR ATTRACTIONS
By bringing in visitors from the UK, the rest of the EU and further afield, the University helps to promote Kent as a visitor destination. In many ways, students who come from outside the region can be regarded as longstay visitors; they in turn attract many shortstay visitors who spend money in the area. Events such as University Open Days and graduation ceremonies draw in parents, relations and friends, all to the benefit of Canterbury’s hotels and B&Bs. Other local hospitality, leisure and tourism services also receive a boost from these activities as well as from casual visits. Graduates are drawn back to visit the region thanks to our alumni networks – particularly strong in the USA, Hong Kong and China – which are becoming even more active as social and professional networking becomes more important.
Our strong ties with the continent – as the UK’s European university Kent has long-standing partnerships with over 100 universities in mainland Europe – encourage student exchange. The University is the largest conference venue in the south east, and we were awarded Best University Accommodation for Groups for the fourth year running at the 2011 Group Travel Awards. We have a self-contained conference centre that’s available all year, plus over 100 meeting and conference rooms, en-suite and self-catering accommodation available over Easter and the summer.
“University Open Days and graduation ceremonies draw in parents, relations and friends, all to the benefit of Canterbury’s hotels and B&Bs.”
This helps us play a valuable part in bringing high-spending conference visitors to the region. Our student accommodation is available for visitors in the holidays, and has been given three/four star campus grading by Enjoy England, the website of the national tourist board Visit England.
1,635 visitor events held on campus 42,578 residential delegates 147,715 nights’ accommodation sold during vacation periods £3.3m income generated
5
6
University of Kent / Regional Impact
STUDYING THE JOBS MARKET With around 2,500 full time-equivalent jobs, from lecturers to gardeners, we are a major employer. As you might expect for a leading university, with some of the best teaching and research in the country, many of those we employ are academic professionals. But as a diverse organisation, which maintains a large estate, accommodation for over 5,300 students at both Canterbury and Medway, many sports and leisure facilities as well as buildings and services directly related to teaching, we employ people with a wide range of skills and levels of qualification. Jobs you may not immediately associate with a university include drivers, retail and catering staff, welfare workers and caretakers. As well as competitive salaries, advantages of working with us include a wide range of learning and development opportunities, from general skills to pre-retirement courses.
Secondary employment In addition to staff employed directly by the University, our expenditure has a noticeable effect on additional employment. The types of goods and services the University and its staff purchase impacts on relatively labour-
intensive trades such as manufacturing, wholesale and retail. This is estimated to generate a further 2,436 jobs, 2,172 of them in the south east. This makes us a major contributor to the jobs market in the area.
DAVE CROW ASSISTANT GROUNDSMAN ‘I didn’t always want to be a groundsman, but while at college I realised I wanted to work outside, and luckily for me everything has fallen into place. I got an apprenticeship at the University through Hadlow College, and I’ve been here two years now. ‘There are nine of us working on the grounds, and I’m one of two who look after all the sports pitches. But my first day was spent shovelling snow – we all pitch in to lend a hand with an emergency like that. ‘There’s no such thing as a typical day here, but the seasons and the University activities dictate what we do. A great deal of my time is spent looking after the various pitches, reseeding, mowing and rolling, and we mark them out for the sports as well. Then the players come on and tear them up – but I don’t mind, it keeps me busy!
‘It’s a great place to work – the people are really friendly, I’m learning things all the time, and I enjoy the job. But it does get a bit cold in the winter up on this hill!’ Paul Griffiths, Grounds Maintenance Manager, adds: ‘Dave’s been a great success, and so now we’re about to take on another apprentice; the University has quite a few others in different departments as well. I think it’s a great idea – I studied general horticulture at college which was good for all the theory, but there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty to really teach you all the skills you need. ‘We’ve got 300 acres here [over 120 hectares] which takes a lot of looking after. It never stops, from mowing grass to hedge cutting, pruning, replanting – and if we can teach someone a trade at the same time, that can’t be bad.’’t be bad.”
www.kent.ac.uk
For every 100 full time-equivalent jobs created in the University, another 96 jobs are generated outside the University, 85 of them in the south east.
7
8
University of Kent / Regional Impact
Over 27,000 graduates of the University of Kent have stayed in Kent.
www.kent.ac.uk
AT YOUR SERVICE
Whether they are originally from the south east or have come to study at Kent from elsewhere, many of our graduates remain in the area and contribute to the local community.
Through local work placements relating to their degrees, or through volunteering and other community activities, our students develop ties to the area. This is encouraged by both the University and by Kent Union, the students’ union, which together work to instil in our students a sense of neighbourliness and pride in where they live, work and study. As one of 50 universities participating in the government’s Graduate Internships 2010 Scheme, we received funding to place 100 graduates with small businesses in Kent. The scheme aimed to support small businesses taking a graduate intern by providing financial
and administrative assistance. This gives participating businesses access to new skills and fresh talent, while graduates receive work experience and interview training. For those graduates fortunate enough to take up an internship, or who find that a work placement leads to an offer of employment, or who decide to pursue job opportunities in the area, the link with Kent can prove to be life-long.
“The University and Kent Union work together to instil in our students a sense of neighbourliness and pride in where they live, work and study.”
ANTONIETTA OGUNDIMU SOCIAL WORKER ‘I’ve lived in Kent for nine years now. I came down here from London – I’d had enough of the hustle and bustle up there and wanted something more sedate! ‘I chose to study for a degree in Social Work at the University of Kent partly because it has a good academic reputation, and partly because this meant I could stay in Kent. During my time there I had two excellent work placements, in Gillingham and Maidstone, and began getting a feel for what it would be like to work in the area. ‘I wanted to work with adults with mental health problems, and am particularly interested in the treatment of ethnic minorities. I’m really pleased that I was able to find work with the Rochester Community Mental Health Team, based at St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
‘It’s a great team. They’re all very easy to get on with, and if you have a problem there is always someone who can spare the time to help sort things out. I travel quite a bit to cover my area, but I’m happy to do this because it’s important to give continuity of care to the people we help. ‘I’m also studying for a Master’s – Mental Health Social Work with Children and Adults – which I’m sure will help me become a more experienced, knowledgeable social worker. ‘I like where I live. I feel that I have strong ties with the area through my work and my children, and I hope that we will stay here.’
9
10
University of Kent / Regional Impact
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
From individuals with an idea but not the know-how to turn it into a business, or SMEs wanting to develop, to corporations needing training or research, the University of Kent can help. With worldwide expertise, state-of-the-art facilities and highly trained staff, we are perfectly positioned to provide innovative solutions that give companies the competitive edge.
We work with a wide range of organisations, across all sectors. Our dedicated business development unit, Kent Innovation & Enterprise (KIE) ensures that University resources are easily accessible to businesses. For practical and applied solutions to meet a business’s needs, collaborative research with the University of Kent can provide the answer. With over 40 research centres and units, we have the expertise which can make all the difference to the changing demands of a business. We provide a wide range of consultancy services, from supply chain management to the latest electronics design techniques. We offer a range of consultancy options which enable companies to engage a specific specialist, a carefully selected team of experts or one of our specialist centres.
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) support UK businesses wanting to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by accessing the knowledge and expertise of UK universities and colleges, and is supported by government grants. The University of Kent has run a number of KTPs, recently being awarded funding of £124,776 for a Partnership between the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science and KROHNE Ltd. KROHNE Ltd is in the forefront of worldleading flow and level measuring technology. They have previously worked with Cambridge University on three KTPs. Another recent high-profile KTP, between the School of Anthropology and Conservation, the School of Psychology and Pfizer UK Ltd, will utilise a social-science approach toward understanding workplace culture.
TIM AND MARY ANN LE LEAN DIRECTORS OF YEAR ONE CONSULTING Both graduates of the University of Kent, Tim and Mary Ann had moved out of the area after graduating and built successful careers in management consulting and entertainment before deciding to go into business together. They set up Year One Consulting in 2006 to apply their combined experience in providing business advice and support for organisations in the arts, creative industries, and higher education. Now living back in Canterbury and aware of the city’s cultural profile they worked from home before moving to offices, first in Folkestone and then the Canterbury Innovation Centre. ‘East Kent is a very interesting area for the arts and creative projects – I think the University, and the city of Canterbury itself, is part of the driving force behind this,’ says Tim. ‘We have worked with a number of regional organisations who are part of this growth, including Kent County Council, Visit Kent, The Creative Foundation in Folkestone, and Accentuate – the London 2012 Legacy Programme for the South
East. We are also involved in the region’s arts scene, sponsoring events such as Canterbury Festival and the Folkestone Book Festival, and providing support for early career arts professionals.’ ‘We considered a base in London,’ Mary Ann adds, ‘but the overheads were far too high for a young company like ours. The Innovation Centre, with flexible, easy-in, easy-out leases and low-cost meeting room facilities on site, is ideal and we were one of the first companies to move in. Being so close to the campus is a real asset – our first full-time team member was a Kent graduate and we have collaborated with the Enterprise unit on a number of employability initiatives. ‘Our work is expanding and we have clients in London and the north west, but see no need to move from here. With the high-speed train service we are within easy reach of London and the rest of the country.’
11
12
University of Kent / Regional Impact
On 14 May 2010, the Canterbury Law Clinic handled the 10,000th query from a member of the public since recent records began in 1991. By March 2007, the total amount of compensation obtained for clients exceeded ÂŁ1m.
www.kent.ac.uk
LEGAL SERVICES
Kent Law Clinic provides free legal advice for local people. In a wonderfully successful partnership between students, academics, and around 50 solicitors and barristers in practice locally and in London, Kent Law Clinic provides a public service for local people who need legal advice or legal representation but cannot afford to pay for it. It also gives students of Kent Law School direct experience of legal practice, always under the close supervision of qualified lawyers, and significantly enhances their knowledge and understanding of law.
While being able to advise on many aspects of law, the Clinic specialises in employment, housing, benefits, contract, consumer, negligence, nuisance, family, immigration, asylum, planning and public law matters generally. The Clinic holds weekly advice sessions for members of the public in several local community centres from October to March, and works on cases taken on throughout the year.
“Kent Law Clinic is the longest-running example of a university-based clinic in the country, and has received numerous awards recognising its work.”
It is the longest-running example of such a university-based clinic in the country, and has received numerous awards recognising its work, most recently the prestigious 2011 Attorney General’s Award for the Best Contribution by a Law School for its community pro bono work. It was also shortlisted for Pro Bono Team of the Year at the legal industry-leading The Lawyer Awards in 2010, alongside a number of leading law firms, and in 2007 was awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize.
CASE STUDY Kent Law Clinic has recently taken part in the longest footpath diversion enquiry on record, helping villagers in Shipbourne save a treasured footpath as a public right of way.
Vivian Chan, a third-year law student who worked on the case, was delighted with the result, saying, ‘I am so pleased to have been able to help preserve such a beautiful footpath.’
Located in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the now saved footpath runs from the kissing gate at St Giles’ Church in the village of Shipbourne towards Ightham Mote, the 14th-century manor house owned by the National Trust.
‘This is a wonderful decision and an important one,’ added Professor John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Law Clinic. ‘It respects the great pleasure which the public take in the precious network of public footpaths across the Kentish countryside.’
In April 2010, Kent County Council made a Public Path Diversion Order, allowing a landowner to divert the public away from a significant part of the path. Shipbourne Parish Council strenuously objected to the Order, and was represented by students and staff from the Kent Law Clinic at a Public Inquiry, held in the summer of 2011.
Louise Goldsmith, Clerk to Shipbourne Parish Council, was ‘thrilled that this beautiful route across such glorious countryside has been preserved not just for villagers, but for the public at large. It has been a long struggle and in the end we could not have done it without the help of the staff and students of the Kent Law Clinic.’
Together with many other groups and individuals, it successfully convinced the Inspector that the diversion should not go ahead. Announcing his decision on 17 November, the Inspector said: ‘The glimpsing views of Bassam Lodge and the church tower, before passing the Oast House and the direct view of the church, in combination, constitutes a walk of outstanding quality and enjoyment.’
In a similar case and following a long campaign that began in 2005, the Law Clinic also helped to preserve several public rights of way through ancient woodland close to the village of Adisham.
13
14
University of Kent / Regional Impact
SPORT FOR ALL
We have extensive sports facilities for all abilities and needs, from amateur enthusiasts to professional sportspeople. With membership open to the public, our extensive Canterbury campus sports facilities include a variety of playing fields, tennis courts, two multi-use sports halls, a cardio/fitness suite and a dance studio. We run a programme of widely varying classes, from Ab-Attack to Zumba. There’s even a café where you can relax when it’s all over. If you’re not sure where to start, you can use our fitness consultation service to discuss your lifestyle and goals, and book review sessions with our fully trained instructors. Meanwhile at our Medway campus, the Centre for Sport Studies offers professional services to the public such as sport and exercise testing, psychology and nutrition consultations, rehabilitation gym and a sports therapy clinic.
Les Collins, co-founder of the Over 50s tennis group that meets on the Canterbury campus We have worked with Medway Dragons RLFC, Medway Park Crusaders Basketball Club and a number of local sportspeople. In addition, we have committed £3m towards the creation of Medway Park, a regional centre of sporting excellence. This £11m
project, led by Medway Council, is a multisport, state-of-the-art facility, within which the University has dedicated seminar, research and therapy rooms. We are delighted that the venue has been approved as a 2012 training camp for 13 Olympic and eight Paralympic sports.
OLIVER BECKINGSALE PROFESSIONAL MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDER ‘I represented Great Britain at the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, and now I ride for the Endura Racing Team. ‘However, in a big crash earlier this year, I broke the neck of my femur – essentially snapping the ball off the hip joint. I’ve been on crutches for 12 weeks, putting absolutely no weight on the leg for the first six weeks. ‘Luckily, my coach is Professor Louis Passfield at the University of Kent’s Centre for Sports Studies, and I am about to put myself in his hands for some serious rehab work. I’ll be making full use
of all the equipment at Kent, including their Alter G treadmill that allows you to run while being supported by air – from 20% of your weight to total support – in a pressure-controlled chamber. It’s a brilliant piece of kit, very expensive, and one of only a handful in the country. ‘There are several rehabilitation experts on the staff too, so although it’s going to be tough regaining my fitness, I’ll have the best help. I’m also helping the University in a way – apparently I’m going to be the subject of several student dissertations!’
www.kent.ac.uk
15
16
University of Kent / Regional Impact
Over 75,000 seats were sold for performances and cinema screenings at the Gulbenkian during 2011.
www.kent.ac.uk
ENTERTAINING AND INFORMING Open lectures
From catching the latest independent film to singing with our students and staff, we welcome everyone to share in the cultural life of the University.
We run an Open Lecture series in which prestigious guest speakers cover a wide variety of topics. Everyone is welcome – the lectures are free, and no booking is needed. Recent topics range from the development of the Olympic Velodrome from procurement to handover, the cell cycle and cancer, to the search for intelligent life. Previous speakers have included Lord Puttnam, Michael Mansfield QC, Lord Winston, and Joanna Lumley OBE.
Music In an age-old tradition, local brewery Shepherd Neame held its annual Hop Blessing, a very specialised form of harvest festival. A student vocal group from the University sang at the service, and then provided musical entertainment during the hop-pickers’ lunch that followed. This is just one example of how the University engages with the local community through its music-making. Students of all subjects get involved in a wide range of extra-curricular music activities which have an impact on the cultural life of both the campus and the community. Student musicians regularly give fundraising concerts in churches around Kent, in joint events with local schools and also join in the annual Children in Need campaign. The University’s Music Scholars perform in a lunchtime concert as part of the Canterbury Festival, the region’s festival of arts and culture. The University also presents a number of major concerts in the city each year, including the thrilling and inspiring Choral and Orchestral Concert in the nave of Canterbury Cathedral which regularly attracts an audience of over 1,000. All the many concerts on the Canterbury campus are open to the public, including the Lunchtime Concert Series, performed by University and professional musicians and sponsored by local solicitors Furley Page.
Susan Wanless, Director of University Music The University also welcomes and encourages the local community to participate as performers, and each year many musicians join our students and staff to sing and play in the University Chorus, Symphony Orchestra, Concert and Big Bands. As Susan Wanless, Director of University Music, says, ‘it’s difficult to think of any other activity at the University in which so many students, staff and members of the public come together in such an enjoyable and productive way. It is a very rewarding part of my job to nurture all the fantastic musical talent we have both within the University and the community beyond. ‘This will become all the more exciting when our state-of-the-art Colyer-Fergusson Music Building opens in summer 2012. With the City’s new Marlowe Theatre and the opening of the Beaney, Canterbury is becoming a major player in the south east‘s flourishing arts scene.’
Theatre and cinema The Gulbenkian theatre opened in 1969, established in the belief that the University had a responsibility to its own members and the people of the region to provide facilities to foster the arts. Since then, the arts centre has grown and now encompasses a fantastic digital cinema with Dolby surround sound, satellite transmission and 3D system, a brilliant theatre, a vibrant café bar which is often used for small performances and a crossover gallery. With its welcoming foyer and licensed café bar, it provides a warm welcome to students, staff and visitors who come together to enjoy a diverse range of live performance as well as independent and world cinema. The Gulbenkian also has a resident graduate company, The Bread Bin Project. This exciting new company specialises in site-specific/ responsive theatre. The Gulbenkian has also supported the development of a youth theatre on campus.
17
18
University of Kent / Regional Impact
REACHING OUT TO SCHOOLS The University of Kent’s involvement with schools and colleges encourages young people to see the value of higher education and the part that it could play in their lives.
In 2011, school and college students took part in more than 300 University events, including DNA fingerprinting, Shakespeare workshops, animation projects and world languages days. In addition we regularly deliver informative talks and workshops on student finance and the UCAS application process.
Our outreach work introduces school and college students to the challenges and opportunities of a university education through a range of stimulating activities delivered both in school and on campus.
Each year, more than 1,000 partner school and college students benefit from our Stepping Up modules which help them to make decisions about higher education and prepare them for undergraduate life.
The Partner School Scheme is an important part of this work. Students and staff at our partner schools have contributed to the development of a wide range of events, modules and activities which reflect the broad base of subject areas, qualifications and modes of study that the University has to offer.
In addition, our extensive use of carefully selected and trained student ambassadors gives school students the opportunity to work alongside current undergraduates who become powerful, and yet accessible, role models. We also help to remind parents and teachers of the benefits of higher education. By enabling parents and teachers to advise young people more effectively, we help to create an environment in which progression to university is seen as a natural step. Finally, students from the University’s partner schools and colleges are eligible to apply for a partner scholarship. Each year, two students from each partner institution are awarded £1,000 for each year of full-time study at the University.
ST ANSELM’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL CANTERBURY ‘Our relationship with the University as a Partner School began in 2005. We have taken part in a number of subject-specific activities across maths, the sciences and arts, covering fascinating topics such as space in architecture, and what we mean by Britishness.
closer in age to our pupils, so make perfect mentors, showing there really is something to be gained by going into higher education.
‘These sessions encourage our pupils to think outside the box, particularly when there’s project work to do. Lectures and seminars engage them by allowing them to hear about the latest research, and everything is presented at an appropriate, accessible level. This really brings a subject alive for them – it’s so different to teaching out of a text book, which is what usually happens at school.
‘We have a good number of successful pupils who go on to university. The rise in fees has made an impact, of course – there has been much discussion about that. But, hopefully, they can see that a university education is worth it in the end. Having the University on our doorstep makes it easier for them, as staying at home while you study means it’s less of a financial burden. And the University of Kent offers scholarships to pupils from partner schools. One of our former pupils had a difficult upbringing but worked hard at school, winning a place at Kent and a scholarship. This has allowed him to break through the barrier – which is just what the scheme is intended to do.’
‘Student ambassadors from the University also come into the school or take pupils around the University. They are much
Andrew Lees Curriculum Manager – History
‘Our pupils have also been to the University for taster days and A level lectures – recently the subject was the Cold War.
www.kent.ac.uk
The Partner School Scheme includes more than 80 activities covering 26 subject areas. Since September 2006, the University has awarded more than ÂŁ500,000 in partner scholarships. The University runs over 200 events each year for partner schools and colleges on campus and in schools.
19
20
University of Kent / Regional Impact
GIVING SOMETHING BACK
We have a strong tradition of volunteering – a great way of allowing our students to play a valuable part in the community. Kent Union, the student union, is the first port of call for an undergraduate who wants to volunteer. From one-off activities such as helping with charity collections, to long-term commitments such as taking part in a mentoring programme, many of our students are willing to offer their time and skills to local organisations.
We have strong ties with charities, including local homelessness charities Porchlight and Catching Lives, Samaritans, Kent Wildlife Trust, Guides, and Kent Library Hospital Service. We are delighted to encourage these activities and many more with the Kent Student Certificate for Volunteering.
Demonstrating the seriousness with which our students regard volunteering, Kent Union was the first student union in the country to receive Investing in Volunteers status. This is the UK quality standard for good practice in volunteering management, indicating that the service run for student volunteers offers the best experience, care and attention possible.
Kent Union also runs RaG – Raise and Give, which is dedicated to raising money for local, national and international charities. From bucket collections to trekking the Great Wall of China, RaG aims to raise at least £100,000 this year.
RACHEL VAN HOVEN COMMUNITY FUNDRAISING OFFICER FOR PORCHLIGHT ‘Porchlight is a Kent-based charity helping anyone who is homeless or threatened with homelessness. We provide street outreach, supported accommodation and homelessness prevention services, with specialist services for people with mental ill health and young people aged 16 to 21.
‘It’s not just the students but also staff at the University who support us, for example by selling Christmas cards and with fundraising events such as Picnic 4 Porchlight. We have also forged long-term links with some students who continue to make themselves available after graduating.
‘Student volunteers are always willing to help with many activities, from office admin and setting up databases to supermarket collections. If I have a specific task or event, I know I can appeal for assistance and they’ll be there – most recently, a group helped us redecorate one of our hostels. They also organise their own events, such as a five-night ‘sleep out’ to raise awareness of homelessness and collect money.
‘We have also commissioned research from the University, and helped Dr Sofia Stathi of the School of Psychology with her research into the public perception of homelessness. We provide workshops and volunteering placements to international students studying at the University’s Centre for English and World Languages.
‘Student associations give regular donations, and last year the collection at the University’s Christmas Service at Canterbury Cathedral raised over £2,000 for our charity.
‘We are very grateful for the University’s support, and in return can help students understand the complex problems of homelessness – it’s not just about providing a bed, but about getting lives back on track.’
www.kent.ac.uk
Around 1,800 students dedicate over 46,000 hours to volunteering each year. In 2010/11, RaG raised ÂŁ90,000 for charity.
21
22
University of Kent / Regional Impact
2,457 tonnes CO2 saved in the past 12 months. 54.7% of all waste is recycled.
www.kent.ac.uk
GREEN MATTERS
With stunning locations – the Canterbury campus is in acres of parkland, and the Medway campus is part of Chatham Maritime – environmental matters are close to our hearts. For many years, the University of Kent has invested in energy conservation projects, and encourages all staff and students to be green-minded. In recognition of our carbon reduction and commitment to ongoing reductions, we were first awarded the Carbon Trust Standard in 2009 and have just been recertified. We are proud that our energy efficiency strategies have put us on target to reduce 80% of our carbon emissions between 1990 and 2050. Here is a brief round-up of our green initiatives.
As we expand our campuses, we ensure that new buildings use the latest construction techniques to reduce the level of heating required. They are also designed to meet the ‘best practice’ industry standards on sustainability.
Other green initiatives include a staff carsharing scheme, discounts for travel on public transport and on the sale and repair of bicycles. We even have a programme to improve cycle shelters and provide dedicated shower facilities for cyclists!
A Carbon Trust energy survey highlighted the scope for upgrading lighting and, as a result, inefficient light fittings have been replaced and lighting controls are being introduced.
Fairtrade
Waste reduction We provide comprehensive on-campus recycling facilities for staff and students, from clothes banks and battery collection points to printer cartridge, paper and glass collections. Waste electrical equipment is also recycled, including fridges and monitors. In the academic year 2009/2010, the University recycled over 47% of all its waste, and in the next year aimed for 50% but actually achieved nearly 55%. This represents a significant increase in the tonnage of waste being recycled.
Green thinking Energy efficiency Efficient heating is essential, particularly on our Canterbury campus with its commanding, but exposed, hilltop position. Therefore we have invested heavily in heating controls, to the extent that, at one stage, the system was the largest installation outside North America. This has been steadily enhanced; every new building is fitted with the system and old buildings are being retrofitted. Improvements to one group of student houses in 2004 saved 1,245 tonnes of CO2 in the first four years.
We participate in the Green Impact Project, which began as part of the Degrees Cooler programme sponsored by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs). This gives annual awards to University departments that have adopted good environmental and ethical practices.
The University has recently been redesignated as a Fairtrade university, making a commitment to use and support Fairtrade. It was first awarded Fairtrade status in 2006, at the same time that Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable became a Fairtrade District. As Emily Crockford, the University’s Environmental Co-ordinator, says, ‘We are keen to play our part within the local Fairtrade district. We have the purchasing power to choose Fairtrade products and promote these to our University community, as well as encourage debates on issues surrounding international trade.’
23
24
University of Kent / Regional Impact
SOURCES
This report took as its starting point a study, The Economic Impact of the University of Kent, conducted by independent consultants Viewforth Consulting on behalf of the University and published in autumn 2011.
Specific figures used in the system were acquired from the following sources:
University of Kent income 2009/10 University of Kent Finance Office
The primary focus of the study was the University of Kent as an operating business and the impact generated by its activity during the academic and financial year 2009/10. It also examined the impact of off-campus expenditure of international students (all students whose permanent domicile is recorded as outside the UK, including other parts of the EU as well as non-EU students) at the University that year. It also analysed the additional injection into the regional economy of expenditure by students from the rest of the UK (ie, from outside the south east region), and of local (domiciled within the south east region) students. The south east region is defined as corresponding to the Government Office Region. The impact of the University on the UK economy was estimated using the most recent version of the Universities UK modelling system, and then analysed using a Local Quotient approach. The model is based on UK data from the 2006 UK Input-Output Tables (Office of National Statistics) together with Labour Force Survey and Annual Business Inquiry data and the 2008 UK Bluebook.
Higher Education Statistics Agency Resources in Higher Education Institutions 2009/10 International revenue, estimated by the Finance Office, includes non-EU fees, income from international research and consultancy and other services to international customers such as conference accommodation. University of Kent Hospitality Department
University expenditure and output 2009/10
Student off-campus expenditure Estimated using Student Income and Expenditure Survey 2007/08 (Johnson, Pollard et all, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills Research Report 09 05) Expenditure calculated excludes any fee payments to the University; account is also taken of University accommodation charges and other payments to the University, such as to catering outlets and so on – therefore excluding double-counting. Information on student profile by domicile of origin: University of Kent Registry All other information is from the relevant University of Kent departments
University of Kent Finance Office Higher Education Statistics Agency Resources in Higher Education Institutions (Finance) 2009/10 Secondary ‘knock-on’ output and secondary employment generated by the University was estimated using the Universities UK modelling system (2009) analysis
For further information, including the Viewforth Consulting report, see www.kent.ac.uk/impact Copies of the University of Kent’s Annual Review and Financial Statements are available from the Corporate Communications Office, The Registry, University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NZ.
Produced by the Corporate Communications Office. March 2012 Designed and printed by the Design & Print Centre Photographs by Matt Wilson, Simon Jarratt,
Alison Hollis, Mick Norman.
www.kent.ac.uk
25
www.kent.ac.uk
DPC 112551 2/12
University of Kent The Registry, Canterbury Kent CT2 7NZ