2008 Winter Spring Summer Autumn Constitution The University’s constitution is set out in its Royal Charter, Statutes The business of the University is conducted in accordance with the and Ordinances. seven principles identified by the Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life (selflessness; integrity; objectivity; accountability; The Court meets once a year to receive the University’s Annual openness; honesty; leadership) and follows the further advice about Review and Accounts and, as appropriate, to appoint a Chancellor governance from the Committee, the Higher Education Funding of the University. The Court’s membership includes representatives Council for England and the Committee of University Chairmen. The from many sectors of the local and national community as well as Council maintains a Register of Interests of its members and staff staff, student and graduate members. of the University. The Government’s response to the Dearing Report on Higher Education (1998) endorsed a recommendation that the The Council is the executive governing body of the University and Council should be reviewed at least once every five years. The most comprises lay and staff members and students, with a non- recent review of the Council’s effectiveness was undertaken during executive, lay majority. The Statutes of the University define the summer/early autumn 2008. The review included a detailed report powers and responsibilities of the Council (and of the Court and the from an External Adviser, John Lauwerys, formerly Secretary and Senate, see below). By custom and under the advice of the Higher Registrar at the University of Southampton. The review concluded Education Funding Council for England, the Council has that overall the Council was effective. Some changes to further responsibility for the ongoing strategic direction of the University, enhance its operational effectiveness are under consideration. The approves major projects and receives regular reports from next review of the Council’s effectiveness will be in 2012/2013. Committees and Executive Officers acting under statutory or Enquiries about the constitution and governance of the University delegated powers. should be directed to the Secretary of the Council. The Senate is the academic authority of the University and comprises academic staff and student members. It directs and regulates the teaching and research of the University. 2008 Contents 2 Introduction 4 Winter 2008 12 Staff profile – Sarah Lonsdale 14 Spring 2008 22 Staff profile – Professor Sarah Spurgeon 24 Summer 2008 32 Student profile – Berna Ucel 34 Autumn 2008 42 Staff profile – Dr Mark Smales 44 Books 47 Open Lectures 48 Summary of financial performance 50 Awards, appointments, promotions and deaths 52 Principal officers 34 4 24 35 5 14 26 35 6 19 29 38 11 20 30 40 University of Kent 1 Annual Review 2 University of Kent Annual Review Professor Julia Goodfellow – introduction It seems amazing that I have been the UK overall in the 2008 National Student at the University of Kent for over a Survey. An important part of current strategy year. It has been an exceptionally is to strengthen postgraduate provision. Professor Diane Houston, formerly Head of busy and exciting time for all of us. the Department of Psychology, has been appointed first Dean of the new Graduate A particular highlight was the award of a School. Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education for the work of the Kent In the autumn, postgraduate students took Law Clinic. We were extremely proud to up residence in Woolf College. This is the receive the award from the Queen at first new college to be built at Canterbury Buckingham Palace. for nearly 40 years. There are two further building projects underway at Canterbury: We were delighted with the outcome of the a new state-of-the-art building for our highly Government’s 2008 Research Assessment rated School of Drama, Film & Visual Arts, Exercise (RAE). The University is 24th in the and the Innovation Centre, funded by list of UK higher education institutions in SEEDA, which will support local businesses terms of University performance in the best, and the creation of jobs in the region. 4*, research grading. There are top rankings in a range of subject areas. History, for At Medway, construction of purpose-built During the year I have been delighted to example, is third in the country and we student accommodation has started, with meet many alumni at University events in the have six in the top ten of their disciplines completion due in 2009. This year has seen House of Lords, in New York, San Francisco, nationwide. This is a significant shift for the the graduation of the first group of MPharm Brussels and Hong Kong. I look forward to University. I should like to thank all those students from the Medway School of meeting more in the year ahead. We have involved in the University’s submission. Pharmacy and the start of an exciting new also welcomed a number of distinguished degree programme in journalism. speakers to the University, including Sir The University of Kent also improved its Simon Jenkins, who gave the Chancellor’s position in the national newspaper league The University’s campus in Brussels Lecture. This Annual Review is only a tables. We are very pleased that the celebrated its 10th anniversary with a snapshot of the University’s activities and University is now 28th out of 117 higher successful reception held in the British achievements during 2008. However, I trust it education institutions in the UK, according Ambassador’s residence in Brussels. Hosted conveys a picture of a University committed to The Guardian, ranking higher than some jointly with Kent County Council, the keynote to excellence, enterprise and engagement in major civic universities. According to address was by Lord Hannay of Chiswick. everything it does. I hope you share my The Guardian University Guide 2009, ‘Kent excitement about what we have achieved describes itself as “the UK’s top European As with all UK universities, financial matters this year and my expectation of future university”, and many courses offer a foreign cannot be overlooked. Our financial achievements. language option or a year abroad ... But statements for 2007/2008 indicate a no matter how much it gazes towards the successful year but increasing financial Finally, I should like to thank all staff, the continent, it also takes its regional role pressures require a sustained focus to Executive Group and members of the seriously’, a welcome endorsement of our ensure continued well-being. Fundraising Council, especially Valerie Marshall (Chair), regional commitment and our teaching and is ever more important and Kent is poised to John Simmonds (Deputy Chair) and our research at an international level. take advantage of the Government’s scheme Chancellor, Sir Robert Worcester, for their to match the funding raised by universities support during this outstanding year. Student recruitment continues to rise, and over the next three years. We are set to our student population is almost 17,000. launch a fundraising campaign focusing on Kent students again voted Kent ‘number one capital funding projects, scholarships and university in London and the south-east for the student experience. student satisfaction’ and we were ninth in Professor Julia Goodfellow CBE, FMed Sci Vice-Chancellor University of Kent 3 Annual Review Winter 2008 Language and linguistics centre launched The Centre for Language and Linguistic Studies, based in the School of European Culture and Languages (SECL), was launched with a public lecture, entitled Genocide and ethnocide: the suppression of the Cornish language, given by Dr Jon Mills from the University’s English Language Unit. The Centre aims to provide a forum for research collaboration and research-led teaching outside the confines of SECL and its language sections. Among those to benefit will be other sections and departments across the University which have identifiable linguistic interests, such as Anthropology, Classics and Archaeology, Computing, Philosophy, Psychology, and Sociology, as well as local schools and members of the community. Research Research reveals views on government spending on the poor How will the UK end indigenous child poverty by its deadline of 2020 when most people think this is not the government’s responsibility? This is one of several concerns uncovered by Professor Peter Taylor-Gooby in his analysis of a survey carried out by NatCen on changing perceptions of social justice. Professor Taylor-Gooby, a member of the School of Social Policy, Research Publications 2007 Sociology and Social Research, used national survey data from the British Social Attitudes Report to show that the proportion of The University has revived the publication of an annual list of the people who think the government should spend more on benefits publications of its staff. Publications and research grant awards are for the poor has fallen from over half to under a third since the late listed by individual, and grouped by department and faculty. This is a 1980s, and that people in the UK are becoming less inclined to web-based publication that can be corrected and updated at any time. see helping vulnerable groups as the business of government. Research Publications 2007 provides a comprehensive picture of The results of Professor Taylor-Gooby’s research were published the range and depth of research and its outputs produced by the in the National Centre for Social Research’s British Social University. It can be seen at: www.kent.ac.uk/library/research/kar.html Attitudes: 24th Report. During March 2009 the second volume, Research Publications 2008, will appear. 4 University of Kent Annual Review Winter 2008 Minor icy bodies and cosmic dust The University’s long history of research in solar system science continued with the award of a new £500,000 research grant from the Science and Technology Facilities Council to Professor Mark Burchell of the Centre for Astrophysics and Planetary Science in the School of Physical Sciences.