Wiki on academics/teaching/reputation of UKC

yogiguy

Did a compendium of info, and pasted it into Wiki. Also see below. Please correct Wiki if new info... (don’t just add it here- here is for more for opinion). Thanks.

Over 18,000 students currently study at Kent, making it an above average sized university for the U.K. The student population is quite mixed, in all senses of the term. The university has more contrasts than other comparable universities founded around the same time (e.g. Warwick, York, UEA&#8230 :wink:

. That begins with the situation of its largest campus, perched on a hill, with stunning views of the cathedral city of Canterbury town on a pleasant day.

Among the contrasts is its geographical mix. The biggest and best established campus is at Canterbury, with some 9,000 students, making it comparable in size to York (but it is about to expand greatly from 2009 onwards) and smaller than Warwick. Unlike many other universities, Kent also has several other campuses … in Medway (in the historic Chatham dockyard), Tonbridge and Brussels. Associated colleges include Chaucer College, the University Centre Hastings and Wye College. Kent works in partnership with Canterbury College, South Kent College and Mid-Kent College. Kent also has numerous strong associations, e.g. with IEP Lille. Kent was originally titled University of Kent at Canterbury and is still often referred to as UKC, particularly in relation to its Canterbury campus.

The original campus, the University of Kent at Canterbury, is one of the universities created during the sixties. Kent, along with other new universities of the time (like Warwick, York, UEA&#8230 :wink:

, was part of a move away from 'red brick' formal departmental structures. Interdisciplinary approaches to scholarship flourished in a relatively small-scale residential atmosphere. This approach still remains. In addition a year spent in Europe is also a feature of many of the Kent’s degree courses.

Some of the other notable features
- A strong European mix. A very high number of continental European students at Canterbury. It is probably the highest concentration of continental European students at any UK university.
- Mixed in national origins. Well over 15% of students at UKC come from outside Europe. No less than 128 different nationalities are currently represented. Most of the foreigners are on the Canterbury campus. Some of the English students believe that they are in a minority. But that is maybe counting in the continental European and visiting students..
- Mixed socially. The university has a policy of “openness”, not just in terms of the cross fertilisation of ideas and geographical outreach, but also in terms of the make-up of the student body. It has a more inclusive student body than other comparable universities founded around the same time (e.g. Warwick, York, UEA&#8230 :wink:

.
- Mix in ages. There are a large number of part-time (over 6,000) and mature students, although this is hard to notice on the Canterbury campus.
- Students with disabilities seem to be better welcomed than at many universities, with extensive special provision.

Kent is currently one of the fastest growing Universities in the UK (along with Warwick and York), partly through acquisitions of other campuses in Kent and partly through Canterbury expansion.

The Canterbury campus is nice and compact with accommodation, teaching rooms, sports facilities, library etc all within easy reach. There’s a lot of green open space. The campus has a real community atmosphere. The result is breathtaking views of the city which never fail to inspire your whole stay there. The campus is clean, and tidy.

UKC students are in general happy bunnies. The campus also has a large population of rabbits and squirrels, most in evidence at night time! In winter the campus used to be great for snowball fights before global warming came along. Summer is when the campus at its best. Kent has some of the hottest weather in the country and Kent campus is ideal for barbecues, Frisbee, football, etc. When the sun shines, everyone goes out onto the fields. You wouldn’t find that in a city university.

Canterbury is the UK’s city with the lowest crime rest. Kent is likely to the UK’s safest university… there is excellent security on UKC (with the exception of stolen food from fridges… with Keynes of late a hot spot of thievery).

The collegiate system is a bit of a sham, this does not really matter too much, because the whole university community seems to be remarkably close (considering there are around 10,000 students), and you'll soon feel very much a part of things.

Indeed UKC cannot be considered collegiate in any true sense - many of the colleges rely on each other, for day-to-day operation. For example, Keynes and Darwin Colleges no longer have dining halls, and so the students resident there are catered by Rutherford and Eliot colleges. Many students are allocated accommodation irrespective of their college, which reduces the ties further.

Of course, life on campus varies. It really depends on which halls you’re in, and what people you meet. Some people leave at weekends, but the trick is finding people who don't (after all, who wants to have the choice of going home at weekends, or sitting in your room on your own?). There's a large contingent of international students. Sometimes they can form cliques. However it's not as bad as at some universities, we are told.

Kent describes itself as the "European university". It's part of the Franco-British University of the Transmanche and there's even a campus in Brussels. But no matter how much it gazes continent-wards, it also takes its regional role seriously.

Be careful of league tables and generalisations across the whole of the university. Statistics on Canterbury will look quite different to some of the other constituent colleges.
In the world university league tables, Kent is placed in the top 500 world Universities (441st in the world) by the 2007 Quacquerrelli-Symonds / Times Higher Education Supplement (QS-THES) league table. Sixteen departments from Kent appear in the top 20 of either The Times or The Guardian's British subject rankings from 2005 (including six departments in the top ten).
The best advice is to fully research whether Kent is good in the particular subject you are studying. Some departments are top-notch, such as Law (the award-winning Kent Law Clinic, providing students with experience of law whilst studying), Computers (the Kent IT Clinic provides students with experience of consultancy whilst studying) and English & Drama (much student activity here too). Kent has a fantastic reputation for each of these. All subjects requiring a European or international perspective e.g. the social sciences and languages, are strong given Kent’s international ties.
Kent does very well on measures of “student satisfaction”. While the methodology is often debatable, it does seem to correspond to a reality, with a good balance between having fun and working. Ranked by the Times as having the most “physically attractive” students, for what that is worth (also voted “Fittest” university in 2006 and later by Nuts magazine).

Kent draws its students from a wide cross-section of society, in the UK, Europe and beyond. UK undergraduate applicants aiming for AAA will often put Kent as insurance, while at the same time, the university – given its leftwing origins of the 1960s (long since diluted, if not gone altogether) – has always been active in increasing participation.

Distinguished alumni of the University, which is well represented in the media, include comedian Alan Davies, broadcasters Gavin Esler and Shulie Ghosh, novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Hugh Orde and actor Tom Wilkinson

The Teaching:

Most students seem to think the teaching is of a high standard. Courses at Kent have some particularities… generally
1) more flexible than elsewhere,
2) good IT, e.g. with many recorded lectures and
3) a more “European” or international flavour… among the best in the UK.

A year spent in Europe (with far smaller fees, and a living allowance) is also a feature of many of Kent’s degree courses. While often optional, Kent academics say that students who embark on such programmes often achieve better final degree grades.

Wiki on academics/teaching/reputation of UKC

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