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University of Kent

• Location & Contact Information
  • Address, Directions, & Map:
    • Canterbury, England, UK
  • Telephone Numbers: +44 (0)1227 764000
  • Official Website:[1]
• History & Memorable Moments

A university in the ancient city of Canterbury was first considered in 1947, when an anticipated growth in student numbers led several localities to seek the creation of a new university, including Kent. However the plans came to nothing. A decade later both population growth and greater demand for university places led to new considerations. In 1959 Kent County Council explored the possibilities of a university through its Education Committee, formally accepting the proposal unanimously on 24 February 1960. Two months later the Education Committee agreed to seek a site at or near Canterbury, given the historical associations of the city, subject to the support of Canterbury City Council. By 1962 a site was found at Beverley Farm, straddling the then boundary between the City of Canterbury and the administrative county of Kent. The University was granted its Royal Charter on January 4, 1965 and the first students arrived in the October of that year. On March 30, 1966 Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent was formally installed as the first Chancellor. The University of Kent at Canterbury was envisaged as being a Collegiate establishment, with most students living in one of the colleges on campus, and as specialising in inter-disciplinary studies in all fields. Over the years, changing demands have effectively destroyed this original concept, leading to the present state, near the "norm" for a British University. ^[1]

The university grew at a rapid rate throughout the 1960s, with three colleges and many other buildings on campus being completed by the end of the decade. The 1970s saw further construction, but the university also enountered the biggest physical problem in its history.The university had been built above a tunnel on the disused Canterbury and Whitstable Railway. In July 1974 the tunnel collapsed, damaging part of the Cornwallis Building, which sank nearly a metre within about an hour on the evening of July 11th. Fortunately, the university had insurance against subsidence, so it was able to pay for the southwest corner of the building to be demolished and replaced by a new wing at the other end of the building. In 1982 the university opened the University Centre at Tonbridge (now the University of Kent at Tonbridge) for its School of Continuing Education, helping to enhance the availability of teaching across the county. In the 2000s the university entered a collaboration with the University of Greenwich, Mid Kent College and Canterbury Christ Church University to deliver university provision in the Medway area. This led to the development of the University of Kent at Medway, opened from 2001. Initially based at Mid Kent College, a new joint campus opened in 2004. As a consequence of the expansion outside of Canterbury the university's name was formally changed to the University of Kent on 1 April 2003. In 2007 the university was rebranded with a new logo and website. The logo was chosen following consultation with existing university students and those in sixth forms across the country. ^[1]

• Overview, Photographs, & Video Links

Prospective Students

• Admissions Tips

New & Current Students

• Campus Events
• Transportation
• Safety Tips
• Support Centers
  • Counseling
• Grading System
• Good Classes & Teachers
• Groups & Organizations
• College & Career Tips

Alumni

• Benefits of Joining Alumni Association
• Mailing List Directory
• Chapters
• Teachers (Where are they now?)
• Alumni Directory
• Alumni Events

Visitors

• Hotels Nearby
• Restaurant Recommendations
• Places of Worship
• Sports Facility Access

Other Links

References