King’s relatedNewsletter of the Family Programme Issue 9 | Autumn 2010

King’s wins prestigious ‘University of the Year’

King’s College London has been awarded the title of ‘University of the Year 2010-11’ by The

Sunday Times. The College beat last year’s winners Oxford to receive the honour which recognises all-round excellence in the fi elds of research, teaching and student experience.

In all criteria of the award King’s has improved its placement from last year and was the only university to have done so. This year has been an exceptional year for the College; it has seen a 13 per cent rise in undergraduate applications and a 30 per cent rise in postgraduate applications, as well a rise in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and the QS international league table of universities (to 21st position).

Alastair McCall, Editor of The Sunday Times University Guide said: ‘King’s is an outstanding institution however you judge it. It is not only a prized destination for students in the United Kingdom but a plum draw for students across the world. Teaching and research excellence are to be found everywhere… It turns out high-quality graduates who get good jobs and who are able to make both a success of themselves and a contribution to society. Our award of The Sunday Times University of the Year is thoroughly deserved.’

In the University Guide King’s was ranked 10th overall in the UK. More details are available at www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/

universityguide

‘It is thrilling to be awarded the title of University of the Year, and this is a

great tribute to the entire College community. National fi nancial issues have put pressure on the College (as well as every other university) over the last 12 months, but our staff and students have remained committed to the pursuit of excellence in research, teaching and learning, and outreach. King’s has a long and distinguished history, but receiving this accolade must rank as one of its fi nest moments.’

Students more happy to be at King’sIn the National Student Survey (NSS) 2010, students’ overall satisfaction with their studies at King’s rose from 83 per cent to 86 per cent which is well above the national satisfaction score. The survey also found that 91 per cent of graduates are working or studying six months after graduating, exceeding both Oxford and Cambridge University’s achievement of 86 per cent.

The NSS gives fi nal year students the chance to comment on a range of aspects of their learning experience including teaching, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, and personal development.

to be at King’sIn the National Student Survey

students’ overall satisfaction with

King’s rose from 83 per cent to 86 per cent which is

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Happy Anniversary Florence

The world’s first professional nurse training school, and that from which the college’s own School

of Nursing & Midwifery is descended, was established by Florence Nightingale at St Thomas’ Hospital, and opened its doors to its first students on 9 July 1860. Since then, the School has continued to provide pioneering nursing and midwifery education and research, also hosting the National Nursing Research Unit, a multidisciplinary centre for nursing research in England. In May the School was ranked by the Complete University Guide 2011 as the best school of nursing in London, and in the UK’s top ten.

On Friday 9 July the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing & Midwifery at King’s celebrated its 150th anniversary with a ball at the prestigious Guildhall in London. The event was an opportunity to celebrate

the School’s history and founder, and was attended by a variety of guests including staff, students, alumni and friends of the School.

In addition to the ball, Archbishop Desmond Tutu fkc, made an address to a congregation of 2000 nurses, midwives, students and health care professionals at a memorial service at Westminster Abbey to celebrate the life and work of Florence Nightingale in the centennial year of her death.

The School has continued to pioneer as a provider of nursing and midwifery education and research

Research Team of the Year

Breast Cancer Campaign Fellow Dr Jo Morris and fellow researcher Amin Alamshah from the Cancer Genetics Group at King’s, have been awarded Breast Cancer Campaign’s ‘Research Team of the Year’ prize for their outstanding work in the area of breast cancer.

Scientists at the King’s College London School of Medicine discovered a family of proteins that could track down DNA damage and attach themselves to normal proteins to guide them in fixing the genetic faults.

This research is another shining example of the first class cancer research being undertaken at King’s, which includes The Division of Cancer Studies, one of the leading cancer research centres in Europe.

All the King’s Men, an all-male student a cappella group from King’s, will be working with Aspire (an education partnership which encourages entry into higher education) to develop a new outreach initiative for local schools and colleges, encouraging local students to apply to university and showcase the range of opportunities available there.

In addition to this All the King’s Men have had a busy summer performing their

debut show Picking up the Pieces at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which received rave reviews. If this was not enough, the group also beat the University of Oxford’s rival a cappella group, Out of the Blue, in a stylish and musical ‘A Cappella-Off’.

All the King’s Men were established in September 2009 by freshers at King’s who wanted to have fun with music.

For more information and a list of upcoming gigs please visit www.all-the-kings-men.com

School children Aspire to be like All the King’s Men

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The group also beat the University of Oxford’s rival a cappella group

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Students get personal support

Every undergraduate and postgraduate student is allocated a Personal Tutor at the beginning of term. The role of

a Personal Tutor is to listen to students, be aware of any problems they have, identify and provide support and to help students with any questions they may have. All students will have regular access to see their Personal Tutor for the duration of their time at King’s.

Here is what some students had to say about their own Personal Tutors:

Kayleigh Norton, a second year Classical Studies with English student

How has your Personal Tutor helped you during your time at King’s?He has helped me in several different ways over the course of the past year. He’s been an invaluable source of advice in situations to do with my course and module choices,

which I’ve now changed several times. I also struggled with some financial problems last year and my Personal Tutor knew exactly who I should speak to about it and showed me that there were many options to help me out of my problem.

Do you think having a Personal Tutor is a good idea?I really do! Having a Personal Tutor means that someone is always there to offer advice and support, without being judgemental or negative. You might not need to see them beyond the progress updates you have throughout the year, but it’s definitely comforting to know that there’s someone to help you if you need it.

What would you tell first year students about Personal Tutors?Personal Tutors are there specifically to guide you through your time at King’s. Whether that’s keeping you on track with your studies, helping you with financial problems, accommodation issues or even just to bounce ideas off and have someone there to listen when you need to voice frustrations aloud, Personal Tutors are the people you should go to for advice and support.

They’re there to offer help when you need it most and, normally, the quicker you go to them the faster they can help resolve your problems!

Tajinder Sihra, a fourth year Dentistry student

Describe what your Personal Tutor means to you?Personal Tutors are your first port of call whenever you’re having difficulties with anything. They give you insight into how best to deal with any issues you may have and point you in the right direction if they don’t have the answer. It’s really reassuring knowing there is someone there who will try their best to help you - whether it be exam, course or even personal problems, and it’s great to know that any information you share with them will be kept confidential.

It’s comforting to know that there’s someone to help you if you need it

Personal Tutors are your first port of call whenever you’re having difficulties with anything

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Contact detailsKate McGranaghan, Development & Alumni Office, King’s College London, James Clerk Maxwell Building, 57 Waterloo Road, London SE1 8WA Tel +44(0)20 7848 4701 Email family@kcl.ac.uk

In good companyAmongst our alumni are key and influential figures in religion and the religious community including:

Evelyn Underhill (History & Botany) – Honorary Fellow of King’s College for Women in 1913, then the first woman to be made Fellow of King’s College London in 1927. Famous for her writings on religion and spirituality, especially her texts concerning Christian Mysticism.

The Rt Hon and Rt Reverend Dr George Carey

(Theology 1962) – Lord Carey of Clifton is Presentation Fellow of King’s College London. He was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991-2002.

The Most Reverend Archbishop

Desmond Tutu DD FKC (Theology

1965, MTh 1966) – was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1984 in recognition of his work as Secretary-

General of the South African Council of Churches. He was Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986-96 and Chairman of the South African Peace and Reconciliation Commission. He is one of King’s most respected alumni and was Visiting Professor in Post-Conflict Societies at the College in 2004.

General Shaw Clifton AKC (Law & Theology, 1967) – is currently the General of the Salvation Army.

Lord Sacks (Theology & Religious

Studies, PhD, 1981) – Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth. Currently a Fellow of King’s College and a Visiting Lecturer for the Theology and Religious Studies department.

Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari MBE (Physics, PhD, 1986;

PGCE 1991) – Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain 2006-10, Chairman of the East London Mosque (London’s first mosque), and board member of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The Rev Richard Coles (Theology & Religious Studies,

1994) – Musician with The Communards in the 1980s, journalist, TV personality and Church of England priest.

Few opportunities exist within Africa for professionals, particularly female, to gain political representation. Recognising this trend, King’s has collaborated with African universities and institutions to set up the African Leadership Centre. Students will develop effective policy-making, leadership and management skills and learn how to respond to critical issues that face their communities. The programme will establish a cadre of innovative, effective and responsible individuals who will be equipped with the tools to effect social change within their regions.

This year, 34 Fellows will attend a conference at the University of Nairobi as

part of a master’s programme to nurture the future leaders of Africa. The project, which was supported by the generosity of King’s Annual Fund, will allow current and past students to meet with regional experts to discus advancements in peace, security and development within the continent. The event will allow students to form supportive and powerful networks.

Dadirai Chikwengo, who has completed the programme states: ‘I can’t thank my tutors […] at King’s enough for preparing me adequately for these roles. Of all the decisions I have made in my life, the best was being at […] King’s at that time.’

Future African leaders attend Nairobi conference

A Singular education

King’s College alumnus, Zain Jaffer (Business Management, 2009) was personally selected to attend Singularity University which was established in 2009 by Google and NASA, and aims to supplement traditional academic courses by way of a ten week summer programme. Out of thousands of applicants, only 80 students are accepted.

There, Zain met Google’s co-founder Larry Page, former NASA astronaut Dan Barry, and was privy to some of the world’s newest and most fascinating technology.

Zain was, and still is, heavily involved with and committed to King’s College

London itself. His skills helped the King’s SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) team beat over 35 universities in the UK to become UK SIFE Champions 2009. Zain founded the KCL Business Club, the largest society in the University and a ‘highly commended’ finalist in the Enterprise Educators Award of the Year in 2009.

Reflecting on his time at King’s, Zain says: ‘I thoroughly enjoyed my time at university. Living in London not only gave me the chance to build valuable contacts, but attending one of the top universities in the world was, I think, very beneficial for both my education and career.’

Zain now runs his own company, Mediaroots, with fellow King’s student Jack Smith as his business partner.

King’s graduates are amongst the top in terms of employability and average graduate salaries, and were ranked third for the highest average graduate starting salaries in The Sunday Times University Guide 2008.

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