Spring 2004 - University of Kent

accessible to as many people as
possible. In addition, the
University has seen an increase in
its research funding, and continues
to attract increasing numbers of
international students.
Professor Melville said the extra
funding would underpin the
University’s widening
participation expansion, and that
the money will be used to invest
in new facilities and staff, including
20 new professorial
appointments.
Vice-Chancellor Professor David Melville
campus in Medway.
Ruchir Joshi is Visiting
Writer from India
Vice-Chancellor Professor David
Melville said: ‘The award
demonstrates a clear recognition
that our development strategy is
the right one. It is a real vote of
confidence.’ Working with further
education colleges and other
higher education institutions in
the region, the University has
developed a range of initiatives to
ensure university education is
looking at its effects on cancer
cells in the lab, Professor Gullick
hopes to establish why so few
patients respond to the drug,
which patients are most likely to
respond and how we can make
this drug more widely useful.
Professor Bill Gullick, Dr Dan
Lloyd and Dr Phil Blower are
members of the Cancer
Research Group, established to
reflect the growing amount of
cancer research activities within
the Department of Biosciences
at Kent.
Ruchir Joshi is the 2004 Charles
Wallace Trust Visiting Writer
from India. Joshi is the author of
The Last Jet-Engine Laugh,
published by Flamingo in 2001.
The Daily Telegraph was ‘amazed
by the bravery of this first novel’
and applauds Joshi for writing ‘in
the joyous tradition’ of Laurence
Sterne, with ‘Sterne’s gift for
digressions...and Joshi has the
master’s eye for his surroundings...
this is surely a great moment for
a national literature.’ Ruchir Joshi
has scripted and produced film
documentaries for BBC and
Channel 4 on food, cricket, Baul
folk musicians, and the western
media’s constructions of Calcutta.
He is currently writing a novel set
in Calcutta during World War II.
Rowers rule
The Kent men’s first four in action
The men’s first crew won the recent Medway fours head of the river event,
and the women won their novice event. At the 2004 Colours Ball, two of the
Rowing Club’s officers, Sylvain Barde (Chairman of the Club) and James
Lowther (Treasurer), were awarded green colours ‘in recognition of their
dedication and commitment beyond the call of duty.’
University of the
Transmanche on course to
welcome first students
The University of the
Transmanche, an innovative
cross-Channel university project
Kent developed with the three
Lille Universities and the
University of the Littoral, is
getting ready to welcome its first
intake of students in September
2004. At a symposium in
November, teaching and research
staff from the five universities
finalised course details for the
unique Transmanche Masters
degree. Students will be able to
choose from a range including
European Law, International
Commerce, Health and Medical
5
Photo: Heather Coleman