The University is running a series of public lectures at its Medway campus between March and May for anyone who wishes to learn for pleasure.
Run in association with U3A, (University of the 3rd Age), the lectures will be held in the Rochester Building, Chatham Maritime, ME4 4AG. Each lecture is priced £15 and there is free parking at the Medway campus.
The first lecture in the series, titled The Black Death: plague, pestilence, and social disorder, will take place on Friday 17 March from 10.00-13.00.
Delivered by Dr Julia Cruse of the University’s School of History, the lecture will use contemporary written accounts and recently revealed burial sites to explore the plague’s impact on the people of the time.
Dr Cruse will also give a lecture on Friday 12 May on Manipulating Monarchs: Tudor and Elizabethan Propaganda.
Museum curator, Jeremy Kimmel’s first lecture will be on Saturday 1 April from 10.00-1300 on A History of Beer in Kent, when he will endeavour to answer the question: what makes Kent so special that some of its ales are protected? His second lecture The History of Science (up to 20th century) is on Saturday 13 May.
Art historian, Dr Katia Mai’s first lecture An Introduction to Modern Art takes place on Saturday 1 April, also at 10.00-13.00. It will introduce students to important examples of sculpture, photography and painting. Her next lecture, which closes the series, is entitled Art in Context on Saturday 13 May and seeks to enable students to make the most of their future visits to museums and galleries.
The courses are organised by the University of Kent’s Tonbridge Centre, which offers short courses and study days where people can learn about subjects purely for interest – which reflects the aims of U3A.