On Wednesday, 28 November, the Department of Theology and Religious Studies will hold a religious studies conference for 5th and 6th year secondary school students at the St Andrews Campus, Bearsden. To date, 284 students and teachers have registered for the conference - the largest number of participants to register for this annual conference.

Conference organiser, Darlene Bird, of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies said: "As well as having the biggest ever attendance at this conference for school pupils, we have experienced increased numbers in some of our undergraduate courses this year. Courses in Islamic Studies are proving to be especially popular, which we believe may be due in part to the events of 11 September."

The morning sessions which include workshops on Buddhism, Islam and Christianity will begin at 10:30 am in the Conference Hall at St Andrew's College. The afternoon sessions on Gender and Ethics and Science and Religion will begin at 1pm.

The conference for 5th and 6th years students is offered by Glasgow University for the purpose of promoting religious studies in secondary schools and providing support for their teachers. -----------------------------------------------

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

For further information contact Darlene Bird, 0141 330 6127 or Professor David Jasper, 0141 330 4405

Calls on the day of the conference should be directed to the Religious Education Dept at St Andrew's Campus on 0141 330 3433

or contact the University Press Office on 0141 330 3535

First published: 27 November 2001