(m.l.) The Archbishop of Trento Mons. Luigi Bressan and the President of Fondazione Bruno Kessler Andrea Zanotti signed this morning, Monday 29 June 2009, the agreement renewing the cooperation between the Archdiocese of Trento and the Centre for Religious Studies of FBK for the organization of the Higher Course in Religious Science (CSSR).
The signing ceremony, held at the FBK headquarters of Via S. Croce in Trento, was also attended by Antonio Autiero, director of the FBK Centre for Religious Studies and by Andrea Simoni, the general secretary of FBK.
The aim of the teachers’ training course is twofold: promotion of research and studies in the field of religious sciences, and cooperation in the training of people eligible for teaching religious subjects in public schools.
Archbishop Mons. Bressan underlined how this agreement with the FBK Centre for Religious Studies is not only to be pursued but intensified, seeing that the conditions of contemporary society call for increasingly better educational approaches and a wider vision of life and of the religious factor.
“This initiative, – Antonio Autiero stated – launched more than 20 years ago, is all the more important in that in the national scenario only the Archdiocese of Trento works together with a cultural organization that includes a Centre for Religious Studies and stipulates with such organization agreements for the performance of the task of promoting and training religion teachers”.

The CSSR
The Higher Course in Religious Science, first held in the academic year 1986-1987, is open to various categories of students: ordinary, extraordinary, auditors and guests. Attendance is mandatory for at least two thirds of the subjects.
The aim of the CSSR is to provide an organic and complete perspective of the various theological subjects, and focuses especially on man, history and the relevant sciences, that are developed as the integrating aspect of every theological theme. The course offers students a more in-depth awareness of the rational mediation between faith and culture and a capacity of dialogue between Christianity and other religions, against a background that will ultimately highlight the originality of Christianity also with regard to the cultural characteristics of the territory in which they are living in.
 
Course duration and final diploma
The course envisages a 5-year (3+2) curriculum, approved by the Congregation for Catholic Education, and opens the following opportunities:
- at the end of the 3-year base section of the course, students receive a Diploma in Religious Science (equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree) required for teaching the Catholic religion (IRC) in 1st and 2nd grade secondary schools in Italy;
- at the end of the subsequent 2-year section of the course, students receive the Teaching Degree in Religious Science (equivalent to a Master’s Degree) required for teaching the Catholic religion (IRC) in 1st and 2nd grade secondary schools in Italy.

Both the Bachelor’s and the Master’s Degree are conferred by the theological faculty “Facoltà Teologica del Triveneto”.

Key data
MATRICULATION DATA FOR A.Y. 2008-2009
122 students enrolled, of which 72 ordinary, 35 “fuori corso” (i.e. with exams not yet completed within the legally required time), 15 auditor and extraordinary guests.

GRADUATES

A.Y. 2006-2007
Master’s Degree in Religious Science (4-year course): 7 (of which 3 male)
Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Science (3-year course): 4 (of which 1 male)

A.Y. 2007-2008
Master’s Degree in Religious Science (4-year course): 6 (of which 2 male)
Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Science (3-year course): 6 (of which 1 male)

A.Y. 2007-2008
Master’s Degree in Religious Science (4-year course): 5 (of which 0 male)
Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Science (3-year course): 1 (male)
Degree in Religious Science (3-year course): 5 (of which 1 male) 

More info at: http://isr.fbk.eu/it/corso_scienze_religiose