Wendy Alexander, Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, will visit the University of Glasgow at 9.00 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday 23 May*, to open the International Workshop and Marine Fair marking the creation of the new joint Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde. She will address delegates from the industry, academia and regulatory bodies in the Stevenson Lecture Theatre in the James Watt Building.

Following Ms Alexander's opening of the event, the keynote address (at 9.15) will be given by Sir Robert Easton, the Chancellor of the University of Paisley. A time-served engineer of the shipyards, he will provide an overview of the rise and decline of shipbuilding on the Clyde through to the current scene and t he international opportunities for specialist shipbuilding and offshore engineering.

Professor Andrew Hamnett, Principal of the University of Strathclyde, will speak ( at 11.30) on the "Shared Destiny" of the two universities in the field. He will speak of the history of the two departments as being "a shared vision" starting with the local marine industry on the Clyde and advancing to global interaction in recent years. "The decision to merge the two departments is a natural outcome of this shared history and connects with the wider decision of both Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities to conclude the Synergy agreement on research. The future for the merged department depends on our capacity for realising the impressive array of resources now available to take upt he challenge presented by the resurgence of the maritime industry in the UK and Europe."

The International Workshop

The International Workshop on Bulk Carrier safety will comprise three inter-linked elements revisitng successive inquiries into the mysterious sinking of the Derbyshire during a typhoon in the pacific off Japan.:

* the Derbyshire investigation involving all the key parties that brought this issue to conclusion

* the associated research that supported and followed the investigation

* the initial response of the regulatory regime involving government, classification societies and the International Maritime Organisation

The Marine Fair

The Marine Fair will run in parallel with the International Workshop. The Marine Fair will be held in the Kelvin Gallery of the Hunterian Museum, University of Glasgow, throughout the conference. There will be photo-opportunities at 11.00 a.m. on Wednesday 23 May. 22, 01 The Marine Fair will give all companies operating in the Clyde area who are involved in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering an opportunity to exhibit their products and services to a large international audience and to develop potential contacts for strategic partnerships and joint ventures in the future.

The Fair is being staged by the Universities in collaboration with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, The Royal Institution of Naval Architects, the Institute of Marine Engineers, The Institution of Engineers and Shipbuilders in Scotland, Glasgow City Council and Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow.

The new Department

The new Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering will bring together the Department of Naval Architecture & Ocean Engineering at the University of Glasgow and the Department of Ship and Marine Technology at the University of Strathclyde to form a unique provider of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in Scotland. Commencing in August 2001, the new department, under the ownership of both Universities, will bring together complementary expertise to form a prominent centre of international excellence in teaching and research.

Further information for Press at http://www.mewsdesk.gla.ac.uk/pressr

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

Copies of the programme can be obtained from the University of Glasgow Press Office - 0141 330 2976 press@gla.ac.uk

*The opening will take place at 9.00 a.m. on Wednesday 23 May in the Stevenson Lecture Room of the James Watt Building. For further information on Ms Alexander?s speech contact the Scottish Executive Press Office.

ENDS

First published: 22 May 2001