Jedi Academy opens in Belfast

According to its publicity material, the course 'Feel the Force: How to Train in the Jedi Way' teaches the "real-life psychological techniques behind Jedi mind tricks".  It also claims to examine the "wider issues behind the Star Wars universe, like balance, destiny, dualism, fatherhood and fascism".

Allen Baird, the course leader, said he hoped his novel approach would attract younger people to open learning.

"I hope to get more people interested in life-long learning," Dr Baird said. "It is not just about the Star Wars films. It is also about the sociological and political issues that are addressed in the films."

To those who might be tempted to write-off the course as a publicity stunt, Dr Baird said: "I suppose the parallel is with the Scout Movement's use of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book.

"It doesn't mean that one has to believe that the stories are true, but they can be used as a teaching aid. I am trying to find a platform through popular culture to bring people back to learning."

The course has been established the year after the UK's first Jedi Church was founded by the brothers Barney and Daniel Jones in Anglesea, Wales.