Seven Soviet officials, including a leader for Soviet economic reform, will visit NIU today to learn more about American capitalism.

The purpose of the visit is to teach Soviet leaders about American small businesses. The meeting is an outgrowth of the proposals President Bush made to Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev during their Malta meeting last year.

The delegation includes key policy makers who will help make new economic legislation in the Soviet Union. The group might also include a translator or an aide from the Soviet Embassy in Washington.

While at NIU, the Soviets will attend a luncheon and meet Dan Lemanski, director of NIU’s Small Business Institute, administration and faculty members, two small business operators and more than 30 students.

Valentin Kihhaylovich Vologzhin will lead the delegation. He is the chair of the Supreme Soviet’s Committee on Economic Reform, a position comparable to chairman of a key Congressional committee.

This will be the only campus visit scheduled for all seven members, who arrived in Washington last Thursday. Three of the officials are in the United States for 10 days, and four for 16 days.

The visit is sponsored by the regional Small Business Administration and the U.S. State and Commerce Departments.