Now that Russia is trying its hand at democracy, the Small Business Institute’s student exchange program with Moscow State University of Forestry is an even more beneficial experience to curious students than it was previously.

Since 1989 students at NIU have been participating in an exchange program with coeds on the other side of the world at Moscow State University of Forestry, said Michelle DeJean of the SBI office.

She said NIU sent a student to Russia last semester and right now there are two Moscow State University students attending classes here.

“They will be staying here for the semester,” she said.

According to DeJean, one of the NIU students acts as a professor at the Moscow school.

She said the professor will be incorporating the material he is learning about the free world into the courses he teaches in Russia.

Both exchange students enrolled in classes at NIU have a primary interest in the free market system and, consequently, are taking a variety of courses in the College of Business, she said.

In addition to taking classes, DeJean said, the two visitors also are observing the interactions between NIU students and faculty members and comparing their findings with the similar relationships at their Moscow school.

Also, in order to become a part of every aspect of NIU, the students are staying on the international floor of one of the residence halls, she said.

According to DeJean, Tuesday marked the arrival of Moscow State University’s president, vice president and dean, who embarked on several meetings with members of NIU’s faculty.

Since then, there have been meetings with NIU President John La Tourette and the visitors to discuss future collaboration between the two institutions of higher learning, she said.

The faculty members from Moscow State University also have conducted meetings with faculty members from virtually every department in the College of Business, DeJean said.

For information regarding the exchange program, interested students should call the office of the Small Business Institute at 753-0779.