THOUSAND OAKS : College Invites Baltic Officials to Institute

University professors and administrators from the Baltic states, many of whom have never traveled outside of what used to be part of the Soviet Union, will attend Cal Lutheran University’s first Scandinavian and Baltic Institute in July.

Leonard Smith, founder of the institute, said educators will experience not only American universities but American culture as well. The group will combine visits to several Southland campuses with trips to Disneyland and the Getty Museum.

“Most of these people haven’t been out,” said Smith, a Cal Lutheran professor whose specialty is German history. “They know very little about American education. They’ve had very little chance to travel. Just to come here, for many of these people, will be an overwhelming experience.”

Smith came up with the idea for the institute after he toured the Baltics while on sabbatical last summer. This year’s theme is “Higher Education in a Changing Economic, Political and Cultural Environment.”

“The main thing I’m trying to show them is the tremendous variety and diversity of American education,” said Smith, who has taught at the Thousand Oaks university since 1969.

At least 12 university officials from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will join others from Norway and Sweden for the institute, which will be July 3-24.

Much of the $990 cost per participant is underwritten by the U. S. Information Agency, the Soros Foundation, the Estonian community in Los Angeles, the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Thousand Oaks Rotary Club.