MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University has signed student exchange agreements with universities in the Ivory Coast and the state of Chihuahua, Mexico.

The new agreement with the National Institute Polytechnique of the Ivory Coast is the first step in attracting more African students to Ball State, said Pierre Atchade, president of the African Student Association.

President John E. Worthen recently signed the agreement on behalf of the university.

Both schools agreed to waive their own tuition fees for exchange students. A Ball State student wishing to study in the Ivory Coast will pay only the Ball State tuition and not additional tuition at the Ivory Coast school and vice versa.

"This is a very important step for us because of the economic situation in many African countries, universities have not been able to send as many students to the United States because of tuition costs," said Atchade.

Ball State has 22 African students enrolled this spring, or just over five percent of the international student population. Atchade would like to see that number increase. The number of African students attending Ball State has decreased in recent years.

Alexandre Agbomi, a Ball State alumnus from the Ivory Coast, is the overseas coordinator of the new program.

Ball State also has renewed its agreement with the Autonomous University of the City of Juarez (UACJ),in Chihuahua, Mexico.

President Worthen recently signed the agreement at Ball State. Fernando Rovelo, UACJ's treasurer and director of administrative services, was present. Rovelo earned a degree in educational leadership from Ball State in 1992.

"A major project of the universities is to develop an institute to contribute to the socio-economic well-being of Indiana and the Mexican state of Chihuahua," said Richard Nitcavic, chairperson of Ball State's department of communication studies and local coordinator of the exchange.

Each university has pledged $7,500 as seed money to start this institute. The effort is headed by Ball State marketing professor Erdogan Kumcu.

"There are 450 assembly plants in Chihuahua, and eight major companies based in Indiana have plants there," Nitcavic said. "Initial plans for the institute include developing training programs for managers of assembly plants, especially those with ties to Indiana. Additionally, many opportunities for faculty research and student involvement will become available."

Since 1991, several Ball State professors and students have visited UACJ. Currently, four faculty/staff members at UACJ are enrolled at Ball State, said Nitcavic. In addition, a Ball State professor, Ron Kovac, has been teaching an information and communication sciences course on campus that is delivered live in Juarez. UACJ provides simultaneous translation into Spanish and a UACJ faulty member to assist Kovac.

The universities are attempting to develop additional distance-learning projects. UACJ has positioned itself with the Mexican government as a major player in distance learning and educational technology for Mexico and other Latin American countries.

"UACJ is quite interested in furthering its relationship with Ball State because of our expertise in these areas," said Nitcavic.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about the African exchange, contact Atchade by e-mail at 00pjatchade@bsuvc.bsu.edu or by phone at (765)285-1365. For more information about the Mexican exchange, contact Nitcavic by e-mail at 00rgnitcavic@bsu.eduor by phone at (765)285-1882.)